Quick answer
The IP API - For most builders, The IP API is the better free tier because it keeps the same core data, allows commercial use, and gives a clearer upgrade path at a slightly lower first paid price.
How the free tiers compare
These free tiers look similar on the surface: both give 1,000 requests per day, no credit card is required to start, and both target IP geolocation use cases. The difference is in what you keep as you grow and how the paid ladder is shaped. ipapi.is is more feature-heavy on the free side, with richer intelligence fields like VPN, proxy, Tor, and abuse data, and it also offers separate database products and a self-hosting-oriented Business plan. The IP API is narrower but more straightforward for production geolocation workflows: the free plan already includes commercial use, daily updates, ASN, and company info, and the first paid tier is slightly cheaper. If you need deeper IP intelligence or database downloads, ipapi.is wins. If you want a simple API you can ship with and scale into, The IP API is usually the cleaner pick.
ipapi.is vs The IP API free tier, side by side
| ipapi.isFTV 50 | The IP APIFTV 58 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free requestsBoth free tiers are capped at the same daily request volume. | 1,000 requests/day | 1,000 requests/day |
| Credit card required to startBoth products explicitly say no credit card is required for free access. | No | No |
| Core geolocation data on free tierBoth include geolocation lookups on the free tier. | Yes | Yes |
| Extra intelligence fields on free tieripapi.is exposes more abuse-related fields; The IP API is more focused on geolocation and company data. | VPN, proxy, Tor, abuse intelligence | ASN and company info |
| Commercial use on free tierThe IP API explicitly includes commercial use on the free plan; this was not stated for ipapi.is in the provided input. | Not stated in provided free-tier items | Yes |
| Data update cadence on free tierThe IP API explicitly lists daily updates; no update cadence was provided for ipapi.is. | Not stated in provided free-tier items | Daily data updates |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat monthly pricing after the free tier, so costs are easy to predict. ipapi.is starts at $20/month for 20,000 requests/day, then steps to $50, $100, and $200 per month with higher daily caps. The IP API starts slightly cheaper at $19/month for 600,000 requests/month, then moves to $49 and $99 per month with much larger monthly caps. For small teams, The IP API is usually cheaper at the first paid step; ipapi.is becomes more interesting if you want the extra intelligence fields or database products rather than just more request volume.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | ipapi.is | The IP API |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 requests/dayBoth free tiers fit this usage. | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| 20,000 requests/dayThe IP API’s paid plans are quoted per month, so a direct day-to-day match is only approximate. | $20/mo | ~$19/mo exceeds free tier |
| 600,000 requests/monthipapi.is quotas are daily, so monthly equivalence depends on request distribution. | ~$20/mo or higher depending on daily pattern | $19/mo |
| 3,000,000 requests/monthThe IP API’s Standard plan is the relevant paid step here. | Not enough info to estimate cleanly from the provided daily quotas | $49/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick ipapi.is when…
- You need VPN, proxy, Tor, or abuse intelligence in the API response.
- You want the option to buy separate IP databases instead of only API access.
- You expect to outgrow the free tier and may want self-hosting access later.
- You are comparing smaller paid steps in requests per day rather than requests per month.
Pick The IP API when…
- You need commercial use included on the free plan.
- You want a free tier aimed at production geolocation work, not just testing.
- You care about a slightly cheaper first paid tier at $19/month.
- You want a simple monthly request ladder with clear scaling from 600k to 15M requests/month.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, The IP API is the better default: it gives a usable free tier, includes commercial use, and has the lower first paid step. That makes it easier to start small and move into production without changing providers. ipapi.is is the better choice if the extra IP intelligence fields matter, especially VPN, proxy, Tor, and abuse data, or if you want database downloads and self-hosting options later. If your priority is simple geolocation at low cost, The IP API wins.
Read the full listings: ipapi.is and The IP API. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.