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IP2Location vs IPWhois

Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.

APIIP2LocationREACHABLE—IPWhoisNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesno
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key requiredFree tier — API key may be required for production
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

IP2Location vs IPWhois: common questions

Which is more reliable, IP2Location or IPWhois?

On our scheduled checks, IPWhois leads on measured uptime — IP2Location at —% versus IPWhois at —% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

Do IP2Location and IPWhois need an API key?

Both ask you to authenticate — IP2Location uses an API key and IPWhois uses an API key. Each key is free to obtain; the Auth and Card-required rows above spell out the signup terms.

Can I call IP2Location and IPWhois from the browser?

Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call IP2Location and IPWhois from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.

Are IP2Location and IPWhois free for commercial use?

IP2Location has unclear commercial terms, and IPWhois has unclear commercial terms. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.