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IP2Location vs What3Words

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

APIIP2LocationREACHABLE—What3WordsNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSnono
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key requiredFree tier — key may be required
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

IP2Location vs What3Words: common questions

Which is more reliable, IP2Location or What3Words?

On our scheduled checks, What3Words leads on measured uptime — IP2Location at —% versus What3Words 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 What3Words need an API key?

Both ask you to authenticate — IP2Location uses an API key and What3Words 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 What3Words from the browser?

Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call IP2Location and What3Words 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 What3Words free for commercial use?

IP2Location has unclear commercial terms, and What3Words 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.