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ipapi.co vs Postcodes.io

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

APIipapi.coNEW—Postcodes.ioNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedService MIT-licensed; postcode data license unverified
Free tierFree — quota not published; returns 429 when exceededFree — no key required
Rate limitUnpublished (429 Quota exceeded)Unpublished (no key; fair use)
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

ipapi.co vs Postcodes.io: common questions

Which is more reliable, ipapi.co or Postcodes.io?

On our scheduled checks, Postcodes.io leads on measured uptime — ipapi.co at —% versus Postcodes.io 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 ipapi.co and Postcodes.io need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — ipapi.co is callable with no signup, and Postcodes.io is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call ipapi.co and Postcodes.io from the browser?

Only Postcodes.io is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. ipapi.co needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are ipapi.co and Postcodes.io free for commercial use?

ipapi.co has unclear commercial terms, and Postcodes.io 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.