A reliable IP Address API from Developers for Developers

Many public data sources are integrated into an accurate and frequently updated IP address API at api.ipapi.is

The free plan (1,000 daily requests) covers use-cases for most users.

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{
  "message": "Please make an API request",
}
ipapi.is

Accurate IP address data from developers for developers. Fast lookups, frequently updated, actively maintained. 1,000 free API lookups per day.

About Documentation

Comprehensive Hosting Detection

By using a proprietary hosting detection algorithm, thousands of hosting providers and their IP ranges are tracked.

ASN information

ipapi.is provides the best and most frequently updated ASN information on the market.

Geolocation

A proprietary geolocation database was built from scratch. The database is constantly updated and pruned for accuracy.

{
"message": "Please make an API request",
}

Security Intelligence

The API provides Tor, Proxy, VPN and Abuse information. Many different open source IP block lists are used to source the data. [1] [2] [3]

Organization Information

ipapi.is provides information for the organization that has ownership of the queried IP address.

WHOIS Data

WHOIS data is the primary data source of ipapi.is. Millions of constantly updated WHOIS records are used in the API.

Quickstart

You can use ipapi.is from any programming language that supports HTTP requests. Any IP address (IPv4 and IPv6) or ASN can be queried by making a simple API request to the endpoint:
https://api.ipapi.is?q=23.236.48.55

Read the Documentation

Curl

Quickly test the API by using the ubiquitous curl command from the terminal 

# open a new terminal / shell and then paste:
curl 'https://api.ipapi.is?q=32.5.140.2'

# open a new terminal / shell and then paste:
curl 'https://api.ipapi.is?q=32.5.140.2'

JavaScript

Use the API from any browser easyily with JavaScript or from Node.js 

fetch('https://api.ipapi.is?q=23.236.48.55')
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(res => console.log(res));

fetch('https://api.ipapi.is?q=23.236.48.55')
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(res => console.log(res));

Python

Of course you can also use Python with the requests module 

# install requests module first
import requests

url = 'https://api.ipapi.is?q=23.236.48.55'
response = requests.get(url)
print(response.json())
# install requests module first
import requests

url = 'https://api.ipapi.is?q=23.236.48.55'
response = requests.get(url)
print(response.json())

PHP

Integrate the API in PHP in your application with these lines 

$url = 'https://api.ipapi.is?q=23.236.48.55'; 
echo file_get_contents($url);

$url = 'https://api.ipapi.is?q=23.236.48.55'; 
echo file_get_contents($url);

Unique Strengths

Multiple API Servers

The API is hosted on multiple servers around the globe. The API endpoint api.ipapi.is routes the request to the closest endpoint geographically / performance wise. This is achieved by using Microsoft Azure Cloud DNS and Azure Traffic Manager.

Dedicated API Access

If you need a large request volume or you need to host the API in your own infrastructure for technical or legal reasons, you can obtain the ipapi.is software and database for offline usage.

IT Security

The API has strong IT Security support. As such, the API provides TOR, VPN, Proxy and Hosting Detection intelligence for each IP Address.

WHOIS First

The primary data source for the API is WHOIS information from the five major Regional Internet Registries and their databases. WHOIS data is the only trustworthy data source when it comes to IP Address data, therefore it is prioritized.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ipapi.is?

ipapi.is is a fast and accurate IP address API. It can be used to get meta information about any IPv4 and IPv6 address used in the Internet.

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical identifier assigned to every device connected to the Internet, used to identify and communicate with other devices on a network.

Is the API stable? How many servers are behind api.ipapi.is?

The API is hosted in the following geographical locations:

  • Two servers in the US (US East and US West)
  • One server in central Europe (Germany)
  • One server in Singapore (Asia)

With the above server coverage, the average end user latency is decreased by a significant amount. Currently, api.ipapi.is focuses on the US and European continents. However, additional servers in other locations can be added within minutes.

Each server is relatively large and can handle around 1000 requests per second.

api.ipapi.is uses the following cloud services from Microsoft Azure in order to reduce the latency for API lookups:

  • Azure Cloud DNS for handing DNS lookups
  • Azure Traffic Manager to route API requests to the geographically closest server

Why was ipapi.is developed?

The development of ipapi.is was primarily motivated by the need to obtain essential IP data for IT security products. In the field of IT security, it is often necessary to identify the organization or entity responsible for a particular IP address. Additionally, understanding the type of IP address, whether it belongs to an ISP, mobile, datacenter, TOR, proxy, or VPN, is crucial for effective traffic filtering.

While there are numerous IP address API services available, ipapi.is does not assert itself to be superior to others, and it is up to the user to evaluate its performance. However, given its origins in IT security, ipapi.is is committed to maintaining a high level of accuracy in its services. This dedication to precision ensures that users can rely on ipapi.is for dependable and trustworthy IP address data.

What are the use cases of the API?

Ways IP address data can be used:

  • Geolocation: determining the geographic location of a device connected to the internet.
  • IP reputation: identifying whether an IP address has been associated with spam or malicious activity.
  • Network troubleshooting: identifying connectivity issues and diagnosing network problems.
  • IT security: tracking the source of cyber attacks, and implementing security measures to prevent them.
  • Targeted advertising: using IP address data to target advertisements to specific regions or demographics.
  • Personalization: using IP address data to customize website content based on the visitor's geographic location.
  • Analytics: analyzing website traffic and visitor behavior based on their IP address.

How often is the API updated?

The core API data is updated every week. Some parts of the API are updated daily.

Can the API be rented as a whole?

Yes. ipapi.is can be rented in its entirety and hosted on your own infrastructure. To run ipapi.is effectively, a server with a minimum of 16GB of memory and 4 vCPUs is necessary. With these specifications, you can expect to have a capacity of approximately 3000 API lookups per second or 259 million lookups per day.

For a monthly fee of $200, you can rent the entirety of ipapi.is, which includes automatic updates and support. This allows you to have complete control and customization of the service while still receiving regular updates and assistance.

How accurate is the API?

It depends on the part of API output.

  • WHOIS data: Very accurate, since it comes directly from the source (ARIN, APNIC, RIPE, AFRINIC, LACNIC)
  • Geolocation: Very accurate to the country level. Semi accurate to the city level
  • Datacenter detection: Quite accurate (much better than competitors)
  • TOR detection: Very accurate
  • Proxy and VPN detection: Semi accurate. Will not detect residential proxies or unknown VPN providers

Why should we use ipapi.is and not competitors?

You should test for yourself and not trust anyone. Some of the biggest strengths of ipapi.is are:

  • Hosting or datacenter detection
  • TOR detection
  • WHOIS data support
  • ASN metadata

How fast is the API?

Very fast. On average, a simple IP lookup takes 2ms of processing time. A server with 16GB of memory and 4 vCPUs will give you roughly 3000 API lookups per second or 259 million lookups per day.