ipstack Alternative — Why Developers Switch to IP Geo API

TL;DR: ipstack (by apilayer) is a widely-used IP geolocation service with global infrastructure, but its free tier is HTTP-only (no HTTPS), requires attribution, and the useful bits (threat detection via the “Security Module”) are paywalled. If you need HTTPS on every tier, EU-only hosting, EUR billing, or threat classification without a bolt-on add-on, IP Geo API is the faster path. Drop-in REST replacement, EU-hosted on Hetzner Frankfurt + Vercel fra1.

Try IP Geo API free → · 1.000 requests/day · HTTPS on every tier · no credit card

Quick comparison

Honest note: ipstack has broader global edge presence than an EU-only provider can match for non-EU clients, and the apilayer multi-API dashboard is convenient if you already use their other APIs (currencylayer, weatherstack, etc.). If those outweigh EU residency or HTTPS-on-free for you, stay with ipstack.

When IP Geo API is the better fit

1. You need HTTPS on your free tier

ipstack’s free plan serves over HTTP only. For any modern browser-side code, that means mixed-content warnings, CSP headers blocking the request, and in many cases outright failure. The workaround (upgrade to Basic at $9.99/mo) is fine if you have revenue, but it’s a hard wall for side projects and proof-of-concepts. IP Geo API serves HTTPS on every plan — including the 1.000 req/day free tier.

2. You need VPN/proxy detection without a second invoice

ipstack’s “Security Module” (fraud flags, proxy/Tor/VPN detection) is a paid add-on, not included even in the Basic plan. That means fraud-prevention use cases force a jump to Professional ($49.99/mo) or beyond. IP Geo API ships is_vpn, is_proxy, is_tor, is_datacenter, is_residential on every response, every tier — no add-on, no quota multiplier.

3. You need EU data residency (GDPR Article 44+)

apilayer is a US/Austrian company operating global infrastructure. Your IP queries may transit US-based edge nodes. For regulated industries (fintech, healthtech, gov-tech, adtech under GDPR scrutiny), that’s a compliance liability. IP Geo API runs only on EU infrastructure (Hetzner Nuremberg + Vercel fra1) and contractually commits to no transfer to non-adequacy countries.

4. You’re tired of USD pricing

Paddle/USD invoicing + monthly FX volatility add 1-3% friction to every bill. Dutch, Belgian, German, and French accounting teams flag this as a recurring annoyance. IP Geo API bills in EUR. iDEAL, SEPA, and Bancontact are first-class payment methods. No FX, no currency-conversion fee, no surprises on the monthly close.

5. You outgrew ipstack’s free 100-request ceiling

100 requests per month is thin for anything beyond a single-page demo. IP Geo API’s free tier is 1.000 requests per day (~30× ipstack’s monthly quota), attribution-free.

6. Your team prefers a simple, single-vendor invoice in EUR

Especially relevant for Dutch/Belgian/German agencies where supplier invoicing is audited. Mollie is a Dutch BV, fully invoicable, BTW-compliant. One invoice, one vendor, no reseller pass-through.

Migration guide (15 minutes)

Step 1: Sign up

# 1. Create account
open https://ipgeo.10b.app/pricing

# 2. Get your API key from the dashboard
export IPGEO_API_KEY=sk_live_...

Step 2: Swap the URL

ipstack:

curl "http://api.ipstack.com/8.8.8.8?access_key=YOUR_KEY"
# ↑ note the http:// on free tier

IP Geo API:

curl https://ipgeo.10b.app/v1/lookup/8.8.8.8 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $IPGEO_API_KEY"

Step 3: Map response fields

Most fields are 1:1 compatible. Key differences:

A compatibility shim (?format=ipstack) is available that returns the legacy ipstack flat shape — useful if you don’t want to refactor consumer code:

curl "https://ipgeo.10b.app/v1/lookup/8.8.8.8?format=ipstack" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $IPGEO_API_KEY"

Step 4: Verify rate limits

Free: 1.000 req/day, no burst. Starter (EUR 29/mo): 100K req/mo, 60 req/sec burst. Business (EUR 99/mo): 1M req/mo, 200 req/sec burst, dedicated IP.

Step 5: Cut over

Recommended: dual-write for 24-48h, compare results (especially threat.* flags, which will be richer), then switch DNS / config / env var. Most customers complete the cutover in <30 minutes including verification.

Pricing comparison (2026-04-23)

Pricing accurate as of 2026-04-23 based on vendor public pages. Verify on ipstack.com/product and ipgeo.10b.app/pricing before purchase decisions — ipstack has changed quotas and prices historically.

What ipstack does better

Honest disclosure — these are real strengths of ipstack:

• Global Anycast edge: if your users are spread across 50+ countries, ipstack’s global network has lower median latency than EU-hosted IP Geo API for non-EU clients. For a European SaaS with European users, this rarely matters.
• Longer track record: ipstack has been live since 2016. IP Geo API launched in 2026.
• apilayer ecosystem: if you’re already using currencylayer, weatherstack, numverify, or another apilayer API, one dashboard is convenient.
• Wider output format support: XML fallback is available. IP Geo API is JSON-only by design.

If those matter more than HTTPS-on-free-tier, EU data residency, or EUR billing — ipstack is still a fine choice. We won’t pretend otherwise.

FAQ

Is IP Geo API built on the same data as ipstack?

Both pull from broadly similar upstream sources (MaxMind-style databases). IP Geo API is built on MaxMind GeoLite2 + IP2Location LITE + custom ASN enrichment, with our own threat-scoring model trained on public abuse feeds. ipstack’s upstream composition is not publicly disclosed.

How accurate is the geolocation?

Country-level: ~99.5%. City-level: ~85% within 25km radius — consistent with industry benchmarks for IP-only resolution. This is not GPS-grade; no IP geolocation provider is.

Why is HTTPS-on-free such a big deal?

Modern browsers block mixed content (HTTPS page → HTTP API) by default. CSP headers block it more strictly. For any client-side JavaScript that looks up visitor geolocation from a production HTTPS site, ipstack free tier is effectively unusable without a paid upgrade. IP Geo API’s free tier ships HTTPS so side projects and MVPs can ship without an upfront invoice.

Do you offer batch lookups?

Yes — POST /v1/lookup/batch accepts up to 100 IPs per request, counted as 100 against your quota. ipstack’s bulk endpoint tops out at 50 per request.

What about IPv6?

Full IPv6 support on every tier. Same endpoint, same response shape.

Can I self-host?

Not at the moment. EU-managed SaaS is the current focus. If you have a self-hosted requirement (€10K+/year), contact us.

Do you log my queries?

Operational logs only (1 hour retention for debugging). No customer-IP-to-queried-IP mapping is retained for analytics. See our privacy policy for full disclosure.

What happens if I exceed my quota?

Hard cutoff at 100% (HTTP 429). Optional soft-burst (110% for 30 min) on Business plan. No surprise overage bills — a pattern some apilayer users have flagged on Paddle invoices.

I already pay for ipstack’s Security Module. How is IP Geo API’s threat data different?

Our threat classification (is_vpn, is_proxy, is_tor, is_datacenter, is_residential) uses an ensemble of public abuse feeds (Spamhaus DROP, FireHOL, AbuseIPDB-lite) + our own passive-probe data. It returns on every request at no extra charge. If you need signed, audit-trail reports for regulated fraud use cases, contact us for the Business-plus offer.

Try IP Geo API free

Start with 1.000 free requests/day →

HTTPS on every tier. No credit card. No attribution. EU-hosted. EUR billing. Cancel anytime.

Have a question? Reply to any onboarding email or open an issue at github.com/corem6/ip-geo-api.

Last updated: 2026-04-23. Pricing and feature claims verified against vendor public pages on this date. Submit a correction → GitHub issue.