ip-api.com vs OpenCage Geocoding API
Category: Geocoding · Updated June 2026
ip-api.com has a more generous free tier (45 calls/min (HTTP only), no key, no credit card) and requires no API key, making it the easier choice for getting started. OpenCage Geocoding API currently leads on reliability with 72.4% uptime vs ip-api.com's 72.12% uptime over the last 30 days. Pick ip-api.com for hobby projects; consider OpenCage Geocoding API if you need its specific feature set.
Side-by-side comparison
ip-api.com
Free IP geolocation API returning country, city, region, ISP, and coordinates for any IP address. No key required.
| Status | 🟢 Online |
| 30-day uptime | 72.12% |
| Response time | 308 ms |
| Free tier | 45 calls/min (HTTP only), no key, no credit card |
| Auth | No key required |
| Tier score | 1.0 — no friction |
OpenCage Geocoding API
Forward and reverse geocoding API aggregating multiple open data sources including OpenStreetMap and Geonames.
| Status | 🟢 Online |
| 30-day uptime | 72.4% |
| Response time | 1173 ms |
| Free tier | 2,500 calls/day, free key, no credit card |
| Auth | API key |
| Tier score | 0.7 — free key, no card |
Which to choose?
- Pick ip-api.com if…you want zero friction — no account, no key, just call the endpoint. Also good if geocoding data without signup is a hard requirement.
- Pick OpenCage Geocoding API if…reliability matters most — it shows higher uptime in our 30-day tracking. Good for production workloads in the geocoding space.
- Use both if…one goes down — they serve the same geocoding use case from different data sources, so you can implement a quick fallback.
Or use these alternatives
Other top-ranked Geocoding APIs you might consider:
- Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) — 🟢 Online · 1 req/sec, must set User-Agent, no key
- GeoIP-db — 🟢 Online · Unlimited, no key, no credit card
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ip-api.com or OpenCage Geocoding API more reliable?
Based on our 30-day tracking, OpenCage Geocoding API is more reliable with 72.4% uptime compared to ip-api.com's 72.12%. Both are measured from the same automated hourly checks — no self-reported data.
Which one has a more generous free tier — ip-api.com or OpenCage Geocoding API?
ip-api.com has a more generous free tier. Its plan offers 45 calls/min (HTTP only), no key, no credit card vs OpenCage Geocoding API's 2,500 calls/day, free key, no credit card. ip-api.com also requires no API key at all, making onboarding instant.
Can I use ip-api.com and OpenCage Geocoding API together?
Yes, and it's straightforward. ip-api.com needs no key, while OpenCage Geocoding API needs a free registration. You can use one as primary and the other as fallback without significant complexity.
What's the cheapest paid alternative if both ip-api.com and OpenCage Geocoding API fail?
If you need a paid fallback, ip-api Pro is one of the more affordable options (from $15/mo). You can find the full list of paid alternatives on each API's detail page. Paid tiers typically offer SLA guarantees, higher rate limits, and dedicated support.
See full profiles: ip-api.com · OpenCage Geocoding API · All Geocoding APIs