IPinfo vs Nominatim (OpenStreetMap)
Category: Geocoding · Updated June 2026
IPinfo has a more generous free tier (50,000 calls/month, no key (token extends limits)) and requires no API key, making it the easier choice for getting started. Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) currently leads on reliability with 99.58% uptime vs IPinfo's 61.18% uptime over the last 30 days. Pick IPinfo for hobby projects; consider Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) if you need its specific feature set.
Side-by-side comparison
IPinfo
IP address data API providing geolocation, ASN, company, carrier, privacy detection, and abuse contact info.
| Status | 🟢 Online |
| 30-day uptime | 61.18% |
| Response time | 203 ms |
| Free tier | 50,000 calls/month, no key (token extends limits) |
| Auth | No key required |
| Tier score | 1.0 — no friction |
Nominatim (OpenStreetMap)
Free forward and reverse geocoding from OpenStreetMap data. Rate-limited.
| Status | 🟢 Online |
| 30-day uptime | 99.58% |
| Response time | 102 ms |
| Free tier | 1 req/sec, must set User-Agent, no key |
| Auth | No key required |
| Tier score | 0.7 — free key, no card |
Which to choose?
- Pick IPinfo 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 Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) if…you want zero friction — no account, no key, just call the endpoint. Also good if geocoding data without signup is a hard requirement.
- 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:
- ip-api.com — 🟢 Online · 45 calls/min (HTTP only), no key, no credit card
- GeoIP-db — 🟢 Online · Unlimited, no key, no credit card
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IPinfo or Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) more reliable?
Based on our 30-day tracking, Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) is more reliable with 99.58% uptime compared to IPinfo's 61.18%. Both are measured from the same automated hourly checks — no self-reported data.
Which one has a more generous free tier — IPinfo or Nominatim (OpenStreetMap)?
IPinfo has a more generous free tier. Its plan offers 50,000 calls/month, no key (token extends limits) vs Nominatim (OpenStreetMap)'s 1 req/sec, must set User-Agent, no key. IPinfo also requires no API key at all, making onboarding instant.
Can I use IPinfo and Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) together?
Absolutely — neither requires an API key, so you can call both with no setup. A round-robin or primary/fallback pattern is trivial to implement, giving you redundancy at zero cost.
What's the cheapest paid alternative if both IPinfo and Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) fail?
If you need a paid fallback, IPinfo Basic is one of the more affordable options (from $49/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: IPinfo · Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) · All Geocoding APIs