My IP Help vs ip-api.com
Compare My IP Help and ip-api.com for IP geolocation, security features, and commercial use.
Overview
ip-api.com is popular among developers for its free, no-signup-required IP geolocation API. However, its free tier is limited to non-commercial use and lacks HTTPS, making it unsuitable for production applications.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | My IP Help | ip-api.com |
|---|---|---|
| IP Geolocation | All plans | All plans |
| Commercial Use (Free) | Yes | No — paid only |
| HTTPS (Free) | Yes | No — paid only |
| API Key Auth | Yes — secure key management | No keys on free tier |
| VPN / Proxy / Tor Detection | Pro ($29/mo) | Not available |
| Threat Score | Pro ($29/mo) | Not available |
| Sanctions Screening | Business ($79/mo) | Not available |
| Bulk IP Lookup | Pro (100 IPs/req) | Batch endpoint (limited) |
| Test Keys | Unlimited, all plans | Not available |
The Commercial Use Problem
ip-api.com’s free tier explicitly prohibits commercial use. If you’re building a product, SaaS, or any revenue-generating application, you need their Pro plan. My IP Help’s Free plan allows commercial use from day one — 1,000 lookups/month with HTTPS and API key authentication included.
Verdict
ip-api.com is fine for quick prototyping or personal projects. For anything commercial or security-aware, My IP Help is the better foundation — commercial-ready from the free tier, with a clear upgrade path to threat detection, bulk lookups, and compliance data when you need it.