What is an IP API?
An IP API, or internet protocol application programming interface, is an API that can give you access to data about the location of a visitor to your website. If a user visits your site and their location at the time of the visit is important to you, you can use an IP API to get that information.
How does an IP API work?
It works by accessing databases of information about different IP addresses. An IP address is a unique number assigned to every device connected to the internet, and there are known associations between those numbers and the locations where they were assigned. Databases of these associations are maintained by companies who provide this service.
IP APIs allow you to send requests for information about a particular IP address in exchange for some kind of compensation—usually money, but sometimes other kinds of compensation (like ads or requests for other kinds of information). The API will then return the data associated with that IP address.
What are some awesome things you can do with an IP API?
- Show prices with the local currency of the person visiting your website
- Get the zip code of the person visiting your price, so you’ll automatically add it to their shipping info (many people don’t know their zip cde by heart)
- Show the time with the customer’s time zone, so they don’t have to do the math themselves.
ipXapi
ipXapi is a free website monitoring application that also serves as a sophisticated geolocation and IP address identification tool. Because of its database and API, this service provides a high level of accuracy in IP statistics. It is linked to a number of well-known ISPs, who provide regular updates on new and current IP ranges. Because ipXapiis linked to several channels that provide real-time IP data, the API’s database is updated daily, with up to 24 database modifications per day.
The software supports both IPv4 and IPv6, and it gives IP data such as ping response time and location, device type and connection speed, hostname resolution, DNS control, IP network access details, SSL certificate information, WHOIS name server search, and many more features.
How to use ipXapi:
- Sign up for an account at https://ipxapi.com/
- Enter the IP address from which you wish to obtain data.
- Send it out and see how many people respond.
- Save the API to your computer and use it as needed.
Why ipXapi?
When it comes to IP statics, ipXapi has a high level of accuracy. This is due to its vast database and incredibly user-friendly API. These are linked to a variety of well-known ISPs, who provide information on new and existing IP ranges on a regular basis. Furthermore, because it is linked to a large number of channels that provide real-time IP data, the API is constantly updated.
After 11 years of continuous optimization, the infrastructure that supports this platform and the API has evolved to be incredibly scalable and efficient, handling between 2 and 3 billion API calls each day. Data coverage is constantly increasing, with ipXapi presently supporting over 2 million unique locations in over 200.000 cities across the world.