IPLogs vs ip-api.com
ip-api.com and IPLogs are both free, keyless IP lookups. ip-api.com returns geolocation with one combined proxy/VPN/Tor flag on a non-commercial, HTTP-only endpoint capped at 45 requests a minute, with a flat-rate Pro plan for commercial use. IPLogs returns a score, a verdict and every matching signal. Pick ip-api for geo data; IPLogs for anonymizer detail.
What ip-api.com is
ip-api.com is a long-running IP geolocation API. Its free endpoint needs no key, allows 45 requests a minute per address and is limited to non-commercial use; its terms list fraud prevention for online orders as forbidden, and it is served over HTTP only. A single proxy field flags a proxy, VPN or Tor exit, alongside hosting and mobile flags, time zone, currency, ISP, organization and AS data. The Pro plan removes the request cap and adds HTTPS, API keys, commercial use and a 99.9% SLA.
Pricing, free-tier limits, and feature sets change. Verify current details on ip-api.com before deciding. This page reflects publicly documented behavior as of 2026-11-02.
Side-by-side
| Capability | IPLogs | ip-api.com |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier for VPN/proxy detection | 60 req/min; 1,000 full/day, then fast mode | 45 req/min, non-commercial use only |
| Signup / API key required | No signup, no key | No key on the free endpoint |
| Anonymizer output | is_vpn, is_proxy, proxy_type, is_tor, is_relay, is_hosting | One combined proxy flag (proxy, VPN or Tor), plus hosting and mobile |
| Score and evidence list | 0-1 score, verdict, every matched signal | No score or evidence list in the response |
| Protocol probing | OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2, SOCKS5, HTTP CONNECT, VLESS/REALITY | Detection method not documented |
| Published false-positive rate | 0.4% on a labeled ground-truth corpus | Not stated on its public pages |
| Timezone, currency, locale | No timezone or currency fields | Timezone, UTC offset, currency, district, zip, 8 languages |
| Bulk lookups | Up to 100 IPs per request | Batch of up to 100 IPs; 15 requests/min on free |
| Commercial plan and SLA | Email support; no paid plans or SLA | Pro: unlimited requests, HTTPS, commercial use, 99.9% SLA |
When to choose IPLogs
- You need VPN, proxy and Tor detail beyond one combined proxy flag.
- You want to see which evidence matched, with weights, and a clear verdict.
- You want Tor and relay traffic (iCloud Private Relay, WARP) exposed separately through is_tor and is_relay.
- A published false-positive rate matters to your decisions.
When to choose ip-api.com
- You mainly need geolocation with timezone, currency, district and zip fields.
- You need commercial use, HTTPS and unlimited requests under a flat-rate Pro plan with a 99.9% SLA.
- You want XML, CSV, newline or PHP output, or city and country names in 8 languages.
- One combined proxy/VPN/Tor boolean is all your logic needs.
See the numbers
IPLogs publishes its detection accuracy openly: 0.4% false-positive rate on an ASN-validated corpus. For live, head-to-head API responses across six vendors on controlled test IPs, see the empirical VPN-detection API test.
FAQ
Is ip-api.com free for commercial use?
No. The free endpoint is for non-commercial use only, capped at 45 requests a minute per address and served over HTTP; its terms name fraud prevention for online orders as forbidden. Commercial use, HTTPS and unlimited queries need the Pro plan. Read each service's terms for your own use case.
Does ip-api.com detect VPNs?
Yes, through one proxy field that is true for a proxy, VPN or Tor exit, plus separate hosting and mobile flags. The documented response has no field for which kind matched. IPLogs separates is_vpn, is_proxy, is_tor and is_relay and lists every signal behind the verdict.
What does ip-api.com offer that IPLogs doesn't?
Timezone, UTC offset, currency, district and zip fields, results in eight languages, several output formats, domain queries, and a Pro plan with HTTPS, API keys, commercial use and a 99.9% SLA. IPLogs has no paid plans or SLA.