What is the IP Geolocation API?

The Abstract IP Geolocation API takes an IP address and translates it into a location, as well as many other details, such as an address, timezone, and more.

Is the IP Geolocation API similar to an IP lookup?

IP geolocation and IP lookup are terms that are usually used interchangeably. However, individual providers of IP Geolocation / IP lookup services will often provide different information in their response. For example, some will simply provide raw geocoordinates, such as 33° 56' 34.0476'' N and 118° 24' 36.1512'' W, while others while provide additional information, such as the best guess at the location’s address, timezone, and more.

How does the IP Geolocation API work?

Typically an Internet Service Provider (ISP) will have a particular range of IP addresses that they work with. These ISPs can delegate these different IP addresses to the various users and devices as they connect to the internet. IP geolocation works by looking up a particular IP against the IP ranges owned by particular ISP’s in a given area. This method is similar to how determining the carrier of a particular phone number works in the Abstract Phone Validation API, for example.

Are there any drawbacks or limitations of IP Geolocation?

While IP Geolocation can be an incredibly powerful and useful tool for developers and web services, there are several drawbacks and limitations to be aware of. First is that IP addresses have limited accuracy. An ISP may shuffle in IP among several users in a given area. Similarly, the location of the IP may not be the exact location of the user using the device associated with that IP. This can be common if a user is using a mobile phone, such as can be detected using the Phone Validation API. Finally, users can use a variety of services, such as virtual private networks or VPN’s, to mask their real IP.
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The HTML5 geolocation API, which is able to provide an almost GPS-like location and a much greater amount of precision. However, unlike pure IP based geolocation, the HTML5 geolocation requires a user’s explicit consent. Unless it’s very clear to a user why you need that info and that it’s valuable to the user, it’s unlikely that information will be provided.

Where does the data for the IP Geolocation API come from?

In its simplest form, IP geolocation is looking up an individual IP against a series of tables that map various IP ranges to ISP’s and locations. Regional internet registries, such as the African Network Information Centre and American Registry for Internet Numbers. Additional information is added constantly to the fundamental dataset, which is regularly cleaned and cross checked to ensure accuracy.

What are some use cases for the IP Geolocation API?

There are many powerful use cases for IP geolocation API’s and data. These include but are not limited to:

• Automatically redirect users to relevant sites or sub sites based on their location 
  
• Automatically detect and displaying a user’s location, country, or timezone without requiring them to explicitly make this customization
• Customize the content or experience of a website or app based on the user’s location. E.g., showing a user’s local weather, tax and VAT rates, currency, news, public holidays, etc.
  
• Filter out users based on their location, e.g., if you’re unable to offer your services to users in a particular country.
  
• Requiring that a user accepts certain terms as required by local regulations, such as GDPR cookie banners for European Union citizens
  

These are just some sample use cases. If you’re interested in producing a case study with Abstract to share how you’re using our IP geolocation API in exchange for some free credits, please contact us at team at abstractapi.com.

How much of the globe is covered by the IP geolocation data?

We’re constantly working to increase the coverage and accuracy of our data, which improves every week. Currently we support more than 2.25 million unique locations as well as 250,000+ cities and other geographic entities around the world.

How often do you update your geolocation database?

Our IP geolocation database is updated at least once a week, as we get new information about each IP block. We take care of keeping that data updated and cleaned so you can focus on providing great geolocation-related services and experiences to your users.

What if I notice inaccurate or incomplete geolocation data?

While we always strive to provide the most accurate and up to date information possible. However, if you notice anything inaccurate or missing in our data, please email us at: team at abstractapi.com. If we can identify and replicate the incorrect data you’re seeing, we’ll give you extra credits for reporting it :)

What if I'm not a developer and just want to geolocate my IP address?

You're in luck then! We have a free tool that lets anyone find their IP and geolocate it, even if you're not technical. You can find it here: What is my IP address and location?