/ip-intelligence/ — MaxMind GeoIP and GeoLite
Compare free GeoLite geolocation, paid GeoIP web services and local databases. Choose Insights or an Anonymous IP database when anonymizer signals are required, and plan database updates as part of the integration.
IP intelligence. Official documentation · Checked · Review due .
Choose a product and access method
documented decisionSwipe or scroll the table to compare response checks and billing.
| Starting point | Access method | Check before use | Billing basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| You want free geolocation with local lookups | Select GeoLite Country or City in MMDB or CSV format. | Country, city and ASN data are separate database choices; automate updates and satisfy the license conditions. | GeoLite is free within its download limits.[3][5] |
| You need privacy signals in an HTTP response | Select GeoIP Insights. | Read the anonymizer object; traits copies of its privacy flags are deprecated. | A paid GeoIP web-service account requires service credit.[1][2] |
| You need offline VPN, proxy and Tor classification | Evaluate the Anonymous IP database. | The residential-proxy flag excludes peer-to-peer proxy IPs; unregistered VPN infrastructure may only receive a hosting flag. | Contact MaxMind for this database’s commercial purchase.[4] |
documented capabilities
HTTP API- Delivery
- HTTPS JSON web services and local MMDB or CSV databases. GeoLite and Anonymous IP are separate datasets with different fields.[1][3][4]
- Location data
- Country and City editions provide different geographic detail. City data describes an area using coordinates and an accuracy radius; city and postal fields may be unavailable.[3]
- ASN and network
- GeoLite offers a separate ASN database. Web-service fields include ASN number, ASN organization and network; ISP and organization fields are not included in GeoLite City.[3][2]
- Privacy signals
- GeoIP Insights and the Anonymous IP database provide VPN, public-proxy, Tor-exit, hosting and residential-proxy signals. The API anonymizer object is Insights-only.[2][4]
- Access and free use
- An account and license key are required. GeoLite requires attribution and compliance with its EULA, including update and redistribution conditions. It permits internal business use subject to those terms.[1][5]
- Billing unit
- Paid web services use service credit for queries. Free GeoLite allows 1,000 lookups per day per service and 30 database downloads per day; Anonymous IP download pricing requires sales contact.[1][3][4]
- IP versions
- Web services accept IPv4 and IPv6 inputs. Anonymous IP CSV downloads contain separate IPv4 and IPv6 network files.[1][4]
- Current API field location
- Use anonymizer for Insights privacy flags. The matching traits flags are deprecated and retained for backwards compatibility.[2]
- Database maintenance
- The GeoLite EULA requires updated data and destruction of old versions within 30 days after a newer database release.[5]
Billing: Paid GeoIP web services require service credit. GeoLite has daily free limits; Anonymous IP database purchasing is arranged separately with MaxMind.
Outputs: json, mmdb, csv
Documented for: GeoIP, GeoLite, GeoIP Insights, GeoIP Anonymous IP
getting started
documentation reviewed- Choose a web service or database and then the exact dataset: country, city, ASN or anonymizer data.
- Create the relevant MaxMind account and generate a license key. For web services, use HTTP Basic authentication with account ID as username and license key as password.
- Use the documented GeoLite or GeoIP hostname and endpoint for your entitlement, or load the downloaded MMDB/CSV using a suitable local reader.
- Handle missing fields and accuracy radius in the consumer; automate database refreshes and removal of superseded GeoLite copies.
Requirements & limitations
- IP geolocation is an estimated area and must not be used to locate a household, individual or street address.
- Anonymous IP’s residential-proxy flag excludes peer-to-peer proxy IPs. Its VPN flag can miss providers whose subnets are registered under unrelated names.
- An omitted JSON field can reflect unavailable data or a documented false-value convention. Check the selected service and field definition before normalizing missing values.
- GeoLite licensing covers attribution, updates and sharing conditions; a free download is not an unrestricted redistribution license.
We reviewed the linked documentation. No live service connection, checkout or performance test is claimed for this listing.
primary sources
5 references- MaxMind GeoIP and GeoLite API requestsChecked 2026-10-01
- MaxMind GeoIP and GeoLite API response fieldsChecked 2026-10-01
- MaxMind GeoLite integration and usage limitsChecked 2026-10-01
- MaxMind Anonymous IP database formats and fieldsChecked 2026-10-01
- MaxMind GeoLite EULA, updated 12 February 2026Checked 2026-10-01