Data Sources & Accuracy
Last updated: March 29, 2026
We combine multiple databases to provide comprehensive, accurate IP intelligence. Here’s where the data comes from and how accurate it is.
IP Geolocation
We use a composite approach: two independent geolocation databases are queried for every IP, and results are merged. MaxMind serves as the primary source; DB-IP fills any gaps. Postal codes are approximated from coordinates when not available natively. You can test the accuracy yourself with our IP Lookup tool.
| Source | Database | Update Frequency | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| MaxMind | GeoLite2 City + ASN | Weekly (Tue & Fri releases) | GeoLite2 EULA |
| DB-IP | DB-IP Lite City + ASN | Monthly (1st of each month) | CC BY 4.0 |
| GeoNames | Postal code coordinates | Periodic | CC BY 4.0 |
Geolocation Accuracy
- Country level: 99%+ accurate
- State / region level: ~90% accurate in most countries
- City level: varies by region, typically within 50 km
- Postal code: approximated from coordinates when not available natively
Accuracy is lower for VPNs, proxies, mobile networks, satellite internet, and corporate networks that route traffic through centralized gateways.
Security & Threat Intelligence
Beyond geolocation, every IP lookup includes threat intelligence from multiple specialized databases. This powers our IP Reputation Check, VPN & Proxy Detector, and IP Blacklist Check tools.
| Data | Source | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Tor exit nodes | Tor Project (official list) | ~1,300 nodes, updated every 30 minutes |
| VPN endpoints | X4BNet (open source) | ~10,000 IPv4 ranges |
| Cloud/datacenter IPs | AWS, Azure, GCP, Cloudflare, X4BNet | ~56,000 CIDR ranges |
| Threat IPs | IPsum (aggregated feeds) | ~43,000 IPs, updated daily |
| Spam blacklists | 12 DNSBLs (Spamhaus, Barracuda, etc.) | Real-time DNS queries |
| Relay IPs | Apple iCloud Private Relay | Official egress IP list |
Country Intelligence
| Data | Source | License |
|---|---|---|
| Country details (250 countries) | mledoze/countries | ODbL |
| Internet penetration & GDP per capita | World Bank Open Data | CC BY 4.0 |
| Corruption Perception Index | Transparency International | Proprietary |
IP Type Classification
Each IP address is classified into one of five types based on all available signals:
- Residential — Standard consumer ISP connection
- Datacenter — Hosting provider, cloud, or server
- VPN — Known VPN provider endpoint
- Tor Exit — Tor network exit relay
- Bogon/Reserved — Private, loopback, documentation, or IANA-reserved address space
How We Ensure Accuracy
Accuracy is our primary differentiator. Rather than relying on a single database, we merge data from multiple independent sources and apply several validation layers:
- Composite lookups: MaxMind and DB-IP are queried independently, and their results are merged with MaxMind values taking precedence. DB-IP fills gaps in timezone, postal code, and state data.
- Timezone verification: When database timezone data is missing or suspect, we derive the timezone directly from coordinates using a mathematical boundary lookup.
- Postal code approximation: For IPs where the database lacks postal code data, we match coordinates against a 1.8 million row GeoNames postal code dataset to find the nearest known postal code.
- Regular updates: MaxMind databases update twice weekly, threat intelligence feeds update daily, and Tor exit node lists update every 30 minutes.
Known Limitations
- VPNs and proxies mask the true location. The geolocation shown will be the VPN server’s location, not the user’s.
- Mobile networks may assign IPs from a regional pool, so the city shown may differ from the user’s actual city.
- Corporate networks often route all traffic through a central gateway, so all employees may appear at the same location.
- Anycast IPs (e.g., 8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1) resolve to the nearest server, so the reported location may vary.
- Newly allocated IPs may not appear in geolocation databases immediately. Database updates propagate within days to weeks.
See incorrect data?
If you notice inaccurate geolocation or network information for a specific IP, please let us know at [email protected]. Include the IP address and what data appears incorrect. You can also use our free tools to cross-check results with DNS, WHOIS, and ASN data.