Free Countries APIs —
Compared & Reviewed
Looking for a free countries API? We break down what's actually available, what the limitations are, and when a paid API is the smarter choice.
What Any Countries API Should Cover
Most free APIs only go this far. CountryDataAPI covers all four layers.
Countries Endpoint
Full data on 200+ countries — names, ISO codes, currencies, phone prefixes, flags, and more.
States & Provinces
5,000+ states and provinces by country. Essential for address forms and regional dropdowns.
Cities Database
150,000+ cities available by country, state, or region. Filtered, clean, and ready to use.
Zip Codes
500,000+ postal codes for address validation. Look up by country, state, or region.
Free vs Paid Countries APIs
Side-by-side comparison of the most popular options.
| Feature | RestCountries Free · No key | CountryDataAPI From $9.99/month | GeoNames Free (throttled) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Countries data | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| States / provinces | ✗ | ✓ | Partial |
| Cities (150k+) | ✗ | ✓ | With filter |
| Zip / postal codes | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Uptime SLA | — | ✓ | — |
| Support | Community | Email + chat | Community |
Make Your First Request in 60 Seconds
One endpoint. One header. Instant geographic data.
Request
curl "https://api.countrydataapi.com/v1/countries/all" -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"Response
[
{
"name": "United States",
"iso2": "US",
"iso3": "USA",
"currency": "USD",
"phone_code": "+1",
"region": "Americas"
},
{
"name": "Germany",
"iso2": "DE",
"iso3": "DEU",
"currency": "EUR",
"phone_code": "+49",
"region": "Europe"
}
]Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a truly free countries API?
Yes — RestCountries (restcountries.com) is completely free with no API key required. It provides country-level data but does not include states, cities, or zip codes. GeoNames also has a free tier but is throttled and complex to use. CountryDataAPI is a paid service that covers the full geographic hierarchy.
What does CountryDataAPI offer that free APIs don't?
The key difference is depth. Free APIs like RestCountries give you country metadata (name, ISO code, currency). CountryDataAPI gives you the entire geographic hierarchy: countries → states / provinces → cities → zip codes. This is what you need for address forms, shipping calculators, and any feature that goes beyond a simple country dropdown.
How much does CountryDataAPI cost?
Plans start at $9.99/month for developers. All plans include full access to every endpoint — countries, states, cities, and zip codes. See the pricing page for full details.
Ready to integrate geographic data?
Countries, states, cities, and zip codes in one API. Reliable uptime, clean JSON responses, and documentation built for developers.