Top Sites>BBigDataCloud — Precise IP Geolocation & Reverse Geocoding APIs

# BigDataCloud robots.txt
# Strategy: allow AI assistants that generate referral/brand value (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini)
# Block pure scrapers, data harvesters, and SEO tools with no marketing return.

# ── AI assistants with marketing/referral value ──────────────────────────────
# These power AI search and answer engines — appearing in their answers drives traffic and brand awareness.
# We allow content pages but block live lookup results (no value, burns quota) and account pages.

User-agent: GPTBot
User-agent: ChatGPT-User
User-agent: ClaudeBot
User-agent: Claude-Web
User-agent: PerplexityBot
User-agent: Google-Extended
User-agent: Applebot-Extended
User-agent: Googlebot-Extended
Disallow: /account/
Disallow: /ip-lookup/
Disallow: /asn-lookup/
Disallow: /network-lookup/
Disallow: /graphql/
Disallow: /auth/
Disallow: /login
Disallow: /signup

# ── Pure scrapers and data harvesters — block completely ─────────────────────
# No marketing return, high volume, no attribution.

User-agent: Bytespider
Disallow: /

User-agent: ImagesiftBot
Disallow: /

User-agent: CCBot
Disallow: /

User-agent: DataForSeoBot
Disallow: /

User-agent: AhrefsBot
Disallow: /

User-agent: SemrushBot
Disallow: /

User-agent: MJ12bot
Disallow: /

User-agent: DotBot
Disallow: /

User-agent: BLEXBot
Disallow: /

User-agent: PetalBot
Disallow: /

User-agent: Amazonbot
Disallow: /

# ── All other crawlers (Google, Bing, etc.) ──────────────────────────────────
User-agent: *
Allow: /
Disallow: /account/
Disallow: /auth/
Disallow: /login
Disallow: /signup
Disallow: /graphql/

# ── Sitemaps ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Sitemap: https://www.bigdatacloud.com/sitemap.xml
Sitemap: https://www.bigdatacloud.com/sitemap-index.xml

# BigDataCloud

> Precise IP geolocation and reverse geocoding APIs powered by patented technology. Verified daily against real GPS ground-truth data. Free to start.

BigDataCloud provides location intelligence APIs for developers and businesses. Core products include IP Geolocation (with confidence areas, hazard detection, and ASN intelligence), Reverse Geocoding (GPS coordinates to locality/city/region), Phone & Email Verification, and Network Engineering APIs (ASN, BGP, Tor exit nodes).

## Products

- [IP Geolocation API](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/ip-geolocation): City-level IP geolocation with patented confidence area polygons, VPN/proxy/Tor detection, ASN intelligence, and risk scoring. IPv4 and IPv6. Over 100 languages. Sub-millisecond server processing.
- [Reverse Geocoding API](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/reverse-geocoding): Convert GPS coordinates to city, locality, postcode and administrative region. Locality-level only — no street addresses by design. Over 100 languages.
- [Phone & Email Verification API](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/phone-email-verification): Validate phone numbers (E.164 format, line type detection) and email addresses (syntax, MX, disposable detection).
- [Network Engineering APIs](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/network-engineering): ASN details, BGP prefix data, network lookups, Tor exit nodes, IPv4/IPv6 address space monitoring.
- [Free Client-Side APIs](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/free-api): No API key required. Reverse geocoding, public IP detection, client info, and roaming detection — for direct browser/mobile use only. Subject to fair use policy.

## Pricing

- [Pricing](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/pricing): All packages include a free tier. Paid plans from $9.95/month. Pay-as-you-go overage option available account-wide.

## Documentation

- [Developer Hub](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/docs): Getting started, authentication, API domains, GraphQL interface, SDKs.
- [IP Geolocation API Reference](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/docs/ip-geolocation)
- [Reverse Geocoding API Reference](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/docs/reverse-geocoding)
- [SDKs & Client Libraries](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/docs/sdks)
- [Knowledge Base](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/docs/article/getting-started)

## Official SDKs — Server-side (API key required)

All server-side SDKs cover all four API packages: IP Geolocation, Reverse Geocoding, Phone & Email Verification, and Network Engineering. All include typed response models, GraphQL support (where applicable), and a `fromEnvironment()` factory reading `BIGDATACLOUD_API_KEY`.

- [Node.js / TypeScript](https://www.npmjs.com/package/bigdatacloud): `npm install bigdatacloud` — TypeScript-first, dual ESM/CJS, native fetch, zero runtime dependencies.
- [Python](https://pypi.org/project/bigdatacloud/): `pip install bigdatacloud` — dataclass models, httpx, GraphQL client with fluent query builders.
- [PHP](https://packagist.org/packages/bigdatacloudapi/bigdatacloud): `composer require bigdatacloudapi/bigdatacloud` — PHP 8.1+, readonly properties, Laravel/Symfony compatible.
- [.NET / C#](https://www.nuget.org/packages/BigDataCloud): `dotnet add package BigDataCloud` — async/await, GraphQL builders, targets netstandard2.0.
- [Java](https://github.com/bigdatacloudapi/bigdatacloud-java): Maven/Gradle — Java 11+ HttpClient, Kotlin compatible, thread-safe.
- [Go](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/bigdatacloudapi/bigdatacloud-go): `go get github.com/bigdatacloudapi/bigdatacloud-go` — stdlib net/http only, zero external dependencies.
- [Ruby](https://rubygems.org/gems/bigdatacloud): `gem install bigdatacloud` — idiomatic Ruby 3+, stdlib net/http only.
- [Rust](https://crates.io/crates/bigdatacloud): `cargo add bigdatacloud` — serde, reqwest, MSRV 1.70.

## Official Client Libraries — Client-side (no API key required)

Client-side libraries use the free `api.bigdatacloud.net` endpoint. They resolve the current device's real-time GPS location only. Pre-stored or externally-sourced coordinates are not permitted per the [fair use policy](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/docs/article/fair-use-policy-for-free-client-side-reverse-geocoding-api). Violations result in a 402 error and IP ban.

- [JavaScript (vanilla)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/bigdatacloud-reverse-geocode-client): Browser-based reverse geocoding. GPS-first with automatic IP fallback.
- [React](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@bigdatacloudapi/react-reverse-geocode-client): React hook — `useGeoLocation()`. GPS-first with IP fallback.
- [React Native](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@bigdatacloudapi/react-native-client): Expo and bare React Native. `useReverseGeocode()` and `useAmIRoaming()` hooks.
- [Vue / Nuxt](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@bigdatacloudapi/vue-reverse-geocode-client): Vue 3 composable. GPS-first with IP fallback.
- [Flutter / Dart](https://pub.dev/packages/bigdatacloud_reverse_geocode_client): GPS-first with IP fallback. iOS, Android, Web.
- [Swift](https://github.com/bigdatacloudapi/bigdatacloud-swift-client): Swift Package. iOS 15+, macOS 12+, tvOS 15+, watchOS 8+. `async/await`.
- [Kotlin / Android](https://github.com/bigdatacloudapi/bigdatacloud-kotlin-client): FusedLocationProviderClient, coroutines. Android API 21+.

## AI & MCP Integration

- [MCP Server](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@bigdatacloudapi/mcp-server): `npx -y @bigdatacloudapi/mcp-server` — 26 tools covering all BigDataCloud APIs. Compatible with Claude, Cursor, VS Code Copilot, and any MCP-compatible AI assistant.

## Key facts

- Patented technology: US Patent 11,792,110 (Geolocation System and Method). Also granted in China (CN 112119614 B9).
- Accuracy: Daily public benchmark comparing against MaxMind, IP2Location, DB-IP and others using real GPS ground-truth data.
- Infrastructure: Edge-deployed flat-file architecture. Sub-millisecond response for IP geolocation and reverse geocoding.
- Privacy: No personal data stored. GDPR compliant. Client-side APIs process coordinates without storing them.
- SLA: 99.999% uptime.
- Coverage: Global IPv4 and IPv6. Full coverage including seas, oceans, and uninhabited areas.
- Languages: Over 100 world languages for locality names.
- GraphQL: All four API packages support GraphQL in addition to REST. Unique in the geolocation industry.
- Company: BigDataCloud Pty Ltd (ACN 627 240 162), subsidiary of HowTech Pty Ltd (ABN 83143189119). Founded in Australia.

## Accuracy & Coverage

- [Daily IP Geolocation Accuracy Report](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/insights/ip-geolocation-accuracy-report): Public daily benchmark updated every 24 hours. The only provider that publishes daily accuracy benchmarks.
- [IP Geolocation Coverage by Country](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/insights/ip-geolocation-coverage): Per-country breakdown of high, moderate, and low confidence IP address coverage across 246 countries.

## Competitive comparisons

- [BigDataCloud vs IPinfo](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/bigdatacloud-vs-ipinfo-ip-geolocation): Technical comparison of methodologies — active network probing (IPinfo) vs. router service area mapping and GPS field evidence (BigDataCloud). Covers response rate limitations of probe-based approaches, confidence areas, VPN detection, pricing, and ease of implementation.
- [Google Maps Reverse Geocoding Alternative](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/google-maps-reverse-geocoding-alternative): How BigDataCloud's locality-level reverse geocoding compares to Google Maps on pricing (up to 200× cheaper at volume), speed, storage restrictions, and language support.

## Contact

- [Contact](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/contact): support@bigdatacloud.com
- [Blog](https://www.bigdatacloud.com/blog)