Register Log in Shopping cart (0)

Free vs Paid Zip Code Database Comparison

There are several free Zip Code Databases you can download online. If you are in need of a Zip Code database for a personal project where resources are limited and data integrity is not vital, then selecting from among the free databases may be a great option to meet your needs. We provide a Free zip code database for your use. However, using a free version for commercial purposes can be a very bad idea as quality data is essential to driving maximum profits and organizational success. If you opt to go with a free version then you should be aware of a few things:

  • Free Zip Code Databases contain Old data - usually 3+ years old but sometimes as much as 10 years old since last updated. The USPS makes hundreds to thousands of changes each year making an old zip code database extremely incorrect.
  • Zip Codes may be missing - A lot of free zip code data is derived from census data which only contains general mail delivery zip codes, leaving out thousands of zip codes.
  • Military and territory zip codes most likely won’t be included - such as Guam, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
  • You most likely will need to do some cleaning and processing of the data before it can even be used. This can be very time intensive and costly, especially if you don’t have the right tools.

While a free database can be useful in a few situations, it is not a good option in most cases. While it could potentially save you money, it may actually cost you more money when you consider the data integrity and processing that will need to be done. Purchaing a high-quality, accurate. up-to-date, and pre-processed zip code database from Zip Code Download can save you thousands, and the initial cost of buying is much lower than you likely anticipated.


Why Purchase a Zip Code Database?

Data accuracy can be crucial to the success of a project, for example if you are building an app that allows users to search for pizza restaurants in their Zip Code its important that your app has a correct dataset reference for the user's Zip Code, otherwise it will return invalid information. The USPS makes changes to Zip Codes every month, which can include deleting or adding new Zip Codes. If your Zip Code data is not up to date, you will be referencing Zip Codes that no longer exist, or have key information missing from your database

Our Zip Code Data is updated monthly with data derived directly from the USPS. We process the data and add additional information to make it more useful. If you are looking for the most comprehensive and accurate data available on the market, you can find the current month’s Zip Code Database, beginning at $39.95. With each update, the database undergoes significant cleaning and organization to make it simple and easy to use. The data is organized into columns and rows, so it is easy to view and sort. Our database is ideal for validating Zip Code entries or performing basic Zip Code mapping. We’ve been the leader in the zip code data industry since 2002 and have provided accurate data to ovee 65,000 customers both large and small.