No ETL before the first lookup
GeoNames is a dataset. PostcodeDog is the finished lookup: type a code and get a place, region and format, with a country page that explains the local rules.
COMPARE · POSTCODEDOG VS GEONAMES
PostcodeDog vs GeoNames
The same open data, shaped for lookups.
GeoNames is the open gazetteer behind a lot of location products, including PostcodeDog’s postal dataset. GeoNames gives you files and web services. PostcodeDog gives you the lookup layer: search, formats, batch, API and MCP.
SIDE BY SIDE
What changes with PostcodeDog
| Capability | UsPostcodeDog | GeoNames | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Open a lookup page | Download files or call web services | No import or ETL before the first answer. |
| Input | Paste an address, city or code | Query by place name or code | Use the text the customer sent. |
| Batch | Paste up to 50 rows, review, export CSV | Build a script around the data | Operations can clear a queue without engineering. |
| Workflow | Platform and carrier pages, maps and coverage notes | Generic gazetteer data | The answer sits next to the task. |
| AI agents | Built-in MCP server at /mcp | Integrate the web services yourself | Connect the lookup without glue code. |
| Data transparency | Open GeoNames data, attributed, with country coverage notes | Open CC BY 4.0 gazetteer | Same foundation, less setup. |
WHERE POSTCODEDOG WINS
Open data, without the data pipeline.
Built for the label desk
Batch checks, platform pages and carrier pages turn the data into the steps a shipping team actually performs, instead of leaving it as a file to interpret.
One source for people and agents
The same data is reachable from the web box, the JSON API and the MCP server, with the GeoNames attribution kept on the data page.
TRY IT
Try the difference
Paste a full address, a city or a post code. Country and format are detected.
Free. No account, no API key.THE LOOP
Paste → resolve → verify
The same three steps work whether the address is a US ZIP, a UK outcode or a Japanese 〒.
- 01
Paste what you have
A full address, a city, or just a code. The parser accepts the whole line.
- 02
Confirm the place and format
Country, region and post code format are shown together, with nearby codes for a second option.
- 03
Send it to the label
Copy the verified code or export the batch. Platform and carrier pages keep local rules in view.
About
About GeoNames
GeoNames is a free, CC BY 4.0 gazetteer with millions of place names, post code downloads and web services. It is a data project used by developers, researchers and products around the world.
PostcodeDog builds on the GeoNames postal export. We add a search interface, country format pages, batch checks, platform and carrier workflows, and an MCP server, while keeping the attribution and licence visible.
When PostcodeDog is the better fit
- 01You want the data without building an import pipeline.
- 02Your team checks addresses in a browser.
- 03You want batch checks and CSV export out of the box.
- 04You want an MCP server for AI clients.
Is PostcodeDog affiliated with GeoNames?
No. PostcodeDog uses the GeoNames postal export under CC BY 4.0 and credits GeoNames on the data page.
Why compare a data source with a lookup?
Because many teams start with GeoNames files and then build a lookup anyway. PostcodeDog is that layer, already built.
Can I still download the raw data?
Yes. The data page links to GeoNames and the licence.
Does PostcodeDog cover the same countries?
PostcodeDog currently exposes 82 countries from the GeoNames postal export, with per-country coverage notes.
Compare
Skip the pipeline. Start with a lookup.
Try a code from any of the 82 countries. The data page keeps the attribution.