What Ideal Postcodes does

Ideal Postcodes (legal entity IDDQD Limited) is a privately held London-based provider of UK address validation, postcode lookup, and address cleansing services, founded in 2012 and operating as a lean team of 1–10 employees. The platform is built as a REST API on top of licensed datasets from Royal Mail PAF (33M+ addresses, 1.8M+ postcodes, with derived Multiple Residence and Not Yet Built datasets) and Ordnance Survey AddressBase Core, Plus, and Premium (42M+ addresses, including non-postal and under-development properties), refreshed daily. Core products — Address Finder (autocomplete with fuzzy matching), Postcode Lookup, Address Cleanse, and a downloadable UK Address Database — every UK lookup returns a Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) and rooftop geocodes at no additional charge; supplementary APIs cover phone, email, global addressing (240+ countries), and Eircode for Ireland.

Revenue is generated predominantly through pay-as-you-go credit packs at £0.028–£0.045 per lookup, with volume discounts across five tiers up to 32,100 credits, plus a dedicated UK charity subscription programme (free to £49/month, up to 90% savings), enterprise custom licensing with SLAs, and one-off data licensing for AddressBase and Eircode datasets. The go-to-market is product-led growth with a 1-month free trial (50 credits, no credit card), 43+ ready-made platform integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, WooCommerce, Zapier, Excel, plus 8+ AI app builders), an API/SDK/CLI/React component developer stack, and an embedded presence in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Release 28. Customers span retail (Wickes, Boots, Home Bargains), financial services (Starling Bank, Aviva, Lendable), insurance (Lockton, By Miles), real estate (Purplebricks, OnTheMarket), broadband (Airband, XLN), utilities, central government (HM Treasury, Ministry of Justice, NHS, North Tyneside Council), publishing (Guardian, Spectator), market research (Ipsos), and pharmaceuticals (GSK). The company holds ISO 27001:2022 certification, is GDPR-compliant with UK/EU data residency, advertises 99.99% uptime, and has cumulatively served 1.4B+ lookups.

Name

Ideal Postcodes

Legal name

IDDQD Limited

Website

https://ideal-postcodes.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ideal Postcodes (IDDQD Limited) provides UK address validation, postcode lookup, and address cleansing APIs built on Royal Mail PAF and Ordnance Survey AddressBase data, with UPRN and rooftop geocodes included free. It serves retail, financial services, insurance, real estate, utilities, broadband, government, and charity customers through pay-as-you-go and enterprise licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Address Validation API

SIC

Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Geocoding, Search & Place Data Platforms (BPAMANAC)

Keywords

• Address validation API
• Postcode lookup services
• UK address data
• Address cleansing software
• UPRN matching

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Address Lookup Credits: Pay-as-you-go credit-based model where customers purchase credit packs in advance. Credits are consumed per successful address lookup (1 credit per autocomplete selection or postcode lookup returning results). Credits are valid for 12 months from first use. Volume discounts apply — the more credits purchased, the lower the cost per lookup (from £0.045/lookup at 200 credits down to £0.028/lookup at 32,100 credits). No subscriptions, no monthly fees, no auto-renewal unless customer opts in for auto top-up.
2. Charity Subscription: Fixed monthly or annual subscription tiers exclusively for registered UK charities. Three tiers: Starter (free, 100 requests/month), Local (£9/month, 2,000 requests/month), and National (£49/month, 25,000 requests/month). 10% discount for annual billing. Saves up to 90% compared to standard licensing.
3. Enterprise Custom Licensing: Custom packages for larger lookup volumes or unique business models, including flexible licensing, Service-Level Agreements, and custom integrations. Negotiated via sales onboarding calls.
4. Bulk Address Cleanse: Batch processing of thousands of addresses for database clean-up and data quality at scale. Offered via request/contact for custom pricing.
5. Eircode Data Licensing: Separate licence required to access ECAF or ECAD (Eircode) datasets for Republic of Ireland addresses. Pricing negotiated via contact with sales team.
6. UK Address Database Downloads: Customisable UK address list as a downloadable CSV file, with optional premium datasets (Multiple Residence, Not Yet Built, AddressBase Core/Plus/Premium, Welsh PAF, Companies House Business Data, ONSPD, EPC). Requires separate licensing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Ideal Postcodes provides UK address validation, postcode lookup, and address cleansing via a REST API and a portfolio of address data products. The core offering centres on Address Finder (autocomplete for online forms), Postcode Lookup (postcode-to-address resolution), and Address Cleanse (bulk database correction), each returning Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) and rooftop-accurate geocodes at no extra charge. The platform extends to phone and email validation, international address data covering 240+ countries, Republic of Ireland Eircode data, and downloadable UK address databases built from Royal Mail PAF and Ordnance Survey AddressBase.

Product overview

Ideal Postcodes is a unified address data and validation platform offering a portfolio of interconnected products. The core offering consists of Address Finder (address autocomplete with fuzzy matching), Postcode Lookup (postcode-to-address resolution), Address Cleanse (API and browser-based bulk data cleansing), and a UK Address Database (downloadable CSV). Every UK address lookup includes UPRN and rooftop geocodes at no additional charge. The platform extends through supplementary data services including Phone Validation, Email Validation, Global Addressing (240+ countries), and Eircode support for Ireland. Premium data add-ons include Multiple Residence, Not Yet Built, AddressBase Core, and AddressBase Premium datasets. Developer tooling includes a REST API, React component library, a CLI tool (idpc), and a Microsoft Excel add-in. Pricing is pay-as-you-go with volume discounts, plus a charity subscription tier offering up to 90% savings for UK-registered charities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Address Finder REST API and widget for capturing accurate addresses in online forms via autocomplete with real-time fuzzy matching for typos and partial entries. Includes UPRN and rooftop geocodes with every UK address lookup at no additional charge. Targets ecommerce checkouts, onboarding forms, CRM records, and any form requiring accurate UK addresses.
• Postcode Lookup API and widget for postcode-to-address resolution. Users enter a UK postcode and select from the full list of addresses at that postcode via a dropdown. Extended to Singapore, Ireland, and Netherlands. The most familiar address search method in the UK with quick integration via dedicated plugins and widgets.
• Address Cleanse REST API and bulk processing service that cleanses, standardises, and enriches existing UK address records against Royal Mail PAF. Returns 40+ data points per address including UPRN, rooftop geocodes, administrative boundaries, and delivery point identifiers. Targets database clean-up, data quality programs, and CRM/ERP backfills.
• Phone Number Validation International phone number validation API verifying whether numbers are callable, returning live/dormant status, number type (mobile/landline), network provider, and ISO country code. Sourced from trusted network providers.
• Email Validation Real-time email verification API with live fuzzy matching, catch-all detection, disposable email detection, and role account identification. Verifies format, domain, and deliverability at point of capture.
• Global Addressing International address validation across 240+ countries and territories via local postal authorities (USPS, Geoscape G-NAF, HERE Ireland/Singapore, Kartverket Norway, Kadaster Netherlands). Supports 130+ unique address formats with multilingual and transliteration capabilities. Uses the same credit balance as UK lookups.
• Eircode Finder Republic of Ireland address validation using ECAF (2.2M addresses) and ECAD (enriched with geo-coordinates, building types, and alias addresses) datasets. Supports English and Irish (Gaelic) language searches including Gaeltacht areas. Separate licence required.
• UPRN (Unique Property Reference Number) Government Unique Property Reference Number for every UK address, included free with every UK address lookup. Enables linking address records across systems and connecting to third-party data such as flood zone, EPC ratings, and construction type.
• Multiple Residence Dataset Royal Mail premium dataset listing 800,000+ sub-premises in multi-occupancy buildings that share delivery points. Identifies individual flats and units within buildings that do not have their own publicly available delivery point, using UMPRN codes.
• Not Yet Built (NYB) Dataset Royal Mail premium dataset listing 500,000+ residential and commercial premises under construction or in planning. Enables preparation of services, deliveries, and targeting for new-build properties before they appear in standard PAF.
• AddressBase Core Ordnance Survey dataset providing Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs), rooftop geocodes, and building classifications for all addressable sites in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• AddressBase Premium Ordnance Survey's most comprehensive Great Britain address dataset reaching beyond Royal Mail PAF to include properties with no postal delivery point. Provides 42 million+ addresses including subdivided units, multi-occupancy buildings, commercial premises, and objects under development. Contact required to enable.
• Rooftop Geocoding Precision geocoding service providing rooftop-accurate latitude and longitude coordinates for UK addresses. Included free with every UK address lookup and address cleansing result.
• UK Address Database (Downloadable CSV) Customisable UK address list derived from Royal Mail PAF and Ordnance Survey AddressBase datasets, available as a downloadable CSV file. Includes rooftop geocodes and UPRN with every address. Optional premium datasets include Multiple Residence, Not Yet Built, AddressBase Core/Plus/Premium, Welsh PAF, Companies House Business Data, ONSPD, and EPC.
• Postcodes.io (Free UK Postcode API) Free UK postcode lookup API providing coordinates, administrative boundaries, and geographic data for any UK postcode. Powers the free postcode search tool on the Ideal Postcodes website.
• React Address Finder Component Drop-in React component (@ideal-postcodes/react) providing UK address autocomplete for React applications without manual lifecycle management. Works alongside shadcn/ui, MUI, and Mantine design systems. Tested with Next.js App Router, Pages Router, Remix, and Astro.
• Ideal Postcodes CLI (idpc) Command-line interface for managing API keys, cleansing addresses, resolving partial queries, validating emails and phones, and running diagnostics. Available on npm (@ideal-postcodes/cli). Supports agent mode for non-interactive JSON output and exit-code failure signalling for CI/automation.
• Address Cleanse Excel Add-in Microsoft Excel add-in cleansing addresses against Royal Mail PAF directly within Excel worksheets. Writes back verified fields, UPRNs, and geocodes without formulas or exports. Works on Windows, macOS, and Excel for the Web; API key held in Office storage.
• AI Agent Skills for Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex Plugin (ideal-postcodes/skills on GitHub) that teaches AI coding agents to wire up Ideal Postcodes widgets, API, and CLI on first attempt. Installed via npx skills add ideal-postcodes/skills. Enables developers using Lovable, Bolt, v0, Replit, base44, Leap.new, Anything, and shadcn registry to integrate address validation within AI-powered application builders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22% of failed deliveries are caused by inaccurate address information
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration44 records

AI capability2 records

Feature13 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CytoraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Partnership announced March 2026 to bring Ideal Postcodes' high-precision address and UPRN data into Cytora's commercial insurance workflow platform. Cytora uses Ideal Postcodes data to enable insurers and brokers to validate property addresses and enrich risk data with UPRNs at quote and renewal stages.
• Royal MailcoreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed data partner providing the Postcode Address File (PAF) — the UK's standard address database containing 33M+ addresses, 1.8M+ postcodes. Royal Mail PAF is refreshed daily and forms the foundation of every address lookup. Additional datasets include Multiple Residence (800K+ sub-premises) and Not Yet Built (500K+ properties under construction).
• Ordnance SurveycoreTechnology or IntegrationData partnership providing AddressBase Core (UPRNs, rooftop geocodes, building classifications for all addressable sites in GB and Northern Ireland), AddressBase Plus (3M+ non-postal addresses), and AddressBase Premium (42M+ addresses with full property lifecycle data). OS NGD (next-generation dataset) is also available.
• Eircode (Republic of Ireland)coreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed access to Eircode Address Database (ECAD) and Eircode Address File (ECAF) covering 2.2M Irish addresses with geo-coordinates, building types, alias addresses, and Gaeltacht area support in English and Gaelic.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Experian Data Quality: Global incumbent offering address verification, identity, and broad data-quality solutions sold primarily to enterprise. Competes with Ideal Postcodes in the upper end of the UK address-validation market and across insurance and financial services verticals.
• HERE Geocoding & Search: Global location data and geocoding platform. Competes with Ideal Postcodes' Global Addressing and Eircode-adjacent capabilities, and already supplies some of the underlying Ireland/Singapore data Ideal Postcodes resells.
• Esri (ArcGIS World Geocoding): Enterprise GIS platform with a global geocoding and address service. Competes for property-level geocoding and rooftop-grade latitude/longency use cases among insurance, real estate, and government buyers where Ideal Postcodes also sells.
• Google Maps Platform (Places API): Global address autocomplete and place data API. Indirect competitor to Ideal Postcodes for international address capture and a structural alternative for developers already using Google Maps — though it does not replicate UK PAF/UPRN-grade postal accuracy.

Direct peers

• Loqate (GBG): Loqate, part of GBG Group, is one of the longest-standing global address validation, geocoding, and email/phone verification API providers. It is the most direct competitor to Ideal Postcodes in the UK & Ireland address-validation category and competes across enterprise and developer-led use cases.
• Melissa Data (Melissa): Long-standing global address verification, cleansing, and identity data provider with comparable global coverage and developer API offerings. Directly comparable to Ideal Postcodes' Address Cleanse and Global Addressing products across multi-country use cases.
• Smarty: US-headquartered address validation, geocoding, and reverse-geocoding API provider known for predictable per-lookup pricing. Competitor to Ideal Postcodes for international, US, and developer-led address verification use cases.
• Postcode Anywhere (PCA Predict / Crafty Coder): UK-based address and postcode validation API vendor with similar SMB and developer-led positioning. Direct peer in the UK market with overlapping customer base in CRM, ecommerce, and form-builder integrations.
• getAddress.io: UK-based address lookup API provider historically embedded into Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central — a position Ideal Postcodes directly inherited in 2026 Release 28. Closely overlaps Ideal Postcodes' UK PAF-licensing model, postcode lookup endpoints, and SMB/mid-market customers.
• AFD Software (Postcoder): UK address validation API provider focused on Royal Mail PAF-derived data. A long-running direct competitor in the UK market, particularly for retailers and government/charity segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/ideal-postcodes
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@idealpostcodes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ideal-postcodes
• Xx.com/IdealPostcodes

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ideal Postcodes