getAddress.io Has Shut Down — How to Migrate in 10 Minutes

If your WooCommerce store or custom integration is currently using getAddress.io for UK address lookup, it's broken. The service shut down in February 2026 following a High Court ruling over intellectual property infringement related to its use of Royal Mail PAF data. Orders are coming in with incomplete addresses, and you need a working postcode lookup API replacement today — not next week.

This guide explains what happened, walks you through migrating to SnapAddress step by step, and ends with a comparison of your main alternatives so you can make an informed choice.

What Happened to getAddress.io?

The High Court ruled that getAddress.io was using Royal Mail PAF (Postcode Address File) data without a valid licence. PAF is the definitive database of UK postal addresses — the same data postal workers rely on. Royal Mail licenses it strictly, and operating an address lookup service on unlicensed PAF data is a serious IP infringement.

The ruling forced an overnight shutdown. If you're still running getAddress.io code, every lookup is now returning an error. This matters beyond the immediate outage: it's a reminder that the licensing status of your UK address lookup API isn't a minor detail. Using a properly licensed provider protects you from exactly this scenario happening again.

SnapAddress is built on properly licensed Royal Mail PAF data — no risk of another shutdown. We built this after watching what happened to providers who cut corners on data licensing.

Migrating to SnapAddress — Step by Step

We've designed our endpoints to be drop-in compatible with getAddress.io. The migration is a base URL swap plus a quick response field check. Here's how to do it.

Step 1: Sign Up and Get Your API Key

Go to snapaddress.io and create a free account. No credit card required. You'll get an API key instantly and 100 free lookups per month to test with.

Step 2: Update Your Base URL

This is the core change. Swap the base URL in your integration:

• getAddress.io: https://api.getAddress.io/find/{postcode}
• SnapAddress: https://api.snapaddress.io/find/{postcode}

The path structure is identical. The api-key query parameter is also supported, so if you're passing your key as a query string rather than a header, that works too.

Step 3: Check the Response Format

SnapAddress returns clean JSON with named fields. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the endpoint response shapes:

• getAddress.io response: { "addresses": ["10 Downing Street, , , , London, , SW1A 2AA"] } — a comma-separated string per address
• SnapAddress response: { "addresses": [{ "line_1": "10 Downing Street", "town": "London", "postcode": "SW1A 2AA" }] } — structured JSON objects with named fields

If your existing code parses the comma-separated string format, you'll need to update that parsing logic to read named fields instead. This is a small change and typically takes under 10 minutes. Our response format documentation covers every field in detail.

Step 4: Test and Deploy

Run a few lookups against known postcodes — try SW1A 2AA and a flat address in a multi-occupancy building. Confirm your form fields populate correctly, then deploy. The full getting started guide has working code examples in JavaScript, Python, and PHP.

For WooCommerce Users

If you're running a WooCommerce store, the fastest path is our dedicated plugin. It's the only UK address lookup plugin built specifically for WooCommerce with native Checkout Blocks support — most competitors still rely on DOM manipulation that breaks on block-based checkouts.

Install the plugin from WordPress.org, paste your API key into the settings, and it works on both classic and block checkout immediately. No Google Maps API key needed. The WooCommerce plugin page has full setup instructions, and the plugin documentation covers Checkout Blocks configuration specifically.

getAddress.io Alternative Comparison

If you're evaluating your options before committing, here's how the main alternatives compare on the factors that matter most after an unexpected shutdown.

• SnapAddress — Built on Royal Mail PAF data, transparent pricing published on the website (from free to £99/month), no expiring credits, WooCommerce Checkout Blocks support, drop-in compatible endpoints, sub-100ms responses. No sales calls required.
• Ideal Postcodes — Uses PAF data, developer-friendly API, pricing available online. Good documentation. No native WooCommerce Checkout Blocks plugin.
• Fetchify — Established provider, WooCommerce plugin available. Pricing is credit-based with expiry, which is the model that causes the surprise renewal charges many store owners have complained about.

The key differentiator for SnapAddress is the combination of properly licensed Royal Mail PAF data, fully transparent pricing with no expiring credits, and a WooCommerce plugin that actually works with Checkout Blocks. If you've just come from the getAddress.io shutdown, you don't want to choose a replacement that creates the same data licensing or pricing uncertainty six months from now.

Get your free API key at snapaddress.io — 100 lookups per month, no credit card, working in minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SnapAddress a like-for-like replacement for getAddress.io?

Yes, for the core postcode lookup use case. We support the same /find/{postcode} path and the api-key query parameter, so the base URL swap is the main change. The response format uses named JSON fields rather than a comma-separated string, which requires a small update to any parsing logic. Full details are in our response format docs.

Why does proper PAF data licensing matter for my store?

The getAddress.io shutdown happened because the provider used Royal Mail PAF data without a valid licence. Royal Mail controls PAF strictly, and unlicensed use is an IP infringement that can result in an overnight shutdown — exactly what thousands of stores just experienced. SnapAddress is built on properly licensed Royal Mail PAF data, which means your integration is built on a legally sound data source, not one that could disappear without warning.

What happens if I use more than my monthly lookup allowance?

Every SnapAddress plan includes transparent overage pricing. On the Starter plan (£15/month), additional lookups are 3p each. There are no expiring credits and no surprise renewals — you pay for what you use, and the rates are published on our pricing page before you sign up.