The compatibility endpoint uses town_or_city to match the getAddress.io format. The native SnapAddress endpoint (/v1/postcodes/) uses town instead. See the API Reference for native endpoint details.
Migrating from getAddress.io
StableSwitch from getAddress.io to SnapAddress in minutes. Same paths, same response shapes — just change the base URL.
Overview
SnapAddress provides drop-in compatible endpoints that mirror getAddress.io's API. In most cases you can migrate by changing a single URL.
Step 1: Get your API key
Sign up for a SnapAddress account. An API key is generated automatically during onboarding.
Step 2: Change your base URL
Replace the getAddress.io base URL with SnapAddress:
- https://api.getAddress.io
+ https://api.snapaddress.ioAuthentication works the same way — pass your key as the api-key query parameter.
Step 3: Verify
Your existing integration should work immediately. The compatible endpoints are:
| getAddress.io endpoint | SnapAddress equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
GET /find/{postcode}?api-key=KEY | GET /find/{postcode}?api-key=KEY | Same path and response shape |
GET /find/{postcode}?api-key=KEY&expand=true | GET /find/{postcode}?api-key=KEY&expand=true | Expanded address fields supported |
GET /autocomplete/{query}?api-key=KEY | GET /autocomplete/{query}?api-key=KEY | Same suggestion format |
GET /get/{id}?api-key=KEY | GET /get/{id}?api-key=KEY | Retrieve individual address |
Response format
The compatibility endpoint returns the same field names as getAddress.io:
{
"postcode": "SW1A 2AA",
"addresses": [
"Prime Minister & First Lord Of The Treasury, 10 Downing Street, , , , LONDON, "
]
}With expand=true:
{
"postcode": "SW1A 2AA",
"addresses": [
{
"formatted_address": [
"Prime Minister & First Lord Of The Treasury",
"10 Downing Street",
"",
"",
"",
"LONDON",
""
],
"line_1": "Prime Minister & First Lord Of The Treasury",
"line_2": "10 Downing Street",
"line_3": "",
"line_4": "",
"locality": "",
"town_or_city": "LONDON",
"county": "",
"district": "",
"country": "England",
"building_number": "10",
"building_name": "",
"sub_building_name": "",
"sub_building_number": "",
"thoroughfare": "Downing Street",
"residential": false
}
]
}Note
Differences to be aware of
- Authentication: SnapAddress also supports
x-api-keyheader auth in addition to the query parameter. Both work on compatibility endpoints. - No latitude/longitude: getAddress.io returns coordinates; SnapAddress does not. The underlying PAF data has no geo component, so these fields are omitted from responses.
- Unsupported getAddress.io features: domain tokens and autocomplete filter objects are not supported.
- UK only: SnapAddress is a UK-specific API. International lookups are not supported.
- Data source: SnapAddress uses Royal Mail PAF data, updated monthly. Results may differ slightly from getAddress.io due to data source differences.
Going further
Once migrated, consider switching to the native SnapAddress API for additional features including autocomplete with postcode summaries and UDPRN-based address lookups.