SmartyStreets Company Blog

NOTE: This post is somewhat technical but very important for all users of our LiveAddress API–please forward it to your IT people and programmers!

A few months ago we released a new method for accessing the LiveAddress API – a REST-based endpoint.  This endpoint is superior and easier to use than our old XML web service endpoint.  With this release we have officially deprecated our old XML web service.  Please take note and begin to use the new REST API…no really, right now!  You’ll thank us later!

The benefits of this new method are many:

• JSON response (as opposed to the cluttered XML you’re used to)
• Queries can be executed much more easily, with fewer lines of code, from many more languages, without any extra libraries or supporting code.  Just roll your own HTTP request.
• More detailed output (see examples below).

Here’s some sample code links to get you started:

• Simple URL with query string parameters (a nifty little tool on your account page)
• jQuery
• Python
• Ruby
• C#

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One of the great things about working at SmartyStreets has been offering our great services to non-profits at absolutely no charge. But this was just an initial step.  We’re now pleased to announce an absolutely free subscription to our LiveAddress API!  No really, we’re not joking!  We recognize that for many small businesses, address verification is just not high enough on the priority list, or is too expensive to merit attention.  We hope to change all that by offering a free monthly subscription that includes 250 lookups.

The only thing to be aware of is that the subscription can only be renewed once per month. If your usage goes above 250 address lookups per month you’ll need to purchase a paid subscription that allows higher usage and will automatically renew when you run out of lookups.

So you may be wondering why we would do this.  Are we out of our minds?  Short answer: yes.  Honestly, we imagine a world in which all data points are standardized, verified, and a benefit to the organizations to which they pertain (rather than a hindrance)…a world where you don’t have to wonder whether a proposed shipping address is deliverable…a world where all the addresses have 12-digit Delivery Point barcodes and a ‘Y’ for the DPV code…

Basically, we’re hoping to make the world a better place, 250 addresses at a time.

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