# Zippopotam.us Alternative MCP > Zippopotam.us Alternative MCP handles global geocoding and postal code lookups instantly. Need coordinates for a ZIP? Use this to get city, state, latitude, and longitude from any valid postal code. Want to know all the codes for Seattle? Run it by city name to map out regional coverage across dozens of countries. ## Overview - **Category:** developer-tools - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** postal-codes, zip-codes, geocoding, location-data, address-validation ## Description This MCP lets your agent pull location intelligence anywhere in the world. You can resolve addresses and coordinates right through natural conversation. Instead of hitting a dozen external APIs, you use this connector to get instant data points for multiple countries. For instance, if you have a zip code, it delivers the corresponding city, state, and precise GPS coordinates. If your input is a city name instead, it maps out all associated postal codes for that region. When you're building complex automations—say, validating shipping destinations before running billing logic—you can chain this MCP with others on Vinkius, giving full visibility into exactly what data flowed through and how many tokens were used. ## Tools ### get_location_by_postal_code Retrieves specific location data and coordinates using a single postal code number. ### get_postal_codes_by_city Finds all associated postal codes when given a city name and state/province. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Find the location details for US postal code 90210. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved the data for zip code 90210. It is located in Beverly Hills, California (CA), United States. The coordinates are 34.0901 latitude and -118.4065 longitude. ``` **Prompt:** ``` List all postal codes for Seattle, Washington in the US. ``` **Response:** ``` Searching for Seattle, WA... I found multiple postal codes including 98101, 98102, 98103, 98104, and several others. Would you like the full list or details for a specific one? ``` **Prompt:** ``` What is the city and state for the German postal code 10115? ``` **Response:** ``` The German postal code 10115 corresponds to the city of Berlin in the state of Berlin (BE). ``` ## Capabilities ### Determine coordinates from a postal code Input a zip or postal code and get the corresponding city name, state, and precise latitude/longitude. ### List all codes for a region Input a city and state name to retrieve an array of all associated postal codes in that area. ## Use Cases ### Validating a new client's shipping address A logistics agent needs to check if the provided ZIP code (e.g., 90210) is valid and get its coordinates for routing software. The agent calls get_location_by_postal_code, confirming both location details and precise GPS data in one step. ### Mapping out regional sales territories A marketing team needs to know every possible postal code served by 'Seattle' in Washington state. The agent calls get_postal_codes_by_city, generating a comprehensive list of codes for territory mapping. ### Cleaning up legacy database records A data scientist receives a spreadsheet with thousands of raw addresses missing coordinates. They use the MCP to run get_location_by_postal_code on every unique zip code, enriching the entire dataset for analysis. ### Checking international market coverage A developer needs to know all postal codes for a foreign city (e.g., Paris, France). The agent uses get_postal_codes_by_city, confirming support across various global ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 countries. ## Benefits - Stop guessing location data. Use get_location_by_postal_code to turn a zip code into precise latitude and longitude, making mapping components accurate instantly. - Build out regional coverage maps easily. Run the get_postal_codes_by_city tool to list every possible postal code within a given city/state pairing—perfect for market analysis. - Save time writing custom geo-validation logic. This MCP handles global data access across multiple countries, so you don't have to manage dozen endpoints. - Improve dataset quality immediately. Use this connector to automatically fill in missing geographic metadata in your workflows or ETL pipelines, just by knowing the postal code. - Avoid redundant API calls. Because Vinkius manages all tool execution within isolated sandboxes, it minimizes overhead and keeps your process clean. ## How It Works The bottom line is that you get standardized, validated geographical metadata without writing complex GIS code. 1. Specify the type of lookup: are you starting with a known postal code, or do you have a city/state pair? 2. Your agent runs the appropriate function to query global geographic data sources. 3. It returns structured JSON containing the found location details and coordinates. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How can I find the latitude and longitude for a specific zip code?** Use the `get_location_by_postal_code` tool. Provide the country code (e.g., 'us') and the postal code. The agent will return the city, state, and precise GPS coordinates. **Can I find all postal codes for a specific city?** Yes. Use the `get_postal_codes_by_city` tool. You will need to provide the country, the state abbreviation (e.g., 'ca' for California), and the city name. **What format should I use for the country parameter?** The API requires ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes. For example, use 'us' for the United States, 'de' for Germany, 'fr' for France, or 'br' for Brazil. **Do I need a special key or registration to use get_location_by_postal_code?** No, you don't need any paid subscription or registration. This MCP uses a public API and simply requires you to pass 'PUBLIC' as the access key in your agent connection. **How does get_location_by_postal_code handle invalid or missing postal codes?** If the provided zip code is not recognized, the tool will return a structured error message instead of failing. This allows your AI client to gracefully catch the failure and prompt the user for correct input. **What if I need to find postal codes in multiple states or provinces?** You can use get_postal_codes_by_city by running separate calls, specifying each state/province combination. The tool is designed to query regional coverage based on the exact city and state parameters you pass. **Are there any performance limitations when I run many lookups with get_location_by_postal_code?** While Vinkius includes token optimization for efficiency, remember that excessive calls to external APIs might hit rate limits. We recommend batching your requests or running them sequentially through your agent workflow. **Can I use get_postal_codes_by_city across different countries besides the US?** Yes, this MCP supports international data using standard ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes for location scope. You just need to ensure your input parameters specify the correct country context.