ipto vs TM Search API
TM Search API mirrors USPTO's own trademark register into a 12M+-record database and markets free-text search across mark name and owner, not just single-serial lookup — no signup required, capped at 20 requests/day per IP, with a $20-per-1,000-calls paid tier settled in crypto on Base Mainnet. ipto's Trademark Lookup takes the opposite architecture: a live per-request proxy straight to USPTO's own TSDR system rather than a mirrored copy, so it's always current with USPTO's live register, but it only accepts an exact 8-digit serial number — no keyword or owner-name search.
| Feature | ipto | TM Search API |
|---|---|---|
| API key required | Never | Never, on the free tier |
| Free tier volume | 1,000 requests/day (general budget) | 20 requests/day per IP |
| Lookup by exact serial number | Yes, GET /v1/trademark/:serial | Yes |
| Free-text search by mark name / owner | No — serial number required | Yes, across 12M+ records |
| Data freshness | Live, direct from USPTO TSDR per request | Mirrored database, refresh cadence not published |
| Prosecution history / full case timeline | Yes, prosecutionHistory[] from TSDR | Not documented |
| Cheapest paid tier | n/a (one free tier) | $20 / 1,000 calls (crypto payment, Base Mainnet) |
When TM Search API might fit better
- You need to search by mark name or owner rather than an already-known serial number — TM Search API's free-text search covers that; ipto requires an exact 8-digit serial.
- You want a fixed per-call price with no daily reset — TM Search API's $20/1,000-calls pack doesn't expire on a daily cycle the way ipto's general budget does.
When ipto fits better
- You want data read live from USPTO's own system on every request rather than a third-party mirror of unpublished refresh cadence — ipto's Trademark Lookup proxies TSDR directly, per request.
- 20 requests/day is tight for anything beyond casual testing — ipto's Trademark Lookup draws from the site's general 1,000/day free budget instead of a dedicated 20/day cap.
FAQ
Can ipto search trademarks by name instead of serial number?
Not yet — GET /v1/trademark/:serial requires an exact 8-digit USPTO serial number, since that's the only lookup path USPTO's own TSDR system documents. TM Search API supports free-text search across mark name and owner instead, over its own mirrored copy of the register.
Is ipto's trademark data as current as USPTO's own system?
Yes — GET /v1/trademark/:serial is a live, per-request proxy to USPTO's TSDR case-status system, not a cached or periodically-synced mirror. TM Search API is built on its own mirrored database, and its refresh cadence against USPTO's live register isn't published.
Try it: curl https://ipto.to/v1/ip/8.8.8.8 · full API reference · all alternatives