Question 1

What is Postcodewise?

Accepted Answer

Postcodewise is a UK location-intelligence platform operated by Digitsflow LTD. Enter any UK postcode and we build a report covering safety and crime, schools, transport, local amenities, environment, broadband and mobile connectivity, housing and sold prices, demographics and planning — drawn from official open data. Alongside reports you can compare areas side by side, research neighbourhoods on a map, explore areas in Discovery (including SiteScout for commercial site analysis), plan spaces in Floor Planner, ask our Assist helper questions, and — for businesses — use our developer API, surveys and CSV data uploads.

Question 2

What is included in a postcode report?

Accepted Answer

A full report is organised into sections: Overview, Safety, Transport, Schools, Amenities, Environment and Connectivity (broadband and mobile), plus housing and sold-price data, demographics, planning information and an Open data catalogue of relevant datasets for the area. Each section shows headline scores alongside the underlying figures and a note on where the data comes from.

Question 3

How do I compare two postcodes side by side?

Accepted Answer

Use the comparison view to put two postcodes next to each other across the same metrics — visit /compare/{first-postcode}/{second-postcode}, for example /compare/SW1A1AA/EC1A1BB. It is a quick way to weigh up two areas on safety, schools, transport, amenities and more in one screen.

Question 4

How do I get access to the API?

Accepted Answer

Every account can create a free starter API key — no payment needed. Sign in, open Settings → API Keys, and create a new key; free keys include 50 lookups per month. Give the key a name and copy it when it is shown — it is only displayed once, so store it somewhere safe. Paid API access raises the quota; full endpoint documentation lives at /developers and plan pricing at /developers/pricing.

Question 5

Where does your data come from?

Accepted Answer

Our statistics come from official open data under open licences. Examples include ONS (demographics and rents), HM Land Registry Price Paid data (sold prices), the Department for Education GIAS register and Ofsted (schools), Ofcom Connected Nations (broadband and mobile), Police.uk (crime), Environment Agency and DEFRA environmental datasets, and OpenStreetMap (amenities, transport and greenspace), plus discovery datasets from data.gov.uk. The full list and licences are on the Data sources page at /data-sources.

Question 6

How do I run my first postcode report?

Accepted Answer

Enter a UK postcode in the search box on the homepage, or go to /report and type one in. Guests see a free preview with headline figures. To unlock every section, sign in and verify your email — verifying is what activates your included report credits.

Question 7

What is Discovery and how do I research an area?

Accepted Answer

Discovery (/discovery) is our area-research toolkit. It includes Scout for exploring neighbourhoods, a research table for comparing many postcodes against each other, an interactive area map for visualising metrics across a region, and SiteScout for commercial site analysis. It is designed for deeper, multi-area research rather than a single postcode lookup.

Question 8

How do I authenticate API requests?

Accepted Answer

Send your key in the X-API-Key header on every request (a ?key= query parameter is also accepted), for example: curl -H "X-API-Key: your-api-key-here" https://www.postcodewise.co.uk/api/v1/postcode/SW1A1AA/intelligence. Always call the API server-side over HTTPS and never expose your key in client-side code or public repositories.

Question 9

Why is some data missing or marked unavailable?

Accepted Answer

Coverage varies by dataset and area. Some datasets are England-only (such as DfE school data) or England & Wales (such as Land Registry prices), and open data sources can have gaps — individual trees or detailed park features in OpenStreetMap, for instance. Rather than guess, we show a metric as unavailable when the source does not publish it for that location.

Question 10

Can I view a report the way that suits me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every report comes with audience views — Homebuyer, Investor, Commercial, Renter and an All Data catalogue — so the metrics that matter for your goal appear first. Switch views beneath the report header; each view opens with a short list of headline indicators for your objective and links into the full underlying data.

Question 11

Do I need an account to use Postcodewise?

Accepted Answer

No — you can preview reports and browse areas as a guest. A free verified account unlocks full reports, lets you save postcodes to a dashboard, keeps your Assist chat history, and on a business workspace gives access to the API, surveys and data uploads.

Question 12

What's the difference between the free preview and the full report?

Accepted Answer

Guests and unverified accounts see a preview with headline figures so you can judge whether an area is worth a closer look. Verified accounts unlock all sections — the detailed safety, education, transport, amenities, environment, housing, connectivity, planning and demographic data.

Question 13

What endpoints are available?

Accepted Answer

The JSON API is versioned under /api/v1. Core endpoints include full intelligence (GET /api/v1/postcode/{postcode}/intelligence), postcode validation (GET /api/v1/postcode/{postcode}/validate), boundaries, and per-section endpoints such as safety (also aliased as crime), schools, transport, housing, demographics, environment, connectivity, lifestyle, planning, noise, hazards, council and property-investment. Nearby-place endpoints include /api/v1/schools/near/{postcode}, /api/v1/nurseries/near/{postcode} and /api/v1/universities/near/{postcode}. All responses are JSON. See /developers for the full, current reference.

Question 14

Can I use Postcodewise offline?

Accepted Answer

Generally no. Looking up postcodes, generating reports, authenticating API calls and refreshing dashboards all rely on live Postcodewise services, so you need an internet connection. Browser pages you opened earlier may still display from cache, but they cannot be guaranteed to be current.

Question 15

What is SiteScout?

Accepted Answer

SiteScout (/discovery/sitescout) is our catchment and commercial expansion analysis engine. It evaluates a location’s catchment demographics, footfall potential, competitor proximity and transport connectivity, then produces a structured four-quadrant SWOT analysis built from official government datasets. Results are data-driven approximations to support your own research — they are not a guarantee of revenue or business viability.

Question 16

How do I create an account?

Accepted Answer

Click “Sign up”, enter your email address and choose a password, then open the verification email we send you and confirm your address. Email verification is required to receive your 5 included website report credits each month, so be sure to complete that step.

Question 17

How do report credits work?

Accepted Answer

Every verified account can open 5 postcode reports each month for free. Opening a new postcode uses one of those reports; revisiting a report you have already opened is always free and does not count again. The monthly allowance resets each month. For unlimited reports, upgrade to Pro or Business. These free reports are separate from API lookup quotas, which are tracked independently.

Question 18

Can I research areas on an interactive map?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Geo report (/geo-report) lets you explore on a map rather than starting from a single postcode — drop a point to see nearby places and find the nearest postcode, then open its full report. It is handy when you know roughly where you want to be but not the exact postcode.

Question 19

What are the quotas and rate limits?

Accepted Answer

Each API key has two independent controls: a monthly lookup quota — free keys include 50 lookups per month, resetting on the 1st of each month; paid API plans raise this to 5,000 lookups per month — and an hourly per-key rate cap. You can see your current usage and remaining allowance in Settings → API Keys. Higher volumes are available by agreement.

Question 20

How do you handle my personal data?

Accepted Answer

We process personal data in line with UK GDPR. Our Privacy Policy at /privacy explains the data we collect, our lawful bases, the processors we use, cookies, and how to exercise your rights (including access and deletion). You can also delete your account yourself from Settings → Profile. For privacy questions, email privacy@digitsflow.co.uk.

Question 21

What's the difference between a personal and a business account?

Accepted Answer

Personal accounts are for individuals researching areas — for example before moving home or choosing a school catchment. Business accounts add shared workspaces with owner, admin and member roles, team invitations, the developer API, surveys and CSV data uploads. Both account types include 5 free postcode reports a month; the Pro (£15/month) and Business (£45/month) plans unlock higher limits and the workspace tools.

Question 22

What counts as using one credit?

Accepted Answer

Each distinct postcode you unlock uses one credit. Viewing different sections or audience views of the same report, or coming back to a postcode you have already unlocked, does not cost an additional credit — your access to that postcode stays open.

Question 23

Can I browse areas without searching for a specific postcode?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Browse section (/browse) lets you navigate by region, then by outcode (the first part of a postcode), down to individual streets. It is a good way to explore a part of the country and discover postcodes worth a closer look.

Question 24

How do I check how much of my quota I have used?

Accepted Answer

Settings → API Keys shows your monthly lookup quota, your usage in the current month, and when the quota resets. If you consistently need more headroom, contact us and we will quote a higher allowance.

Question 25

Who is the data controller for content I put into surveys or uploads?

Accepted Answer

For personal data you ingest into workspace tools — survey respondents or rows in your uploaded CSVs — you (the workspace customer) act as the data controller and Digitsflow LTD acts strictly as your data processor, processing only on your instructions. For the data we collect directly through our own website and accounts, Digitsflow LTD is the controller. The Privacy Policy at /privacy and the Terms at /terms set out both roles in full.

Question 26

Which areas of the UK do you cover?

Accepted Answer

We cover UK postcodes, but the depth of each section depends on the underlying open dataset. School performance is England (Department for Education GIAS); sold prices are England & Wales (HM Land Registry); broadband and mobile coverage is UK-wide (Ofcom); crime is England & Wales via police-force data. Where a metric is not published for an area, we mark it as unavailable rather than estimating it.

Question 27

How do I get more report credits?

Accepted Answer

For unlimited postcode reports, upgrade to Pro (£15/month) or Business (£45/month) on the pricing page at /pricing — checkout is self-serve and card payments are handled securely by Stripe. You can cancel any time from your workspace billing settings: cancelling stops the next renewal, and we do not pro-rate partial months unless your written agreement says otherwise. For very high volumes or bespoke needs, contact us via /feedback or billing@postcodewise.co.uk and we will prepare a quote.

Question 28

What is Assist and what can it answer?

Accepted Answer

Assist is our AI helper for postcode questions. It answers using the structured data already in Postcodewise — cached report metrics and local OpenStreetMap context — rather than guessing. It is grounded so it does not invent facts and only links to internal pages such as reports and data sources. You can carry on multi-turn conversations, asking follow-up questions directly on the homepage or in the slide-over drawer panel. Each new question or follow-up consumes 1 AI credit, while re-reading your past conversation turns is 100% free.

Question 29

What happens if I exceed my rate limit or quota?

Accepted Answer

Requests beyond your limit are rejected with an HTTP 429 error response (for example a “Quota or rate limit exceeded” message) until the window resets — the hourly cap rolls over each hour and the monthly quota resets on the 1st. Back off gracefully on 429 responses, cache responses where you can, and contact us if you consistently need a higher allowance.

Question 30

Where can I find your terms, privacy and cookie policies?

Accepted Answer

Our Terms of Service are at /terms, the Privacy Policy is at /privacy, the Cookie Policy is at /cookies, and a billing overview is at /payments. These are also linked from the footer on every page.

Question 31

I forgot my password — how do I reset it?

Accepted Answer

On the login page click “Forgot password”, enter your email address, and we will send you a reset link. For security the link expires after a short time, so request a fresh one if it has lapsed. If you are already signed in, you can change your password under Settings → Password.

Question 32

Are website report credits the same as the API quota?

Accepted Answer

No. Website report credits apply to reports you open in the browser. The API has its own separate monthly lookup quota and hourly rate limit. The two are measured and billed independently, so using one does not draw down the other.

Question 33

How do I save postcodes and where do I find them?

Accepted Answer

When signed in, you can save a postcode to your dashboard and return to it later without spending another credit. Your saved postcodes and recent activity live on your dashboard, which is the first page you see after logging in.

Question 34

My API key may have been exposed — what should I do?

Accepted Answer

Delete the affected key immediately in Settings → API Keys and create a new one, then update your application with the new key. Keys are only shown in full once at creation and are stored server-side as SHA-256 hashes, so treat them like passwords: keep them server-side, out of version control, and rotate them if you suspect any exposure.

Question 35

How do I contact support?

Accepted Answer

Email support@postcodewise.co.uk for product issues, or hello@postcodewise.co.uk for commercial and sales enquiries. You can also use the Contact & feedback form at /feedback. Signed-in users can raise and track a support ticket from this Help Centre. We aim to respond within UK business hours; guaranteed response times apply only where they are contractually agreed.

Question 36

Is there a mobile app, or do I need to install anything?

Accepted Answer

Postcodewise is a web application — there is nothing to download. It works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or mobile. For the best experience we recommend an up-to-date version of Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge. A browser extension and an embeddable widget are also available — see Features & Guides below.

Question 37

How current and accurate is the data in a report?

Accepted Answer

Each metric refreshes on its source’s own cadence — for example monthly HM Land Registry price files and periodic ONS, DfE and Ofcom releases. Reports show the source and context for each figure, and some metrics (like greenspace or “safest park”) are clearly-labelled heuristics rather than official ratings. You can review every source on the Data sources page at /data-sources.

Question 38

Can I upload my own list of postcodes or data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Go to My uploads to import a CSV or TXT file with a header row — for example a list of postcodes you want enriched with local intelligence. The free tier allows 1 upload of up to 5 MB with up to 2,500 rows; paid plans raise this to 10 uploads of up to 25 MB with up to 50,000 rows per file. Size and row limits are enforced before a file is parsed, and every uploaded dataset is enriched with real data from our official sources.

Question 39

Do you offer team pricing, custom data or partnerships?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Higher-volume API access, managed workspace services, custom exports, rollout support and partner or affiliate arrangements are all handled by written agreement rather than a fixed published plan. Tell us your team size, expected monthly lookups or workspace needs via /feedback or hello@postcodewise.co.uk and we will prepare a tailored quote.

Question 40

Can I restrict my API key to my own website or app?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each key has an origin allow-list: when a list is set, requests whose Origin or Referer is not on it are refused with an HTTP 403 error, and an empty list is treated as fully closed (default-deny). Add the domains and app package IDs you call the API from in Settings → API Keys.

Question 41

How is billing handled?

Accepted Answer

Postcodewise keeps free web reports, API lookup quotas, AI credits and workspace services separate, and each is billed independently. Subscriptions renew monthly via Stripe and can be cancelled at any time from your workspace billing settings — cancelling stops the next renewal. See /pricing for plans and /payments for the full billing overview, or email billing@postcodewise.co.uk with any billing question.

Question 42

How do I invite team members to my workspace?

Accepted Answer

Business workspaces are for collaborating. From your workspace settings you can invite colleagues by email, and they join your organisation once they accept the invitation link. Members have one of three roles — owner, admin or member — and only owners and admins can manage billing, members and the plan.

Question 43

How do you keep the platform and my account secure?

Accepted Answer

All traffic is served over HTTPS, API keys are stored as SHA-256 hashes and shown in full only once, and you can protect your account with two-factor authentication and passkeys under Settings → Security. We recommend keeping API keys server-side, using a strong unique password, and rotating any key you think may have been exposed. Report any security concern to support@postcodewise.co.uk.

Question 44

Is there a demo mode for evaluating the API?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The developers documentation at /developers describes a free demo key you can use to evaluate responses before registering. Demo access is limited to 60 requests per hour per IP address, so sign up for a free starter key for anything more than a quick look.

Question 45

Can I be notified when a report for a postcode becomes available?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If a report is still being prepared for a postcode, you can enter your email on that report page to be notified when it is ready. We will email you once that postcode’s report is available, and we will not subscribe you twice for the same postcode.

Question 46

Can I create and share surveys?

Accepted Answer

Yes — business workspaces can build surveys and share them with a public link so anyone can respond without an account. Surveys support branding (colour, logo and background image) and collect UK postcodes from respondents. The free tier allows 1 active survey with up to 100 responses per month; paid survey plans allow 10 active surveys with up to 10,000 responses per month.

Question 47

Why am I seeing an “access blocked” or VPN message?

Accepted Answer

To protect our data and comply with our data licences, Postcodewise blocks traffic that appears to come from a VPN, proxy or anonymising service. If you hit this screen, disconnect from your VPN or proxy, switch to your normal internet connection, and refresh the page. If you are not using a VPN and still see the message, contact support@postcodewise.co.uk so we can look into it.

Question 48

What are Assist AI credits and how do they work?

Accepted Answer

Assist is our AI helper for postcode questions, and each Assist question uses one AI credit. Paid plans include a monthly allowance — 100 credits with Pro and 500 with Business. Unused included credits roll over, capped at twice the monthly allowance. If you ask the exact same question about the same postcode again, we answer it for free without charging a credit. Free accounts include a small trial allowance so you can try Assist.

Question 49

What is Floor Planner?

Accepted Answer

Floor Planner is our visual studio for drawing floor plans and seeing live capacity metrics as you sketch. Plans follow the floor-planner capability included with Pro, Business or the standalone Floor Planner plan. It is a conceptual planning tool: outputs are not certified blueprints or structural drawings, and all physical dimensions must be verified on site before any build or fit-out.

Question 50

Can I get a refund or cancel my subscription?

Accepted Answer

Subscriptions renew monthly via Stripe and you can cancel at any time from your workspace billing settings — cancelling stops the next renewal, and access continues to the end of the paid cycle. We do not pro-rate partial months unless your written agreement says so. Where the UK 14-day distance-selling cooling-off period applies, requesting immediate use of the service during the period adjusts refunds pro rata. One-off AI credit packs consent to immediate supply: consumed credits are non-refundable, while entirely unspent packs can be refunded within 14 days of purchase. Nothing here limits your statutory UK consumer rights. To discuss a refund, email billing@postcodewise.co.uk.

Question 51

Can I buy extra AI credits without a subscription?

Accepted Answer

Yes. One-off AI credit packs are available from your billing page — 50 credits for £4.99, 200 credits for £12.99 and 500 credits for £29.99. Because packs are supplied for immediate consumption, credits that have been used (even partially) are not refundable under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013; entirely unspent packs can be refunded within 14 days of purchase — email billing@postcodewise.co.uk.

Question 52

Can I embed a postcode widget on my website?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can embed a compact postcode scorecard widget that shows headline report data on your own site. It is authenticated with your API key, restricted to your allowed origins, and supports an accent colour to match your branding. Each widget load draws on your API lookup quota, just like a direct API call.

Question 53

Who operates Postcodewise, and which law applies?

Accepted Answer

Postcodewise is operated by Digitsflow LTD, a company registered in England & Wales (company number 16330711), with its registered office at Suite A, James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds, IP28 7DE, United Kingdom. These terms are governed by the laws of England & Wales, and disputes are subject to the jurisdiction of its courts; mediation is required before legal action is started. Nothing in our terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be limited or affects your UK statutory consumer rights.

Question 54

Is there a browser extension?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Postcodewise browser extension brings postcode intelligence into the pages you are already on — see /extension for supported browsers, installation and connecting it to your account.

Question 55

Is Postcodewise professional advice?

Accepted Answer

No. Postcodewise compiles official open data and clearly-labelled heuristics to support your own research. It is not surveying advice (such as from a RICS chartered surveyor), not structural, architectural, conveyancing, mortgage or investment advice, and our SiteScout and Assist outputs are approximations rather than guarantees. Always verify important decisions with appropriately qualified professionals and primary sources.

Question 56

Where can I read guides and product updates?

Accepted Answer

Our blog (/blogs) covers area guides, data explainers and product news. It is a good place to learn how to get more out of Postcodewise and to keep up with new features.

Question 57

How accessible is Postcodewise?

Accepted Answer

We aim to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA across the product, in both light and dark modes, with keyboard navigation and visible focus states. If you hit an accessibility barrier, email accessibility@postcodewise.co.uk with the page and what happened and we will treat it as a support priority.

Question 58

How do I manage my email and notification preferences?

Accepted Answer

Go to Settings → Notifications to control the emails we send, including the weekly usage report email. You can turn these on or off at any time, and any unsubscribe links in our emails take you to the same controls.

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