Postcodes Lookup API Tutorial - Get Post & Zip Codes in Google Sheets

How to connect a Postcode API to Google Sheets

In this tutorial we will show you how to get post codes or zip codes data into your Google Sheets using an API. The tutorial shows the process to connect to an API that has data on UK postcodes, but you can follow the same process to connect to a US zip code API such as this one or this one.

The example API we cover below, Postcodes.io, is a free postcode lookup API and geocoder for the UK. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to connect the Postcodes.io API to Google Sheets in 4 steps:

Install the Apipheny add-on
Choose a Postcodes.io endpoint
Enter your Postcodes.io API request into Apipheny
Run the Postcodes.io API request in your Google Sheet

Step 1.) Install and open the Apipheny add-on for Google Sheets

Apipheny is a free API connector for Google Sheets. You can use Apipheny to connect your Google Sheets to API data sources, easily.

1.) Install Apipheny by opening the following link on desktop and then clicking the Install button in the Google Marketplace: https://apipheny.io/install

2.) After you’ve installed Apipheny, open a Google Sheet and then click on the Extensions dropdown in the menu at the top.

In the dropdown list you should see Apipheny. Click Apipheny then click Import API to open the Apipheny sidebar in your Google Sheet.

Tip: you can open a new Google Sheet by entering this URL in your browser: sheet.new

Step 2.) Choose an endpoint

In this section, we’ll show you how to browse the Postcodes.io API documentation to find the endpoint that retrieves the information you need from your account. If you already know your API URL, or you want to use the same example URL as us, just skip to Step 3.

First, open the Postcodes.io API documentation page: http://postcodes.io/docs

This page contains general information about the Postcodes.io API and a list of Methods (Endpoints):

If you scroll down you will find the endpoints:

An example endpoint is Postcode Validation, which validates a given postcode. The URL for this endpoint is:

https://api.postcodes.io/postcodes/POSTCODE/validate

If you use this URL, don’t forget to replace POSTCODE with a real postcode value.

Each endpoint’s documentation contains a description of the response it returns, its HTTP method and URI, as well as additional details about its operations (the parameters it takes, the rules it applies, etc.).

All endpoints can be accessed from the following base domain: https://api.postcodes.io

Step 3.) Enter your API request into Apipheny

Now go back to your Google Sheet and make sure that the Apipheny add-on is open on the “Import” tab. With the Import tab open, enter these details into the add-on:

Method: At the top of the Apipheny sidebar, select the HTTP method (GET or POST) required by your API endpoint. For this example, we are using the GET method.

API URL: In Step 2, we explained how you can find the Postcodes.io API endpoint that you need. Now copy and paste your complete Postcodes.io API URL into the Apipheny add-on, where it says API URL Path, followed by any parameters required for your query (if applicable).

For this example, we are using the Lookup a postcode endpoint, which retrieves details about a specific postcode. This is what the whole URL looks like:

https://api.postcodes.io/postcodes/POSTCODE

If you use this URL, you should replace POSTCODE with a real value of a postcode located in UK.

Headers aren’t required. This API does not require any authentication. You can leave the Headers section blank in Apipheny.

Postcodes.io API request entered into Apipheny

Step 4.) Run the Postcode API Request in Your Google Sheet

Finally, the last step is to click the Run button at the bottom of the Apipheny add-on and then wait for the Postcodes.io API data to be imported into your Google Sheet. Here’s what our request looked like when completed:

Postcodes.io data imported into Google Sheets

That’s it! You’ve successfully connected your Postcodes account to Google Sheets using the Postcodes.io API, Google Sheets API, and the Apipheny add-on.

After making a successful request to the Postcodes.io API, try querying a different Postcodes.io API endpoint, or try using one of the more advanced features in the Apipheny add-on.

You can follow the same process to connect to a US zip code API such as this one or this one.