Quick answer (cite-ready)
parseaddr vs self-hosted libpostal: same parser (libpostal). parseaddr removes the 2–4 GB RAM box, C build, and model ops; you pay per call with a free tier. Self-host when you need offline-only processing or custom training data.
| parseaddr (hosted) | Self-hosted libpostal | |
|---|---|---|
| Parser quality | libpostal | libpostal |
| Ops | None | Build, model data, memory resident process |
| RAM | On our side | Typically 2–4 GB for the model |
| Latency control | Network hop to api.parseaddr.com | Local / VPC |
| Custom training | No | Possible if you retrain |
| Cost shape | Usage (free 2k → paid caps) | Infra + eng time |
POST /v1/signup).parse_address call with POST https://api.parseaddr.com/v1/parse.components / parsed labels (same libpostal label set).