Larus Alternatives in 2026: Top 5 IPv4 Providers for Hosting & Cloud Companies
This article looks at Larus honestly, then walks through five strong alternatives and where each one makes sense.
Artem Kohanevich
Co-Founder & CEO at IPbnb
Last updated
Table of Contents
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If you have been evaluating Larus for IPv4 leasing or transfers, you already know it is a serious name in the market. It has been operating since 2016, it has a large managed inventory, and it is one of the stronger providers in the APAC region.
But "serious" does not always mean "the right fit." Larus runs a managed, quote-based model. For some teams that is exactly what they want. For others - especially RIPE-region hosting and cloud companies that want to see prices upfront, control their own listings, and lease, buy, and sell in one place - a different kind of platform fits better.
What Larus Does, and Does Well
Larus Limited is an IPv4 solutions provider headquartered in Hong Kong, in operation since 2016. Its services go beyond simple leasing and include IPv4 brokerage (buying and selling), IP address management, RIR membership services, and supporting infrastructure services.
A few things Larus genuinely does well:
It has real depth in APAC. If your network operates mainly in the Asia-Pacific region, Larus understands that market and has inventory and relationships there. This is a real advantage that most RIPE-first platforms cannot match.
It takes work off your plate. Larus runs a managed model. When you lease from Larus, the company handles documentation, routing authorization, technical support, and administrative coordination. For IP owners, Larus can take a block, find and vet renters, and manage allocation on the owner's behalf. If you want recurring income from idle address space without doing the operational work yourself, that hands-off approach has clear appeal.
It now leads with continuity. In 2026, Larus markets itself as a "first-party" leasing provider - meaning it leases from its own address holdings rather than only matching third parties - and emphasizes renewal certainty and reduced intermediary risk. It offers tiered service packages aimed at operators who treat IPv4 as critical infrastructure: ISPs, cloud providers, and large platforms.
In short, Larus is a strong choice for an APAC-focused operator who wants a managed, continuity-first relationship and is comfortable with a provider-led process.
How Larus Prices and Delivers Its Service
This is where the model becomes important, because Larus works differently from a public marketplace.
Pricing is quote-based. Larus does not publish a live price list or a public inventory of blocks with set rates. To get a number, you contact the company, describe your needs, and receive a quote. This is normal for managed providers and brokers, but it means you cannot compare prices at a glance or see what you would pay before starting a conversation.
Delivery is managed, not self-service. With Larus, the company sits between you and the address space. As an IP renter, you select a block size, sign a service agreement, and receive a Letter of Authorization (LOA) so you can start announcing the range. As an IP owner, you entrust your block to Larus and the company manages renters, vetting, and routing for you. You are buying a service relationship more than a tool you operate yourself.
There is nothing wrong with this model - for the right team. But it is a different product from a transparent, self-service marketplace, and that difference is the main reason operators compare alternatives.
Why Some Operators Look Beyond Larus
To be clear, this is about fit, not quality. Larus is a respected provider. The reasons below are model differences, and they matter most to RIPE-region, self-service-minded operators.
Pricing you can see before you ask
With a quote-based provider, every comparison starts with an email and a wait. Teams that need to budget quickly, get internal approval, or compare three options in an afternoon often prefer platforms that publish fixed prices. When the number is on the page, planning is faster and there are fewer surprises.
Self-service control vs managed handling
A managed model is convenient, but it means handing off control. Some operators want to set their own lease terms, edit their own listings, and act without waiting on an account manager. If you have in-house network and RIR knowledge, a self-service platform can feel faster and more direct than a managed service.
Depth in the RIPE region
Larus's strength is APAC. If your operations, hold-period concerns, and compliance work all live in the RIPE region, a RIPE-first platform fits the grain of your day-to-day work more cleanly - RIPE database operations, ROA creation, and the 24-month hold rules are the default, not a secondary region.
A real marketplace, not just a provider
Larus brokers transfers, but it does not run a public marketplace with live, browsable inventory and listed prices. Operators who want to shop available subnets/blocks the way they would on any modern marketplace - and see real-time pricing - need a platform built around that experience.
How much control IP owners keep
For IP owners, the managed model means Larus handles renters and pricing for you. That is passive and easy, but you give up direct control over how your space is listed and priced. Owners who want to set their own rates and keep visibility into who is using their space tend to prefer a direct marketplace.
What to Check Before You Switch
Not every alternative is the same, so compare on the points that actually change your outcome:
Self-service vs managed. Do you want a tool you operate, or a service that operates for you? This single question rules out half the market for most teams.
Pricing transparency. Are prices published and fixed, or quoted on request? Look past headline lease rates to the fee structure: platform commissions, payout splits, and onboarding fees vary a lot.
RIR region focus. A RIPE-first platform and a multi-RIR platform are built differently. Match the platform to where your address space and your operations actually sit.
Scope: lease only, or full marketplace. Do you only need to lease, or do you also want to buy, sell, and monetize idle space in one place? A leasing-only tool will eventually send you elsewhere.
Owner control. If you hold address space, decide how much control you want over listing, pricing, and renter visibility before you commit.
The Top 5 Larus Alternatives in 2026
1. IPbnb - the self-service RIPE-region marketplace
IPbnb is a direct, self-service IPv4 marketplace built specifically for the RIPE region. It is the closest answer to "I want the opposite of a quote-based managed provider."
On IPbnb, prices are published and fixed. You can see lease rates and buy prices on the platform before you commit, and there is a pricing calculator that draws on live listings. There is no platform fee charged to IP renters, so the price an IP owner lists is the price the renter pays - the listed number is the final number.
It is a full marketplace, not a single-function tool. You can lease, buy, sell, and monetize address space in one place. IP owners set their own prices, keep control of their own listings, and receive payouts on a transparent schedule - without handing management of their space to a platform that operates on its own terms.
On compliance, IPbnb supports the full technical layer RIPE-region operators deal with routinely: RPKI/ROA configuration, LOA documentation, and ASN registration. IP reputation checks are part of onboarding for listed subnets/blocks, and provisioning is designed to complete within 24 hours.
Best for: RIPE-region hosting and cloud companies that want transparent pricing, full self-service control, and a single platform to lease, buy, and sell smaller blocks (roughly /24 to /21).
Trade-off: APAC coverage is limited by design - the platform is RIPE-first. If your network is mainly in Asia-Pacific, Larus or a multi-RIR platform may suit you better.
2. IPXO - large-scale automated leasing across regions
IPXO is the largest IPv4 leasing platform, and it is fully automated. By its own figures it has over 6 million IPv4 addresses on the platform, with IP owners contributing inventory from more than 140 countries. It launched in 2020 and covers all five RIR regions (RIPE NCC, ARIN, APNIC, LACNIC, AFRINIC).
Its model is leasing only - you cannot buy or sell address space through IPXO. Inventory goes into a managed pool, so IP renters do not see whose space they are using and IP owners do not see who is using theirs. IPXO charges a published 5% platform fee, and it bundles IPAM, IP reputation monitoring, and automated abuse handling (the platform reports handling the large majority of abuse cases automatically).
Best for: Operators who need leasing at scale across multiple RIR regions with minimal hands-on management, and IP owners who prefer passive, automated monetization.
Trade-off: No buying or selling, and a managed pool means less direct control and less transparency about counterparties.
3. InterLIR - a multi-RIR marketplace with managed compliance
InterLIR (InterLIR GmbH, based in Berlin, founded in 2020, with a US entity as well) is a RIPE NCC-registered marketplace and broker. It supports leasing, buying, and selling across the RIPE, ARIN, APNIC, and LACNIC regions, with a focus on managed compliance.
Its strengths are guidance and breadth. InterLIR handles RIPE database operations, KYC checks, and transfer coordination, which helps teams that want help walking through those steps rather than doing it themselves. It can also act as a sponsoring organization for ASN registration in RIPE if you do not have your own LIR - a genuinely useful service that many marketplaces do not offer. It publishes indicative lease pricing (a /24 starts in the region of €99-110 per month).
For IP owners, InterLIR runs a managed model: owners typically receive about 80-85% of rental income, with the platform keeping a 15-20% service fee. Transfers have historically carried no commission.
Best for: Operators who want multi-RIR coverage, managed compliance help, or sponsoring/ASN services, and do not mind a partly managed experience.
Trade-off: A platform spread across several registries is not built specifically around RIPE workflows, and the managed payout split is worth modeling against owner-set pricing at scale.
4. IPv4.Global - the auction venue for buying and selling
IPv4.Global is a division of Hilco Streambank (part of Hilco Global) and is one of the longest-running names in IPv4 transactions, with close to $1 billion in cumulative IPv4 sales. Its core is buying and selling, not leasing.
It runs a public auction platform for blocks of /17 and smaller, and handles larger blocks through privately negotiated brokerage. Because it is an auction, final prices are set by competitive bidding rather than published in advance - which gives you real market transparency on past sales, but means you do not know the final cost upfront. Transactions are escrow-supported, and it is the leading venue for large /16 deals.
Best for: Buying or selling address space - especially large blocks - where you want deep liquidity and a long track record.
Trade-off: Auction pricing is not known in advance, and the platform is built around transfers rather than the kind of fixed-price leasing many hosting providers want for ongoing capacity.
5. Prefixx - a boutique, white-glove broker
Prefixx is a boutique IPv4 brokerage based in Miami, founded in 2018 by a team with networking experience going back to 2007. It is a registered broker with ARIN, RIPE NCC, and APNIC, and facilitates LACNIC transfers, operating across five continents. It handles buying, selling, and leasing.
Its defining feature is a no-win-no-fee model: brokerage commission (3-8%, depending on block size) is paid entirely by the seller, so buyers pay zero broker fees. Transactions are escrow-protected, and its white-glove service - blacklist scanning, geolocation correction, RPKI setup, reverse DNS, and abuse handling - is included at no extra cost. On the leasing side, Prefixx offers longer-term contracts (up to 36-60 months) with a no-revocation guarantee, and you work directly with senior consultants rather than a self-service portal.
Best for: Complex or high-value transactions, or buyers and IP owners who want hands-on, end-to-end specialist support and contracted long-term leases.
Trade-off: It is broker-led, not self-service - so it is the opposite end of the spectrum from a marketplace you operate yourself.
Larus vs the Top Alternatives
Platform | Model | APAC coverage | RIPE focus | Self-service | Pricing | Buy / Sell |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IPbnb | Self-service marketplace | Limited | Primary | Full | Published / fixed (0% renter fee) | Yes |
Larus | First-party managed provider | Strong | Secondary | Partial | Quote-based | Yes (brokered) |
IPXO | Automated leasing platform | Multi-RIR | Multi-RIR | Full | Published (5% fee) | No (lease only) |
InterLIR | Marketplace + broker (managed) | Multi-RIR | Yes (RIPE-registered) | Partial | Indicative published | Yes |
IPv4.Global | Auction + brokerage | Yes | Yes | Full (auction) | Auction-based | Yes (lease limited) |
Prefixx | Boutique broker | Yes | Yes | No (broker-led) | No-win-no-fee | Yes |
How to Choose the Right IPv4 Provider
Use your situation as the filter:
You operate mainly in APAC and want a managed, continuity-first relationship - Larus is a reasonable choice, and you should ask for a quote and compare it against one transparent platform.
You are RIPE-region and want transparent pricing plus full self-service control - IPbnb is the natural fit: published prices, owner-set listings, and lease/buy/sell in one place.
You need leasing at scale across several RIR regions with minimal management - IPXO, with the trade-off that you cannot buy or sell there.
You want multi-RIR coverage with hands-on compliance help or ASN sponsoring - InterLIR.
You are buying or selling a large block and want the best market rate - IPv4.Global's auction and private brokerage.
You have a complex or high-value deal and want a specialist to manage it end to end - Prefixx.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Larus a reliable IPv4 provider?
Yes. Larus Limited has operated since 2016, is headquartered in Hong Kong, and maintains a substantial managed inventory with particular strength in APAC. Reliability for your case comes down to fit: it is a managed, quote-based, continuity-focused provider rather than a transparent self-service marketplace.
What regions does Larus cover?
Larus serves clients globally but is strongest in the Asia-Pacific region, where it has the most inventory and market depth. RIPE-region operators who want a platform built around RIPE workflows often find a RIPE-first alternative fits more cleanly.
How does Larus pricing compare to marketplace platforms?
Larus uses quote-based pricing, so you request a quote rather than browse published rates. Marketplaces such as IPbnb publish fixed prices upfront, which makes budgeting and side-by-side comparison faster.
Can I monetize my IPv4 addresses on Larus?
Yes. Larus offers a managed monetization model: you entrust your block, and Larus handles renter vetting, allocation, and routing for you. The trade-off is control - on a self-service marketplace you set your own price and keep direct visibility into your listings, while a managed model handles those decisions on your behalf.
Larus vs IPbnb - what is the difference?
Larus is a managed, APAC-strong, first-party provider with quote-based pricing. IPbnb is a self-service RIPE-region marketplace with published pricing, owner-set listings, and lease, buy, and sell in one platform. Choose Larus for a hands-off managed relationship in APAC; choose IPbnb for transparent pricing and full control in the RIPE region.
