diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 8fb0d76..fdd1e33 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
 
 const root = require('window-or-global')
 const IpfsApi = require('ipfs-http-client')
-const multiaddr = require('multiaddr')
 const tryCompanion = require('./companion')
 const tryWindow = require('./window.ipfs')
 const tryApi = require('./js-ipfs-api')
 const tryJsIpfs = require('./js-ipfs')
+const { isURL, isMultiaddress } = require('./utils')
 
 const defaultOptions = {
   tryWindow: true,
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ async function getIpfs (opts, { store, getState, dispatch }) {
     }
   }
   if (opts.tryApi) {
-    const { apiAddress, defaultApiAddress } = getState().ipfs
+    let { apiAddress, defaultApiAddress } = getState().ipfs
     const { location } = root
     const res = await tryApi({ apiAddress, defaultApiAddress, location, IpfsApi, ipfsConnectionTest })
     if (res) {
@@ -169,19 +169,6 @@ async function getIpfs (opts, { store, getState, dispatch }) {
   dispatch({ type: 'IPFS_INIT_FAILED' })
 }
 
-function isMultiaddress (addr) {
-  if (addr === null || addr === undefined || typeof addr === 'undefined') {
-    return false
-  }
-
-  try {
-    multiaddr(addr)
-    return true
-  } catch (_) {
-    return false
-  }
-}
-
 function getUserOpts (key) {
   let userOpts = null
   if (root.localStorage) {
@@ -214,7 +201,7 @@ function saveUserOpts (key, val) {
 
 function getUserProvidedIpfsApi () {
   const ipfsApi = getUserOpts('ipfsApi')
-  if (ipfsApi && !isMultiaddress(ipfsApi)) {
+  if (ipfsApi && !isMultiaddress(ipfsApi) && !isURL(ipfsApi)) {
     console.warn(`The ipfsApi address ${ipfsApi} is invalid.`)
     return null
   }
diff --git a/src/js-ipfs-api/index.js b/src/js-ipfs-api/index.js
index d1caeae..e09020a 100644
--- a/src/js-ipfs-api/index.js
+++ b/src/js-ipfs-api/index.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+/* eslint-env browser, webextensions */
 const toMultiaddr = require('uri-to-multiaddr')
+const { isURL } = require('../utils')
 const provider = 'js-ipfs-api'
 
 // 1. Try user specified API address
@@ -41,8 +43,10 @@ async function tryApi ({ IpfsApi, apiAddress, defaultApiAddress, location, ipfsC
 
 // Helper to construct and test an api client. Returns an js-ipfs-api instance or null
 async function maybeApi ({ apiAddress, apiOpts, ipfsConnectionTest, IpfsApi }) {
+  const address = isURL(apiAddress) ? parseURL(apiAddress) : apiAddress
+
   try {
-    const ipfs = new IpfsApi(apiAddress, apiOpts)
+    const ipfs = new IpfsApi(address, apiOpts)
     await ipfsConnectionTest(ipfs)
     return { ipfs, provider, apiAddress }
   } catch (error) {
@@ -50,4 +54,21 @@ async function maybeApi ({ apiAddress, apiOpts, ipfsConnectionTest, IpfsApi }) {
   }
 }
 
+function parseURL (addr) {
+  const url = new URL(addr)
+
+  const opts = {
+    host: url.hostname,
+    port: url.port,
+    protocol: url.protocol.slice(0, -1),
+    headers: {}
+  }
+
+  if (url.username) {
+    opts.headers.authorization = `Basic ${btoa(unescape(encodeURIComponent(url.username + ':' + url.password)))}`
+  }
+
+  return opts
+}
+
 module.exports = tryApi
diff --git a/src/js-ipfs-api/index.test.js b/src/js-ipfs-api/index.test.js
index c5e21f8..e088d3d 100644
--- a/src/js-ipfs-api/index.test.js
+++ b/src/js-ipfs-api/index.test.js
@@ -115,3 +115,41 @@ it('Should use the defaultApiAddress if location fails', async (done) => {
   expect(config.protocol).toEqual('http')
   done()
 })
+
+it('Should use the apiAddress (url)', async (done) => {
+  const opts = {
+    apiAddress: 'http://1.1.1.1:1111',
+    defaultApiAddress: '/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/5001',
+    location: new URL('http://localhost:5001'),
+    IpfsApi: IpfsApi,
+    ipfsConnectionTest: jest.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce(true)
+  }
+  const res = await tryApi(opts)
+  expect(res.apiAddress).toEqual(opts.apiAddress)
+  expect(res.provider).toEqual('js-ipfs-api')
+  expect(opts.ipfsConnectionTest.mock.calls.length).toBe(1)
+  const config = res.ipfs.getEndpointConfig()
+  expect(config.host).toEqual('1.1.1.1')
+  expect(config.port).toEqual('1111')
+  expect(config.protocol).toEqual('http')
+  done()
+})
+
+it('Should use the apiAddress (url with basic auth)', async (done) => {
+  const opts = {
+    apiAddress: 'http://user:pass@1.1.1.1:1111',
+    defaultApiAddress: '/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/5001',
+    location: new URL('http://localhost:5001'),
+    IpfsApi: IpfsApi,
+    ipfsConnectionTest: jest.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce(true)
+  }
+  const res = await tryApi(opts)
+  expect(res.apiAddress).toEqual(opts.apiAddress)
+  expect(res.provider).toEqual('js-ipfs-api')
+  expect(opts.ipfsConnectionTest.mock.calls.length).toBe(1)
+  const config = res.ipfs.getEndpointConfig()
+  expect(config.host).toEqual('1.1.1.1')
+  expect(config.port).toEqual('1111')
+  expect(config.protocol).toEqual('http')
+  done()
+})
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34a6e05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+'use strict'
+/* eslint-env browser, webextensions */
+
+const multiaddr = require('multiaddr')
+
+function isMultiaddress (addr) {
+  if (addr === null || addr === undefined || typeof addr === 'undefined') {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  try {
+    multiaddr(addr)
+    return true
+  } catch (_) {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+function isURL (addr) {
+  try {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line
+    new URL(addr)
+    return true
+  } catch (e) {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  isMultiaddress,
+  isURL
+}