Maps API pricing — Google Maps and alternatives — per-SKU costs, the free tier and how to get a key.
All three bill per-SKU (geocoding, maps/tiles and routing are priced separately), so the "free tier" isn't one number — it's a monthly allowance per product. Google swaps a fixed quota for a $200/month credit but needs billing enabled immediately; Mapbox and HERE let you start without a card.
| Provider | Free / month | Requires billing to start | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | $200 credit | Yes | Place data quality, coverage |
| Mapbox | 50k loads / 100k geocoding | No | Custom map styling, cost control |
| HERE | ~30k transactions | No | Fleet / logistics, routing |
Mapbox and HERE are the most generous — Mapbox gives 50,000 free map loads and 100,000 free geocoding requests per month with no card required to start; HERE gives roughly 30,000 free transactions per month across geocoding, routing and maps. Google Maps gives a $200/month credit instead of a fixed free quota, but requires a billing account from day one.
For map loads and geocoding, Mapbox is usually cheaper once you're past the free tier — its per-1,000 rates are competitive and it doesn't require billing to test. Google Maps has the strongest data quality and place coverage, so the right choice depends on whether raw pricing or map/data accuracy matters more for your use case.
These are billed as separate SKUs, not one flat rate. Geocoding (address → coordinates) is usually the cheapest per call; Places (search/autocomplete, business data) and Directions/routing cost more per 1,000 requests. Use the Google Maps SKU Cost Calculator on this page to see the bill split by SKU before you commit.
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