Google Maps Geocoding API

Last updated: October 27, 2025 | Source: Google Maps Platform Pricing

Google Maps Geocoding API is one of the most widely used geocoding services worldwide, powering billions of location queries daily. It offers exceptional accuracy, comprehensive global coverage, and the largest POI (Points of Interest) database available through the Google Maps Platform.

Google Maps Platform Logo

Table of contents

Introduction

Google's Geocoding API (part of the Google Maps Platform) converts addresses and place names into geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude). It offers comprehensive search capabilities including POIs, business names, landmarks, and intelligent handling of natural language queries.

⭐ Excellent Accuracy 🏆 Best POI Coverage 💰 Premium Pricing ❌ Restrictive License

Key features:

  • Proprietary data from Street View imagery, satellite data, and user contributions
  • Intelligent parsing handles typos, abbreviations, and incomplete addresses
  • Massive POI database with 200M+ businesses worldwide
  • Regular updates to addresses, roads, and business information
  • Global coverage in 200+ countries

Advantages and disadvantages

Here's a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of Google Maps Geocoding API:

✅ Advantages

Exceptional accuracy and coverage

  • Rooftop-level precision in most urban areas
  • Strong rural coverage leveraging Street View and satellite data
  • Covers 200+ countries with consistent quality

Unmatched POI database

  • 200M+ businesses and places worldwide
  • Real-time business information (hours, ratings, reviews)
  • Multi-language support and local landmarks

Intelligent query parsing

  • Handles typos, abbreviations, incomplete addresses
  • Works with natural language queries
  • Excellent autocomplete and suggestions

It's google

  • Robust APIs, SDKs, and documentation
  • Seamless integration with Google ecosystem
  • Low latency worldwide
❌ Disadvantages

High cost

  • $5 per 1,000 requests (Geocoding API)
  • Costs escalate quickly at high volumes

Restrictive licensing

  • Cannot store results permanently (30-day cache limit)
  • Must display results on Google Maps only
  • No pre-fetching or bulk geocoding for storage

Coverage

Google Maps Geocoding API provides coverage in 200+ countries and territories, with quality varying by region.

Interactive coverage map

Coverage levels:
● Excellent - Rooftop-level precision, comprehensive POI database
● Very Good - Mostly rooftop precision, good POI coverage
● Good - Street-level precision, basic POI coverage
● Standard - Basic coverage (all other countries)

Address types supported

  • Street addresses: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA
  • Business names: Starbucks Times Square
  • Landmarks: Eiffel Tower, Central Park
  • Postal codes: 10001, 75001
  • Airports: JFK Airport
  • Intersections: Broadway & 42nd Street

Resources

Google continuously updates its data through Street View vehicles, user contributions, business owners, and satellite imagery.

Google Maps Geocoding API pricing

The following section provides a detailed breakdown of API pricing through an interactive pricing table and cost simulator. You can use it to estimate the cost of your geocoding requests for Google Maps Geocoding API.

Google Maps Platform uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model with volume discounts. A monthly free tier of 10,000 requests is available.

Pricing table

The following table shows how pricing evolves with the number of requests (i.e. number of addresses geocoded):

Monthly volume Price per 1,000
0 – 10,000 FREE
10,001 – 100,000 $5.00
100,001 – 500,000 $4.00
500,001 – 1,000,000 $3.00
1,000,001 – 5,000,000 $1.50
5,000,000+ $0.38

Prices as of October 2025. Source: Google Maps Platform Pricing

The following graph shows the pricing for the Google Maps Geocoding API:

Cost calculator

Use the following calculator to estimate the monthly cost of your geocoding requests for Google Maps Geocoding API. Important: this calculator is for informational purposes only and does not take into account any discounts or other factors.

Enter a volume to see estimated monthly cost

Rate Limits

Google does not publicly disclose specific rate limits for the Geocoding API. Instead, it uses a flexible quota-based system that scales with your usage and payment status.

Based on community reports:

  • Free tier: ~50-100 requests/second (burst)
  • Paid tier: Higher limits, scales automatically
  • Enterprise: Custom quotas negotiated with Google

These vary based on account status, payment history, and usage patterns.

License and Terms of Service

Google Maps Platform has strict licensing terms that significantly limit how you can use geocoded data. These restrictions are more stringent than most competitors and are actively enforced.

🚫 Restrictions

Storage limitations

  • Geocoded coordinates can only be cached for 30 days maximum
  • After 30 days, you must re-geocode or delete the data
  • No permanent storage of results allowed without enterprise agreement
  • Must implement automated cache cleanup

Display requirements

  • Results must be displayed on Google Maps only
  • Cannot use geocoded data with Mapbox, Leaflet, or other map providers
  • Violates terms to geocode with Google but display on competitor maps
  • Even static maps require Google Maps Display API

Pre-fetching restrictions

  • Cannot pre-geocode addresses for future use
  • No bulk geocoding for building stored databases
  • Requests must be in response to real user actions
  • Automated batch processing violates terms for non-enterprise users

Redistribution

  • Cannot sell or redistribute geocoded data
  • Cannot build derived products using Google's results
  • Cannot combine with other datasets for commercial purposes without permission
✅ What you CAN do
  • Cache results for up to 30 days
  • Use for internal business applications
  • Display on Google Maps with proper attribution
  • Store limited metadata (not coordinates)

Learn more in the official documentation:

Conclusion

Google Maps Geocoding API offers industry-leading accuracy and the most comprehensive POI database available, making it ideal for applications requiring the highest quality geocoding. However, consider the premium pricing ($5/1k base rate) and restrictive licensing terms before committing.

Optimize your geocoding costs: If you're geocoding large datasets, Coordable can help you maximize accuracy while minimizing costs through intelligent provider selection and address cleaning.

Last updated: October 27, 2025 | Source: Google Maps Platform Pricing

This guide is for informational purposes. Always refer to official Google documentation for current terms and pricing.