 "Google Maps expands free usage for developers worldwide on all products")
Google Maps on Tuesday announced that it is expanding free usage limits for developers across the world, granting them free access to each of its products up to a monthly limit from March 1, 2025.
The products include maps, routes, places, and environment APIs and SDKs. The move is aimed at encouraging developers, so they can build more for free.
In India, this change means that instead of the fixed $200 monthly credit that Google Maps offer today, developers can soon access up to $6,800 (over Rs 5,70,000) worth of free usage every month, distributed across all products.
This means Google Maps is lowering its prices by up to 70 per cent on most of its API for Indian developers. The company, in July 2024, also announced collaboration with Open network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), which will offer developers up to 90 per cent off on select Google Maps platform APIs.
“As a result of these changes, many developers have seen their bills decrease by more than half, with smaller developers seeing even larger reductions,” said the company in a blog post.
The company in the blog said that it is taking these initiatives to make its mapping tools more accessible and support local innovation for developers of all sizes. Google Maps also a few months back introduced India-specific pricing for its platform.
The company in a blog said that developers can evaluate whether a new product is right for their business – for example, they can integrate Places Nearby or Dynamic Street View into their app to make the experience immersive - or build a proof-of-concept delivery service with Routes API before making a major investment.
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“With this expanded free usage, developers only pay if they exceed the limit. And further, Maps Embed API and Maps SDK – some of our most popular products – will continue to have unlimited free usage,” said the blog.
In India, Google Maps coverage spans over 7 million kilometres of roads, 300 million buildings, and 35 million businesses and places. The company has also been developing features on its platforms by using AI, like Address Descriptors, which was pioneered in India to help developers show addresses in the unique local format, and features like the Air Quality API, which offers reliable air quality data.