Google announced that Apps and websites that use the Google Maps API will soon have to pay $4 per 1,000 visitors.
There is an exception for small sites – the first 25,000 map-loads a day are free. The toll has been on the way since Google updated the Maps API’s Terms of Service in April and was scheduled to kick in at the beginning of October. It could be significant cost for developers: an app using the JavaScript Maps API for mobile and clocking in 100,000 users will now have to shell out $300 a day.
The visitor allowance is lower for those with styled maps (visually customised ones), who will have to pay $4 per 1,000 map loads after the first 2,500 – this goes up to $8 per 1,000 loads after 25,000 loads.
Developers who use the Maps API could do one of the following in the future:
- Reduce usage to below the limits
- Opt-in to paying for excess usage at the rates given in the FAQ for this service
- Purchase a Maps API Premier license
The Premier licence has been around for a while, and contains added features such as advanced geocoding, customer support, and full control over advertising. The prices start at $10,000 per year, increasing according to the number of site visitors.
Not everyone who has a Google map on their site will be affected. It’s possible to embed a Google map on a site or blog without using the API – and there is nothing to indicate that that will change.
More information on Google Geo Developers Blog
