Google Maps vs Google Places API

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Google Maps

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Google Maps vs Google Places API: What are the differences?

Google Maps is a comprehensive mapping platform, while Google Places API allows developers to access detailed information about places, businesses, and points of interest. Let's explore the key differences between them.

  1. Usage: Google Maps API is used to display maps and geographic information on a website, allowing users to interact with the map interface. On the other hand, Google Places API is used to retrieve information about places such as businesses, landmarks, and addresses.

  2. Data: With Google Maps API, you can display maps that contain various types of information such as roads, landmarks, and satellite imagery. In contrast, Google Places API provides detailed data about specific places, including their names, addresses, phone numbers, websites, and user reviews.

  3. Functionality: Google Maps API primarily focuses on visualizing and interacting with maps, offering features like map customization, directions, and street view. Google Places API, on the other hand, focuses on providing place-related information, such as the types of places nearby, the distance to a certain place, and specific details about a place.

  4. Integration: In terms of integration, while Google Maps API can be used to embed maps into a website and allow users to interact with them, Google Places API enables developers to integrate place-related information into their applications, enhancing functionality and user experience.

  5. Pricing: Google Maps API and Google Places API have different pricing models. With Google Maps API, you are billed based on the number of map loads and geocoding requests. On the other hand, Google Places API has its own pricing structure, where you are billed based on the number of places details requests, query autocomplete requests, and place photos requests.

  6. Access restrictions: Another key difference is the access restrictions. Google Maps API requires an API key to be included in the website code to access the maps functionality. In contrast, while Google Places API also requires an API key for authentication, it is used primarily for accessing place-related information rather than displaying maps.

In summary, Google Maps API is focused on providing map visualization and interaction, while Google Places API is geared towards retrieving detailed information about places.

Advice on Google Maps and Google Places API

From a StackShare Community member: "We're a team of two starting to write a mobile app. The app will heavily rely on maps and this is where my partner and I are not seeing eye-to-eye. I would like to go with an open source solution like OpenStreetMap that is used by Apple & Foursquare. He would like to go with Google Maps since more apps use it and has better support (according to him). Mapbox is also an option but I don’t know much about it."

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Replies (6)
Recommends
on
MapboxMapbox

I use Mapbox because We need 3D maps and navigation, it has a great plugin for React and React Native which we use. Also the Mapbox Geocoder is great.

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Recommends
on
OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap

I use OpenStreetMap because that has a strong community. It takes some time to catch up with Google Maps, but OpenStreetMap will become great solution.

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Blair Gemmer
Software Engineer at VYNYL · | 2 upvotes · 175.6K views
Recommends
on
Google MapsGoogle Maps

Google Maps is best because it is practically free (they give you $300 in free credits per month and it's really hard to go over the free tier unless you really mean business) and it's the best!

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Shuuji TAKAHASHI
Recommends
on
Google MapsGoogle Maps

I use Google Maps because it has a lot of great features such as Google's rich APIs, geolocation functions, navigation search feature, street map view, auto-generated 3D city map.

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Recommends
on
OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap

Its open source and we use it.

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Fabio Fraga Machado
Recommends
on
OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap

I use OpenStreetMap because i have the control of the environment, using Docker containers or bare-metal servers.

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Pros of Google Maps
Pros of Google Places API
  • 253
    Free
  • 136
    Address input through maps api
  • 82
    Sharable Directions
  • 47
    Google Earth
  • 46
    Unique
  • 3
    Custom maps designing
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    Cons of Google Maps
    Cons of Google Places API
    • 4
      Google Attributions and logo
    • 1
      Only map allowed alongside google place autocomplete
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      What is Google Maps?

      Create rich applications and stunning visualisations of your data, leveraging the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usability of Google Maps and a modern web platform that scales as you grow.

      What is Google Places API?

      You can provide users data on location names, addresses, ratings, reviews, contact information, and atmosphere. Local guides and users submit tens of millions of updates every day, so you can count on accurate, reliable information.

      Need advice about which tool to choose?Ask the StackShare community!

      What companies use Google Maps?
      What companies use Google Places API?
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      What tools integrate with Google Maps?
      What tools integrate with Google Places API?
        No integrations found

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        What are some alternatives to Google Maps and Google Places API?
        Mapbox
        We make it possible to pin travel spots on Pinterest, find restaurants on Foursquare, and visualize data on GitHub.
        OpenStreetMap
        OpenStreetMap is built by a community of mappers that contribute and maintain data about roads, trails, cafés, railway stations, and much more, all over the world.
        TomTom
        It is the leading independent location technology specialist, shaping mobility with highly accurate maps, navigation, real-time traffic info and services.
        JavaScript
        JavaScript is most known as the scripting language for Web pages, but used in many non-browser environments as well such as node.js or Apache CouchDB. It is a prototype-based, multi-paradigm scripting language that is dynamic,and supports object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles.
        Git
        Git is a free and open source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency.
        See all alternatives