Independent · sourced · Updated November 2026
Best Maps API (2026)
8 maps API options compared on price, free tier, compliance and fit — ranked by entry price. Every figure links to the public page it was captured from — the vendor's own wherever the vendor publishes the number, otherwise the named public source — with the date we captured it; where a vendor publishes no monthly price we name the kind of pricing it uses, never a guess.
The cheapest maps API is Geoapify at $0/mo. 5 offer a free tier. All 8 compared below on price, free tier and compliance — every figure sourced and dated, updated November 2026.
As of Nov 1, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
Cite this comparison
Per The Front Desk Review, the cheapest maps api is Geoapify at $0/mo; across 5 with published pricing the median is $50/mo ($30–$100/mo), 5 with a free tier, every figure sourced and dated, as of 2026-11-01. https://frontdeskreview.com/best/maps-api/ Key takeaways
- Typical paid price: from $30/mo, median $50/mo, up to $100/mo — across 5 with published pricing.
- Free tier: Geoapify, LocationIQ, Mapbox, MapTiler, TomTom.
- Tracked: 8 vendors, data current through 2026-11-01. STALE · 2026-06-14
Comparison
| # | Maps API | Entry price | Free | HIPAA | SOC 2 | Best for | Source | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geoapify | $0/mo Free | Yes | — | — | EU-based apps needing GDPR-compliant geocoding with European data residency | geoapify.com | Visit → |
| 2 | LocationIQ | $0/mo Free | Yes | — | — | Cost-sensitive startups seeking Google Maps alternative | locationiq.com | Visit → |
| 3 | Mapbox STALE · 2026-09-02 | $0/mo Maps GL JS (Web) | Yes | — | Yes | Apps requiring deep visual map customization | mapbox.com | Visit → |
| 4 | MapTiler | $0/mo Free | Yes | — | — | Self-hosted or privacy-first mapping (Swiss/EEA data residency) | maptiler.com | Visit → |
| 5 | TomTom STALE · 2026-06-14 | $0/mo Freemium | Yes | — | — | EV and automotive navigation applications | docs.tomtom.com | Visit → |
| 6 | Google Maps Platform | $100/mo Starter | No | No | — | Consumer apps needing the widest global POI coverage | mapsplatform.google.com | Visit → |
| 7 | HERE Technologies STALE · 2026-06-14 | not priced monthly | — | — | — | Automotive OEMs and ADAS/autonomous driving systems | here.com | Visit → |
| 8 | Radar STALE · 2026-09-02 | quote-only | No | — | Yes | Retail curbside pickup and in-store arrival automation | radar.com | Visit → |
Prices are the lowest published self-serve rate, with the period it is charged on, as captured on the linked source. Annual-billing and usage details are on each vendor's record in our open dataset.
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What is the cheapest maps API?
Geoapify has the lowest published entry price at $0/mo (Free), as of 2026-11-01.
How much does maps API cost per month?
Across the 5 maps API with published paid pricing, the median starting price is $50/mo, ranging from $30/mo to $100/mo, as of 2026-11-01. 5 also offer a free tier. 2 are quote-only.
Which maps API have a free plan?
Geoapify, LocationIQ, Mapbox, MapTiler, TomTom offer a free tier.
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