# A Google Maps API alternative for static maps and geocoding you can keep

If you use Google for map images and address lookups but not Street View, Places or traffic routing, PinSharing does those two jobs at a flat price, lets you store the results indefinitely and never bills overage.

Google figures read from Google's own pages on Nov 5, 2026.

## What changes when you switch

Swipe the table sideways to see both columns.

|  | PinSharing | Google Maps Platform |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free allowance | 100 images, 10,000 lookups and 10,000 tiles a month, no card; new accounts get Growth's limits for 14 days | 10,000 calls a month per Essentials SKU (including Static Maps and Geocoding); a billing-enabled Cloud project is required |
| Static map images | From $19/month for 100,000 | $2.00 per 1,000 after the free calls |
| Geocoding | From $19/month for 100,000 | $5.00 per 1,000 after the free calls |
| Storing geocoding results | Indefinitely on paid plans, even after you cancel | Latitude and longitude may be cached for up to 30 days (§B.6.3.1), with a narrower per-user exception |
| Using results on another map | Any map | Geocoding content must not be used with a non-Google map (§B.6.2) |
| Past the limit | Hard cap; nothing billed | Billed per use; you can set budget alerts and request quotas |
| Places, Street View, traffic routing | No | Yes |

## Worked example: 50,000 images and 50,000 lookups a month

| Provider | Monthly cost | How |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PinSharing Starter | **$19** | Both fit in Starter's 100,000 images and 100,000 lookups |
| Google Maps Platform | **$280** | Static Maps: 40,000 × $2.00 per 1,000 = $80. Geocoding: 40,000 × $5.00 per 1,000 = $200. The first 10,000 of each are free. |

## Switching a static map

The parameters line up, so most of the work is changing the host and the key.

```
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=41.6843,-88.3512&zoom=14&size=600x400&scale=2&markers=41.6843,-88.3512&key=…
```

```
https://api.pinsharing.com/v1/static?center=41.6843,-88.3512&zoom=14&size=600x400&scale=2&markers=41.6843,-88.3512&key=YOUR_KEY
```

Our sizes go up to 1280×1280 and `scale=2` doubles the pixels. Google's per-marker styles (labels, sizes) aren't supported: markers are drawn as pins, with one colour for all of them set by `marker_color`. See [the static map docs](https://pinsharing.com/docs#static).

## Switching geocoding

```
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=233+S+Wacker+Dr,+Chicago&key=…
```

```
https://api.pinsharing.com/v1/geocode?q=233+S+Wacker+Dr,+Chicago&key=YOUR_KEY
```

Responses are GeoJSON: each result is a feature with `geometry.coordinates` as `[lng, lat]` and the address parts in `properties`. Try it without a key in the [free geocoder](https://pinsharing.com/tools/geocoder).

### Pick PinSharing if…

- You mostly need map images and address lookups
- You want to store coordinates for longer than 30 days
- You show results on a non-Google map
- You want a bill that can't grow past the plan price

### Stay with Google if…

- You rely on Places data, reviews or photos
- You need Street View or live-traffic routing
- You need rooftop-accurate US addresses everywhere (OpenStreetMap house numbers vary by area)

## Questions

**How long can I cache Google geocoding results?**

Google's service terms let you cache latitude and longitude from the Geocoding API for up to 30 consecutive calendar days, with a narrower exception for caching on behalf of an individual end user. PinSharing's paid plans let you store results indefinitely.

**Can I show Google geocoding results on a non-Google map?**

Google's service terms say Geocoding API content must not be used with a non-Google map. PinSharing results may be shown on any map, as long as the OpenStreetMap credit goes with them.

**Is there a free tier at Google now?**

Since March 1, 2025 Google gives free monthly calls per SKU instead of the old $200 credit: 10,000 a month for Essentials SKUs such as Static Maps and Geocoding. A billing-enabled Cloud project is required.

**How hard is it to switch static maps?**

Usually a few minutes: PinSharing's /v1/static takes the same center, zoom, size, scale and markers parameters, with the same latitude,longitude order.

## Try it on your own addresses

Free key in under a minute, no card. New accounts get Growth's limits free for 14 days.

Get a free API key

See pricing

## Sources

Read on Nov 5, 2026. Prices and terms change, so follow the links before deciding.

- [Google Maps Platform pricing](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/pricing)
- [Google Maps Platform: March 2025 changes](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/march-2025)
- [Google Maps Platform service specific terms](https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms/maps-service-terms)
- [Google Maps Platform: get started](https://developers.google.com/maps/get-started/)

Google Maps Platform is a trademark of its owner. PinSharing (Wells Software Consulting LLC) isn't affiliated with or endorsed by it. Billing methods aren't always directly comparable, so check the linked pages before you decide. Spotted something out of date? Email [hello@pinsharing.com](mailto:hello@pinsharing.com) and we'll fix it.

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Source: https://pinsharing.com/alternatives/google-maps-api · Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · Index: https://pinsharing.com/llms.txt