# What is reverse geocoding?

Updated Nov 5, 2026

Reverse geocoding answers "what's here?": you give it a latitude and longitude, and it gives back the nearest address or place.

```
https://api.pinsharing.com/v1/reverse?lat=41.87886&lon=-87.63592&key=YOUR_KEY
```

Forward geocoding goes the other way, from an address to coordinates.

## What it's for

- Filling in an address from a phone's location.
- Labelling GPS points: deliveries, check-ins, photos, vehicle logs.
- Showing a town or neighbourhood name instead of raw coordinates.

## How accurate is it?

It finds the nearest feature in the map data. In towns that is usually the right street and often the right house number; in rural areas or where house numbers are sparse, you may get the street or the town. PinSharing uses OpenStreetMap data: streets and places are reliable worldwide, and US house numbers vary by area.

## Privacy

Coordinates are personal data when they come from a person's phone. PinSharing uses the coordinates in a request only to answer it, and doesn't build profiles from them.

Try it without a key in the [free reverse geocoder](https://pinsharing.com/tools/reverse-geocoder).

## Questions

**Can I store reverse geocoding results?**

On PinSharing's paid plans, yes, indefinitely. On Free, for up to 30 days.

**Is reverse geocoding metered like geocoding?**

Yes: one reverse lookup counts as one address lookup.

## 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

More from [Learn](https://pinsharing.com/learn).

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Source: https://pinsharing.com/learn/reverse-geocoding · Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · Index: https://pinsharing.com/llms.txt