Effective **March 1, 2025**, several changes went into effect on Google Maps Platform. This page addresses frequently asked questions about the changes, which include: - [Monthly credit](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#monthly-credit) - [Expanded automatic volume discounts](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#expanded-discounts) - [Services transitioning to Legacy status](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#legacy) - [Introduction of Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#epe) SKU categories You can also view our [blog post](https://mapsplatform.google.com/resources/blog/mapping-the-next-generation-of-geospatial-experiences) for additional information. ## General Questions ### Why are we making these changes? We want to make it easier to build more for free, automatically unlock greater volume discounts, and more easily find the capabilities that are right for your business. ### When will these changes take effect? All changes described in the notice went into effect on **March 1, 2025**. **Customers with negotiated agreements** : Your agreement remains in effect until the end of the agreement term. The only immediate change is the monthly free usage threshold. See the [Negotiated agreement](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#negotiated-agreement) section. ### Which services do these changes apply to? These changes apply to [Google Maps Platform Core Services](https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms/maps-services) that are priced pay-as-you-go. ### Are these changes global? Yes, these changes apply globally. Any regional variations will be specified in the corresponding section. ### How does Google Maps Platform pay-as-you-go pricing work? Google Maps Platform pay-as-you-go pricing is based on your usage per month. As your usage grows, our volume-based pricing adjusts your costs accordingly. For more information, visit our [billing documentation page](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/billing). ### What is a SKU? A stock keeping unit (SKU) is a distinct item that can be purchased from Google Maps Platform. Each SKU has a set price, which you can view in the Google Maps Platform [documentation](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/pricing.md.txt). When a customer uses a service, it can trigger one or more SKUs, each appearing as a separate line item on the customer's bill. ### How can I view my Google Maps Platform billable usage? You can view your billable usage [by SKU](https://developers.google.com/maps/reporting-and-monitoring/reporting.md.txt#analyze-usage-cost-per-sku) in the [Google Maps Platform console](https://console.cloud.google.com/billing/reports). ### What if I have additional questions not covered in the FAQ? If you have any other questions or require any further assistance, contact [Google Maps Platform Support](https://developers.google.com/maps/support.md.txt). ## Introducing: Essentials, Pro and Enterprise ### What are Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise capabilities? To make it easier for you, we are streamlining our offerings into clear categories --- Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise --- so you can find the perfect fit based on the level of customization that you need. For an explanation of the pricing categories, see [Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise categories](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/overview.md.txt#pricing-categories) in the *Billing overview* guide. #### Essentials, Pro, Enterprise Core Services SKUs For a list of SKUs by category, see the updated [SKU names](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/sku-details#sku_names) in the *SKU details* guide. ### Am I required to select only capabilities from one category: Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise? No, you can continue to select individual capabilities across Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise to meet your needs. Your bill continues to be based on your actual usage. You only pay for what you consume. ### Will I still have access to the same services and features? Yes, you'll still have access to the same services and features. However, we are transitioning some services to Legacy status. You can learn more about [Legacy services](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq#legacy) in the corresponding section. ### Will SKU names change after March 1, 2025? Some SKU names changed starting March 1, 2025. You can view the previous and updated SKU names in the [pricing sheet](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/pricing.md.txt). ## Monthly credit changes ### How is the monthly credit changing?^1^ To help you identify, evaluate, and test our Services, we are modifying the USD $200 monthly recurring credit by offering a free monthly usage threshold for each Core Services SKU. The free usage threshold varies for each category, as shown below. Refer to [this table](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#categories) to determine which category each Core Services SKU falls into. **Free usage threshold** |---|---| | Free monthly billable events for most Core Services SKUs || | Essentials | 10,000^2^ | | Pro | 5,000 | | Enterprise | 1,000 | ^1^ Refer to the [pricing sheet](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/pricing.md.txt) for SKU names, along with their corresponding free usage amounts. For customers eligible for India pricing, you can find country-specific free usage amounts in the [India pricing FAQ](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/india.md.txt). ^2^ Map Tiles API: 2D Map Tiles and Map Tiles API Street View Tiles, will have 100,000 free monthly billable events. ### Do the monthly credit changes apply to legacy SKUs? Yes, legacy SKUs will have free monthly usage. ## Expanded automatic volume discounts^1^ ### How are volume discounts changing? We are expanding our automatic volume discounts. **Starting March 1, 2025**, most Core Services SKUs will have automatic usage-based volume discounts scaling to 5,000,000+ monthly billable events, an expansion from 100,000+ monthly billable events prior to March 1, 2025. The [pricing sheet](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/pricing.md.txt) shows the volume thresholds and associated prices. This applies to customers who don't have a negotiated agreement with Google. For example, prior to March 1, 2025, a customer without a negotiated agreement, using 2,000,000 monthly Geocoding requests, would be charged $7,900 monthly. Starting **March 1, 2025**, the same number of requests will automatically receive 10,000 free monthly requests and additional volume discounts, resulting in a reduced monthly bill of $5,050. ^1^ If you have an account eligible for India pricing, automatic volume discount changes have already been made per our [August 1, 2024 pricing update](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/india). **Example: Geocoding** For illustrative purposes, the following table provides an example of expanded automatic volume discounts and monthly free usage for Geocoding, an Essentials SKU. Please note this illustration is only applicable to customers who do not have a negotiated agreement. SKUs are charged a certain amount per billing event, such as a request to the Geocoding API. In the following tables, for ease of reading, we show the cost for 1,000 billable events (such as $5), instead of the cost per billing event (such as $0.005). |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Geocoding (Cost per thousand requests) | Free monthly amount | 1 - 100,000 | 100,001 - 500,000 | 500,001 - 1,000,000 | 1,000,001 - 5,000,000 | 5,000,000+ | | Prior to March 1, 2025 | $200 monthly recurring credit | $5.00 | $4.00 | Additional requests are charged at $4 per thousand requests. [Contact sales](https://mapsplatform.google.com/contact-us/) for additional volume pricing discounts. ||| | | | 10,001 - 100,000 | 100,001 - 500,000 | 500,001 - 1,000,000 | 1,000,001 - 5,000,000 | 5,000,000+ | | **Starting March 1, 2025** | 10,000 free requests recurring monthly | $5.00 | $4.00 | $3.00 | $1.50 | Additional requests are charged at $0.38 per thousand requests.^1^ | ^1^ You may be eligible for additional discounts based on Google's discretion if, for example, you have 10,000,000+ monthly billable events under at least one paid Core Services SKU. Google reserves the sole and exclusive right to determine eligibility for additional discounts. Please contact your Google Maps Platform representative. If you are unsure who your account representative is, reach out using our [Contact Sales form](https://mapsplatform.google.com/contact-us/?utm_experiment=13101933&contact_exp_arm=13101933). ### What do I need to do to qualify for expanded automatic volume discounts? No action is required. Expanded automatic volume discounts will be implemented automatically and will be reflected on the next billing cycle after **March 1, 2025**. **Customers with negotiated agreements** : Your agreement remains in effect until the end of the agreement term. The only immediate change is the monthly free usage threshold. See the [Negotiated agreement](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#negotiated-agreement) section. ### Will these volume discount changes be applied retroactively? No, expanded automatic volume discounts will only apply to usage incurred starting **March 1, 2025** and will be reflected on the next billing cycle after March 1, 2025 Customers using [legacy services](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#legacy) must migrate to the updated versions of these services to receive expanded automatic volume discounts. ## Services transitioning to Legacy status ### What does Legacy service mean, and how does it differ from newer versions? We are designating three services as Legacy status: Places API, Directions API, and Distance Matrix API. These services have newer versions, Places API (New) and Routes API, offering enhanced features, improved quality, and expanded automatic volume discounts. - Legacy services will not have new feature development and will only have automatic volume discounts scaling to 100,000+ monthly billable events. - For further guidance on the newer services and migration, refer to our [migration guides](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#migration) and our [Legacy products and features page](https://developers.google.com/maps/legacy.md.txt). ### I am using a Legacy service. What are the implications for me? Customers using Legacy services may continue to use them. However, we encourage migrating to the newer versions, which offer enhanced features, improved quality, and expanded automatic volume discounts. ### Do the expanded automatic volume discount changes apply to Legacy services? No, Legacy services are only eligible for automatic volume discounts scaling to 100,000+ monthly billable events. To receive the expanded automatic volume discounts, customers must migrate to the [updated version of the service](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#migration). **Customers with negotiated agreements** : Your agreement remains in effect until the end of the agreement term. The only immediate change is the monthly free usage threshold. See the [Negotiated agreement](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#negotiated-agreement) section. ### When will Legacy status Services be turned down? While we envision that Legacy services will be turned down in the coming years, there is no date yet for when this will happen. Subject to the [Google Maps Platform Terms of Service](https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms) (section 9) Deprecation Policy, we will provide at least a 12-month notice prior to the decommission of the services. ### How do I migrate to the updated version of a Legacy status service? Please refer to the migration guides linked in the following table. To view pricing for Legacy services, refer to the [pricing sheet](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/legacy-sku-pricing.md.txt). **Legacy services and migration guides** See [Legacy products and features](https://developers.google.com/maps/legacy.md.txt) for a list of Legacy services and migration links to their replacements. ## Other Questions ### How will these changes affect my bill? Starting **March 1, 2025** you will have free monthly usage for each Core Services SKU. Once you exceed the free monthly usage, customers who do not have a negotiated agreement will be charged based on the updated pricing structure, which includes expanded automatic volume discounts based on usage. These changes may result in a change in the monthly bill for certain customers, depending on their usage patterns. **Customers with negotiated agreements** : Your agreement remains in effect until the end of the agreement term. The only immediate change is the monthly free usage threshold. See the [Negotiated agreement](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#negotiated-agreement) section. **Example of a bill increase:** - Prior to **March 1, 2025**, a customer using 20,000 Geocoding requests per month receives a $200 monthly recurring credit, resulting in a monthly charge of $0. - Starting **March 1, 2025**, this customer will receive 10,000 free monthly requests for using Geocoding, an Essentials SKU, and will be charged for the remaining 10,000 requests, resulting in a monthly bill of $50. **Examples of bill decrease:** - Prior to **March 1, 2025**, a billing account using 10,000 monthly Geocoding requests and 5,000 Places API Text Search (Basic) calls receives a $200 monthly credit, resulting in a monthly bill of $10. - Starting **March 1, 2025**, this billing account will receive 10,000 free monthly requests for using Geocoding, an Essentials SKU, and 5,000 free monthly calls for using Places API Text Search Pro (updated SKU name), a Pro SKU, resulting in a monthly charge of $0. - Prior to **March 1, 2025**, a customer, without a negotiated agreement, using 2,000,000 monthly Geocoding requests receives a $200 monthly credit, resulting in a monthly bill of $7,900. - Starting **March 1, 2025**, this customer will receive 10,000 free monthly requests for using Geocoding, an Essentials SKU, and expanded automatic volume discounts, resulting in a monthly charge of $5,050. ### How may I estimate how these changes will impact my bill? You can estimate your bill using this [calculator](https://mapsplatform.google.com/pricing-calculator/). For customers eligible for India pricing, please refer to the corresponding question in the [India pricing FAQ](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/india.md.txt#calculator). ### I am a customer with a negotiated agreement. How will these changes affect my discounts? Your negotiated agreement will remain in effect until the end of that agreement's term. The only immediate change will be the monthly free usage threshold. - Starting on **September 1, 2025** , contracts eligible for renewal will be migrated to the expanded automatic volume discounts. You may be eligible for additional discounts based on Google's discretion if, for example, you have 10,000,000+ monthly billable events under at least one paid Core Services SKU. Google reserves the sole and exclusive right to determine eligibility for additional discounts. - Contact your Google Maps Platform representative. If you are unsure who your account representative is, reach out using our [Contact Sales form](https://mapsplatform.google.com/contact-us/?utm_experiment=13101933&contact_exp_arm=13101933). ### What Technical Support options are available? We offer two levels of Technical Support: Standard and Enhanced. Standard Support is included for all Google Maps Platform customers. For those with business-critical workloads or who require fast response times, Enhanced Support is available. Choose the service that's right for your organization. Learn more at [Google Maps Platform Customer Care](https://developers.google.com/maps/support/care.md.txt). ### What do I need to do to prepare for these changes? **No action is required** . Monthly credit changes took effect for all customers starting on **March 1, 2025** . The expanded automatic volume discounts also took effect on **March 1, 2025** , unless a customer has a negotiated agreement. Changes will be reflected on the next billing cycle after **March 1, 2025**. To familiarize yourself with these changes, review the [new pricing structure and monthly credit changes](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/pricing) to understand how they may impact your bill. You can also use the pricing [calculator](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/faq.md.txt#calculator). Refer to the resources listed below, and [opt in to Google Maps Platform emails](https://console.cloud.google.com/user-preferences/communication?utm_source=churn&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GMP-global-Maps-email-of-GMP-gamma-email&utm_content=optin). To opt in, navigate to the "Updates \& Offers" tab and turn on "Performance Suggestions and Updates" to receive optimization tips, product updates, and more, delivered straight to your inbox. **Resources** - [Plan your budget using budget alerts and usage caps](https://developers.google.com/maps/optimization-guide.md.txt#consumption_optimization) - [How to optimize your Google Maps Platform usage with quotas](https://youtu.be/A8bsgHUYsq8) - [How to optimize your Google Maps Platform usage with budget alerts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9egOaUkmYO0) - [How to reduce Place Autocomplete costs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOP8cvCLGac) ## Pricing sheet ### Google Maps Platform Core Services SKU volume pricing **By Monthly Usage Volume** This [pricing sheet](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/pricing.md.txt) illustrates the volume pricing that took effect on **March 1, 2025**. - For each SKU listed you will refer to the name as it appears on your billing report. - You may be eligible for additional discounts based on Google's discretion if, for example, you have 10,000,000+ monthly billable events under at least one paid Core Services SKU. Google reserves the sole and exclusive right to determine eligibility for additional discounts. Please contact your Google Maps Platform representative. If you are unsure who your account representative is, please reach out using our [Contact Sales form](https://mapsplatform.google.com/contact-us/?utm_experiment=13101933&contact_exp_arm=13101933). - The monthly free usage threshold is used first. For example, with Geocoding (an Essentials SKU), a customer is charged for usage that exceeds the 10,000 free request threshold. - The expanded automatic volume discount changes discussed in this FAQ may differ for India-based customers. For details on India pricing, please refer to the [India pricing FAQ](https://developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/india.md.txt). SKUs are charged a certain amount per billing event, such as a request to the Geocoding API.