Overview

Select platform: Android iOS JavaScript Web Service

The Places API is a service that accepts HTTP requests for location data through a variety of methods. It returns formatted location data and imagery about establishments, geographic locations, or prominent points of interest.

Note: Google Maps Platform provides separate versions of the Places library for Android, iOS, and JavaScript. We recommend that you use the version of the Places library specific to your platform. That is, if you are developing an Android app, you should use the Android version of Places.

Why use the Places API

Create location-aware features to make detailed location data available to your users. The data available through the Places API is built on one of the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive place models of the real world. Here are example use cases for applications:

• Display condo rentals within major metropolitan areas with results targeted specifically to cities.
• Include place details in a pickup or delivery status update.
• Display a list of parks in an area along with user-submitted photos and reviews.
• Provide people planning trips with contact information, reviews, and price levels for establishments along the way.

Note: Places API (New) is the current version. Places API is now Legacy and can no longer be enabled. Legacy documentation and migration guides are available on the Legacy tab.

What can you do with the Places API

You can use the Places API to include the following features in your applications:

• Provide place search results from different types of users queries, such as text input, nearby locations, and ambiguous or categorical user queries.
• Enable autocomplete features for different search types, either specific text queries or categorical queries.
• Refine the type of details returned about a place, such as operating hours, a summary, user reviews, and a photo.
• Add high-quality photos to locations served by your application.

Many Google Maps Platform APIs support place IDs, where the place ID uniquely identifies a place in the Google Places database and on Google Maps. There are many ways to obtain a place ID, including from the Places API, but also from the Geocoding API, Routes API, and Address Validation API.

Once you have a place ID, you can use the Places API to request more details about a particular establishment or point of interest, such as its complete address, phone number, user rating, and reviews.

How the Places API (New) works

Places API (New) accepts requests as a standard URL with a specific service endpoint, such as /places or places:searchText and returns a JSON response. Places API (New) supports authorization by API key and OAuth token. The following example makes a Place Details (New) request to return the address components for a place ID using an API key:

https://places.googleapis.com/v1/places/GyuEmsRBfy61i59si0?fields=addressComponents&key=YOUR_API_KEY

How to use the Places API

The steps below cover a typical use case scenario for using the Places API service. As you build out your solution, you can use additional endpoints, such as Nearby Search (New) and Place Photo (New).

1	Get set up	Start with Set up your Google Cloud project and complete the setup instructions that follow and then learn how to use your API key.
2	Try a basic text search	Issue a text search by using Text Search (New).
3	Use the place ID for more details	Many Google Maps Platform APIs return a place ID as part of a response. Use place IDs to get Place Details (New).
4	Get a photo for a place	The Place Photo (New) service gives you access to the millions of photos stored in the Places database. Use Place Photo (New) to access photos for a place.