Google Maps Platform vs Mapbox
Default scenario: At 500K map loads / month, 100K geocoding requests / month, estimated bills are $18,600/yr for Mapbox and $36,180/yr for Google Maps Platform. That’s a $17,580 difference before accounting for different features or operating costs.
The services may differ in features, performance, support and the work you need to do yourself. Read the notes and test what matters to your setup.
Your selected usage
500K map loads / month, 100K geocoding requests / month
- Google Maps Platform: $36,180/yr estimated
- Mapbox: $18,600/yr estimated
Estimated costs at different usage levels
| Usage | Google Maps Platform | Mapbox |
|---|---|---|
| Default scenario500K map loads / month, 100K geocoding requests / month | $36,180/yrEssentials subscription · $2,240 map loads + $500 geocoding | $18,600/yrPay-as-you-go · $900 map loads + $0 geocoding |
| Store locator30K map loads / month, 5K geocoding requests / month | $1,500/yrStarter subscription · $0 map loads + $25 geocoding | $0/yrPay-as-you-go · $0 map loads + $0 geocoding |
| Delivery app500K map loads / month, 1M geocoding requests / month | $77,040/yrPay-as-you-go · $0 map loads + $0 geocoding | $25,800/yrPay-as-you-go · $900 map loads + $0 geocoding |
| Map-heavy product5M map loads / month, 500K geocoding requests / month | $185,040/yrPay-as-you-go · $0 map loads + $0 geocoding | $160,200/yrPay-as-you-go · $10,000 map loads + $0 geocoding |
Web map loads (dynamic/vector). Many vendors restrict storing geocoding results, so check terms before comparing. Try your own numbers against all maps & geocoding providers.
Side by side
| Google Maps Platform | Mapbox | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Google's maps, geocoding, places and routes APIs, billed per call per SKU with volume tiers, plus optional monthly subscription bundles. | Vector maps (Mapbox GL JS), geocoding, search and navigation APIs with monthly free tiers and graduated per-1,000 pricing. |
| Headquarters | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Parent jurisdiction | 🇺🇸 United States (Alphabet) | 🇺🇸 United States |
| EU self-serve plan | No / not documented | No / not documented |
| GDPR DPA | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | payg | payg |
| Free tier | 10,000 free calls per month per Essentials SKU (Dynamic Maps, Geocoding); $300 trial credit for new customers. | 50,000 web map loads and 100,000 temporary geocoding requests per month. |
| Open source | No | No |
| Source last checked | 2026-10-06 | 2026-10-06 |
| Pricing evidence | Published rates | Published rates |
Which should you choose?
Mapbox has the lower estimated bill wherever both list a self-serve price, from 50K map loads / month, 10K geocoding requests / month to 5M map loads / month, 1M geocoding requests / month. From about 10M map loads / month, 2M geocoding requests / month, Mapbox is over its self-serve plan limits.
Choose Google Maps Platform if…
Our data shows no advantage on price, residency, jurisdiction or licensing. Compare features in the notes below.
Choose Mapbox if…
- it has the lower estimated bill at Store locator, Delivery app and Map-heavy product usage
Based on estimated list-price bills and the facts above. Features, performance and support aren’t scored.
Google Maps Platform pricing
Calculated from the listed vendor rates; exclusions still apply.
| Plan | Base fee / month | 1k additional map loads | 1k additional geocodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go | $0 | $7 | $5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $450 | $7 | $4 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $2,050 | $7 | $3 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $3,550 | $7 | $1.5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $9,550 | $7 | $0.38 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $630 | $5.6 | $5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $1,080 | $5.6 | $4 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $2,680 | $5.6 | $3 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $4,180 | $5.6 | $1.5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $10,180 | $5.6 | $0.38 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $2,870 | $4.2 | $5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $3,320 | $4.2 | $4 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $4,920 | $4.2 | $3 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $6,420 | $4.2 | $1.5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $12,420 | $4.2 | $0.38 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $4,970 | $2.1 | $5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $5,420 | $2.1 | $4 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $7,020 | $2.1 | $3 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $8,520 | $2.1 | $1.5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $14,520 | $2.1 | $0.38 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $13,370 | $0.53 | $5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $13,820 | $0.53 | $4 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $15,420 | $0.53 | $3 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $16,920 | $0.53 | $1.5 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $22,920 | $0.53 | $0.38 |
| Starter subscription | $100 | $7 | $5 |
| Essentials subscription | $275 | $5.6 | $5 |
Pay-as-you-go, per 1,000 calls after 10,000 free per SKU per month. Dynamic Maps (JS map load): $7.00 (10K-100K), $5.60 (100K-500K), $4.20 (500K-1M), $2.10 (1M-5M), $0.53 (5M+). Geocoding: $5.00, $4.00, $3.00, $1.50, $0.38 in the same bands. The volume tiers are graduated, so the plans above are the affine pieces of that tiered curve (the calculator's cheapest-fitting pick reproduces the graduated total exactly). Subscriptions (monthly, cancel anytime, bought in Cloud Console): Starter $100/month for 50,000 calls and Essentials $275/month for 100,000 calls, pooled across included SKUs (Dynamic Maps and Geocoding are both included); usage above the cap is not blocked and is billed at pay-as-you-go rates. Pooling can't be modelled exactly, so the subscription rows apply the included calls to map loads and charge geocodes at list rates (conservative). Pro is $1,200/month for 250,000 calls. Terms: Geocoding results may not be stored or cached except latitude/longitude for up to 30 consecutive days (place IDs may be kept indefinitely), and Google content must be shown on a Google map. Billing accounts with an EEA address have used separate terms without the Google-map-only rule since 8 July 2025. Google Maps Platform data protection terms are controller-to-controller; no EU-only processing option. History: until 2018 web maps were free up to 25,000 loads per day; from July 2018 they cost $7 per 1,000 after a $200 monthly credit, and in March 2025 the credit was replaced by 10,000 free calls per SKU per month (see the migration guide).
Google Maps Platform plan limits, full rates and cheaper alternatives · official pricing page
Mapbox pricing
Calculated from the listed vendor rates; exclusions still apply.
| Plan | Base fee / month | 1k additional map loads | 1k additional geocodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go | $0 | $5 | $0.75 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $300 | $5 | $0.6 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $600 | $5 | $0.45 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $250 | $4 | $0.75 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $550 | $4 | $0.6 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $850 | $4 | $0.45 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $650 | $3 | $0.75 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $950 | $3 | $0.6 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $1,250 | $3 | $0.45 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $3,050 | $2.5 | $0.75 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $3,350 | $2.5 | $0.6 |
| Pay-as-you-go | $3,650 | $2.5 | $0.45 |
Map loads for web (GL JS), per 1,000 after 50K free: $5.00 (50K-100K), $4.00 (100K-200K), $3.00 (200K-1M), $2.50 (1M-5M), above 5M contact sales. A map load covers unlimited tile requests in that session. Temporary Geocoding API, per 1,000 after 100K free: $0.75 (100K-500K), $0.60 (500K-1M), $0.45 (1M+). Tiers are graduated; the plans above are the affine pieces of that curve, so the cheapest-fitting pick gives the exact graduated total. Temporary geocoding results may not be stored; storing results requires the Permanent Geocoding API, from $5.00 per 1,000 requests (up to 500K/month, discounts via sales). Mapbox, Inc. is a private company headquartered in Washington, DC; DPA available at mapbox.com/legal/dpa.
Mapbox plan limits, full rates and cheaper alternatives · official pricing page
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Maps Platform cheaper than Mapbox?
Mapbox has the lower estimated bill wherever both list a self-serve price, from 50K map loads / month, 10K geocoding requests / month to 5M map loads / month, 1M geocoding requests / month. From about 10M map loads / month, 2M geocoding requests / month, Mapbox is over its self-serve plan limits. At 500K map loads / month, 100K geocoding requests / month, the estimates are $36,180/yr for Google Maps Platform and $18,600/yr for Mapbox. Estimates use list prices and leave out features, support and operating costs.
Do Google Maps Platform and Mapbox offer EU data residency?
Neither documents EU data residency on a self-serve plan.
Do Google Maps Platform and Mapbox have a free tier or trial?
Google Maps Platform: 10,000 free calls per month per Essentials SKU (Dynamic Maps, Geocoding); $300 trial credit for new customers. Mapbox: 50,000 web map loads and 100,000 temporary geocoding requests per month.
Where are Google Maps Platform and Mapbox based?
Google Maps Platform is headquartered in the United States and owned by Alphabet (the United States). Mapbox is headquartered in the United States.