Best Google Maps Alternative for Your Website

September 11, 2023

Google Maps is a very useful tool that most of us interact with on a regular basis, but the costs of implementing it on your website can be unpredictable and hefty.

Since 2018, Google charges website owners to use Maps services if they have over 28,500 requests per month. 28,500 requests may seem like a large enough number, but at Simplistics Web Design we are seeing that even websites with a smaller following are exceeding that limit and receiving unexpected monthly invoices from Google.

If your website is not reaching that limit, you are required to provide Google with your payment information and the moment your credit card expires, the maps on your website will change to look like this without warning:

There are many reasons you may choose to add maps on your website, but the primary reason is to visualize to your customers where you are located. Although this might be a small part of your next website design, this can be a crucial step to get traffic through your door.

To prevent surprise fees, we recommend the following Google Maps alternatives as a solution for your website:

1. Leaflet

Leaflet is a simple and fast software that will allow you to add a map to your website at no cost. The code that runs Leaflet is open-source, meaning it’s publicly accessible and can be customized to meet your needs.

2. OpenLayers

OpenLayers is completely free for you to add to your website. Unlike the first two options, OpenLayers is more robust and offers a lot of functionality and should be used for more advanced website integrations.