Overview

Google Maps

Stacks42.5K

Followers29.8K

Votes568

LocationIQ

Stacks7

Followers48

Votes4

Google Maps vs LocationIQ: What are the differences?

## Key Differences between Google Maps and LocationIQ

Google Maps and LocationIQ are both popular mapping services; however, they have distinct differences in functionality and features.

1. **Pricing Model**: Google Maps offers a free tier where you can make a limited number of requests for free, while LocationIQ provides a generous free tier with higher request limits compared to Google Maps and offers paid plans tailored to different requirements.
   
2. **Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding Accuracy**: Google Maps tends to have more accurate geocoding and reverse geocoding results due to its extensive data sources and proprietary algorithms. In contrast, LocationIQ may have slightly lower accuracy levels in geocoding and reverse geocoding processes.
   
3. **Customization Options**: Google Maps provides a wide range of customization options, allowing you to personalize maps with unique styles, markers, and overlays. LocationIQ, on the other hand, offers less flexibility in terms of map customization.

4. **Street View Feature**: Google Maps includes the popular Street View feature that allows users to explore real-world locations through interactive panoramic images. LocationIQ does not have a comparable Street View feature.

5. **User Interface**: Google Maps is known for its user-friendly and intuitive interface that provides a seamless map browsing experience. LocationIQ, while functional, may have a slightly more complex interface that requires a learning curve for new users.

6. **Coverage and Data Sources**: Google Maps has a larger coverage area and can provide more detailed maps in many regions worldwide compared to LocationIQ. This difference in coverage can impact the accuracy of location data for users in certain areas.

In Summary, Google Maps and LocationIQ offer distinct features and pricing models, with Google Maps excelling in accuracy, customization, and user interface, while LocationIQ provides competitive pricing and generous request limits.

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Advice on Google Maps, LocationIQ

StackShare

Apr 4, 2019

Needs advice

From a StackShare Community member: "We're a team of two starting to write a mobile app. The app will heavily rely on maps and this is where my partner and I are not seeing eye-to-eye. I would like to go with an open source solution like OpenStreetMap that is used by Apple & Foursquare. He would like to go with Google Maps since more apps use it and has better support (according to him). Mapbox is also an option but I don’t know much about it."

183k views183k

Comments

Duane

Feb 5, 2021

Needs advice

I would like to input a spreadsheet with names and associated addresses into a map program to; pinpoint all of the locations on a map. How can I do that? On which map? Are there field size limitations? All help would be appreciated.
There is a subdivision that is about one(1) mile by 3/4 mile in size. Is there a map program that would create the most efficient way to drive all of the streets in the subdivision without a lot of doubling back?

41.1k views41.1k

Comments

Detailed Comparison

Google Maps	LocationIQ
Create rich applications and stunning visualisations of your data, leveraging the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usability of Google Maps and a modern web platform that scales as you grow.	Free and Fast Geocoding Service
Maps Image APIs;Places API;Web Services;Google Earth API;Maps API Licensing;Google Maps API for Work	-
Statistics
Stacks 42.5K	Stacks 7
Followers 29.8K	Followers 48
Votes 568	Votes 4
Pros & Cons
Pros 253 Free 136 Address input through maps api 82 Sharable Directions 47 Google Earth 46 Unique Cons 5 Google Attributions and logo 2 Only map allowed alongside google place autocomplete	Pros 4 Geocoding
Integrations
No integrations available	OpenStreetMap

What are some alternatives to Google Maps, LocationIQ?

Mapbox

We make it possible to pin travel spots on Pinterest, find restaurants on Foursquare, and visualize data on GitHub.

Leaflet

Leaflet is an open source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps. It is developed by Vladimir Agafonkin of MapBox with a team of dedicated contributors. Weighing just about 30 KB of gzipped JS code, it has all the features most developers ever need for online maps.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap is built by a community of mappers that contribute and maintain data about roads, trails, cafés, railway stations, and much more, all over the world.

OpenLayers

An opensource javascript library to load, display and render maps from multiple sources on web pages.

ArcGIS

It is a geographic information system for working with maps and geographic information. It is used for creating and using maps, compiling geographic data, analyzing mapped information, sharing and much more.

CSV2GEO

It provides live conversion of batch addresses into geographic coordinates (address to lat long) or turn coordinates into well formatted address. It creates and publishes interactive maps.

MapTiler

It is a software for map tile rendering. It has been designed for producing seamless maps and aerial photo layers covering whole countries. The rendering is fast and efficient, and it can fully utilize multiple CPUs to 100%.

MAPS.ME

MAPS.ME is an open source cross-platform offline maps application, built on top of crowd-sourced OpenStreetMap data. It was publicly released for iOS and Android.

Stadia Maps

We enable devs to contextualize their data on a map and build complicated apps involving routing, time zones, and more with our APIs. We hate billing surprises as much as you, and if you send us an email, you'll get a real human reply.

CARTO

The CARTO platform empowers everyone, from business analysts to data scientists, to turn location data into business outcomes. We accelerate innovation, power new use cases and disrupt business models through Location Intelligence.