You had to know the time would come when Google would throw the switch and start the meter running for sites using the Google Maps API …
Well, that day is here and no doubt there’s going to be plenty of fallout on the geo web. Overall though, you have to think this has to be a great thing for Geo developers, mashup artists and others. Indeed I have to applaud James Fee who first posted some of his thoughts on this topic. James comments how the forever free model has done much dis-service to the industry, quashing what should have been viable business models that were in place by the likes of DeCarta and others. From James… Good for them. I’d like to think that proving good-looking map tiles with a great API is a good business model. When Google gave away the farm, there was no business model.
See James’ blog post Google Charging for Google Maps API Access? So What?
Tools for Power Users:
To help manage and monitor usage Google has setup the API Console (account holders) – coming soon. Developers can track usage in the APIs Console by providing an APIs Console key when you load the Maps API
For power users, Google has the Maps API Premier resource – Quickly implement interactive Google Maps API Premier and have an application that is optimized for both desktop and mobile web
Limits (Source: API FAQ)
What usage limits apply to the Maps API?
Web sites and applications using each of the Maps API may at no cost generate:
- up to 25,000 map loads per day for each API
- up to 2,500 map loads per day that have been modified using the Styled Maps feature
If your application exceeds these usage limits you must respond in one of the following ways in order to continue using the Maps API in your application:
- Modify your Maps API application such that the number of map loads generated per day is below the usage limit for each API that your application uses;
- Enroll for automated billing of excess map loads; or
- Purchase a Maps API Premier license
For more on this, I suggest you head over to the Google Developer blog where details of the usage limits for the Maps API are discussed. From the blog…
When the Maps API Terms of Service were updated in April of this year we announced that usage limits would be introduced to the Maps API starting on October 1st. With October upon us, I’d like to provide an update on how these limits are being introduced, and the impact it will have on your Maps API sites.
The usage limits that now apply to Maps API sites are documented in the Maps API FAQ. However no site exceeding these limits will stop working immediately. We understand that developers need time to evaluate their usage, determine if they are affected, and respond if necessary. There are three options available for sites that are exceeding the limits:
- Reduce your usage to below the limits
- Opt-in to paying for your excess usage at the rates given in the FAQ
- Purchase a Maps API Premier license
To assist in evaluating whether your site is exceeding the usage limits we will shortly be adding the Maps API to the Google APIs Console. Once available you will be able to track your usage in the APIs Console by providing an APIs Console key when you load the Maps API. If you find that your site does exceed the usage limits each day you can opt to pay for your excess usage by enabling billing on your APIs Console project. We will then start billing excess usage to your credit card when we begin enforcing the usage limits in early 2012.
See Introduction of usage limits to the Maps API
See also – Updates to the Google Maps/Google Earth APIs Terms of Service
By introducing these limits we are ensuring that Google can continue to offer the Maps API for free to the vast majority of developers for many years to come.