Head to head
Foursquare Places vs Google Maps Platform
As a maps & geocoding API, Google Maps Platform rates higher on the APIbenchmarks Index, 90.2 to 77.4, a 12.8-point gap. Here is how they compare on each criterion.
Criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Foursquare Places | Google Maps Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation & DX | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Ecosystem & SDKs | ||
| Accessibility | ||
| APIbenchmarks Index | 77.4 | 90.2 |
Specifications
| Foursquare Places | Google Maps Platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Places/POI search & geotagging | Enterprise-grade global maps & places |
| Free tier | $200/mo credit + 500 free Pro calls | 10k free geocoding events/mo (Essentials SKUs) |
| Pricing | Per call (volume-based) | Per 1k requests (per-SKU) |
| Official SDKs | 9 languages | 12 languages |
Is Foursquare Places better than Google Maps Platform?
On the APIbenchmarks Index, Google Maps Platform rates higher (90.2 vs 77.4). It leads on the four weighted criteria, but price is reported separately, so the best choice still depends on your budget.