CODEWITHSUNDEEP
google-mapsgoogle-places-api
Orlan
Orlan

Reputation: 561

Google Places API: Basic Data Only Query

Google Places changed its pricing model last summer and the additional costs are pretty step and I might have to discontinue a research project on mine. Is it possible to query just the basic information for a place and not be charged for a place details request? My query is:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/details/json?key=MYCOMPANYKEY&placeid=ChIJMfEXesb724ARlhTq8RBG5jY&fields=name,place_id,permanently_closed

The only bit of information I need is if the place is permanently closed. Reading the documentation, it looks like this is a basic field and should be free (link here to the basic data sku), however when I run the query I am charged $17 / 1000 queries. Is there anyway to query this without paying for a Place Details query?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 3940

Answers (2)

Shawn Domingo
Shawn Domingo

Reputation: 1411

In addition to the answer of Xomena, you may cap your request up until your free credits are consumed, upon setting up your billing account, you will be entitled to have one time $300 free credit (Usable for any Google Cloud Platform products) and a monthly recurring $200 free credit (Exclusive for Google Maps API only), so you can still use the API without being billed.

Capping API Usage:

  1. Go to the GCP Console APIs & Services Dashboard page.
  2. From the projects list, select a project.
  3. Click the name of the API you're interested in.
  4. Click Quotas.
  5. On the quota line you want to change, click the edit icon, then enter your preferred total quota, up to the limit specified by Google.

Based on my calculation, assuming that you are only using Place Details, you can call up to 11764 requests(w/ basic data) per month using your $200 free credit, I did not include the $300 credit in my computation as this is not recurring every month and this will be up to you on how you will spread the $300 free credit.

Upvotes: 3

xomena
xomena

Reputation: 32178

The Places API price consists of two parts: price of request you executed and the data price. The price of request is $17 / 1000. In addition you can get some data for free and some data for additional cost depending on the list of fields that you provided. There is no Google Places API for free, you always pay at least the request.

Have a look at Google Maps Platform pricing sheet for more details:

https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/pricing/sheet/

Also official documentation states:

Data requests generate a charge in addition to the cost of the Places request. Data charges are always in tandem with the Places requests.

source: https://developers.google.com/maps/billing/understanding-cost-of-use#data-skus

I hope this clarifies your doubt.

Upvotes: 6

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