Guides

For developers choosing a maps provider or building with one, starting with what the big providers charge. Where an example helps, it uses Mapricot.

Google Maps API pricing, explained What each Google Maps Platform API costs, how the free monthly allowances and volume discounts work, and what three typical apps pay.
Is the Google Maps API free? Free tier and limits How much of each Google Maps Platform API is free every month, why you still need a billing account, and how to make sure you're never charged.
Google Places API pricing, explained How the Places API (New) charges by endpoint and by the fields you ask for, what each tier costs, and how autocomplete sessions are billed.
Mapbox vs Google Maps for developers How Mapbox and Google Maps Platform compare on maps, geocoding, search, routing, free allowances, and price, with two monthly bills worked out.
Leaflet vs OpenLayers vs MapLibre How the three open-source web map libraries differ in rendering, size, vector tile support, and what each is best at, with the same map in each.
OpenStreetMap API: geocoding and routing on OSM data Which OpenStreetMap service does what, from the editing API to Overpass, Nominatim, OSRM, and the tile server, and the limits each public server sets.
Add markers and popups to a MapLibre map Show places from an API on a MapLibre GL JS map, as markers for a few points or a layer for many, with labels, popups, and a "search this area" button.
Cluster points in MapLibre GL JS Group hundreds of points into clusters with counts that split apart as you zoom in, or show them as a heatmap, with MapLibre GL JS and places from an API.
Draw a route on a MapLibre map Get a route from a routing API and draw it on a MapLibre GL JS map as a line, with stops people can drag, a travel mode, and the distance in miles.
Add a search box to a MapLibre map Add an address and place search box with suggestions as you type to a MapLibre GL JS map with MapLibre GL Geocoder, and show the address at a clicked point.
MapLibre React: maps with react-map-gl How to show a MapLibre map in a React app with react-map-gl, add markers and popups, and draw a route, with free tiles and no Mapbox token.
MapLibre React Native: a map in your app How to add a MapLibre map to a React Native or Expo app, with free vector tiles, tappable markers, and a route line, and no Mapbox token.
React Leaflet with free vector tiles How to show free vector map tiles in a React Leaflet map with the MapLibre GL Leaflet plugin, then add markers, popups, and a route.
Migrate from Mapbox GL JS to MapLibre How to move a web map from Mapbox GL JS to MapLibre GL JS, drop the Mapbox token, replace mapbox:// styles, and swap the geocoder.
Build address autocomplete in JavaScript An address field that suggests addresses as people type and fills in the city, state, and postal code, in plain JavaScript with no library.
Parsing addresses with libpostal Split addresses from any country into house number, street, city, and postcode, and normalize them for matching, with libpostal in Python or as a small web service.
Self-hosting Nominatim vs a hosted geocoder Run your own Nominatim with Docker to get past the public server's one-request-a-second limit, what a country or the whole planet needs, and when a hosted geocoder is simpler.
Self-hosting map tiles: TileServer GL, PMTiles, or hosted Serve your own vector map tiles from one PMTiles file on static storage, with pmtiles serve, or with TileServer GL, and draw them with MapLibre.