---
title: Migrating from Google Maps | Plaza Docs
description: Switch from Google Maps Platform to Plaza with minimal code changes.
---

Plaza can replace most Google Maps Platform APIs. Data comes from OpenStreetMap. The main differences: better pricing, no JS SDK lock-in, and query interfaces Google doesn’t offer.

## API mapping

| Google Maps API        | Google endpoint                    | Plaza endpoint              |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| Places (Nearby Search) | `/maps/api/place/nearbysearch`     | `GET /features`             |
| Places (Text Search)   | `/maps/api/place/textsearch`       | `GET /features`             |
| Places (Details)       | `/maps/api/place/details`          | `GET /features/:type/:id`   |
| Geocoding              | `/maps/api/geocode`                | `GET /geocode`              |
| Reverse Geocoding      | `/maps/api/geocode` (latlng param) | `GET /geocode/reverse`      |
| Directions             | `/maps/api/directions`             | `POST /route`               |
| Distance Matrix        | `/maps/api/distancematrix`         | `POST /matrix`              |
| Places Autocomplete    | `/maps/api/place/autocomplete`     | `GET /geocode/autocomplete` |

All Plaza endpoints are under `https://plaza.fyi/api/v1`.

## Auth change

Google uses a query parameter:

```
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=...&key=AIza...
```

Plaza uses a header:

Terminal window

```
curl -H "x-api-key: pk_live_abc123" \
  "https://plaza.fyi/api/v1/geocode?q=..."
```

SDKs handle this for you — just pass the key at initialization.

## Response format

Google returns custom JSON. Plaza returns GeoJSON.

### Google

```
{
  "results": [{
    "formatted_address": "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500",
    "geometry": {
      "location": { "lat": 38.8977, "lng": -77.0365 }
    }
  }],
  "status": "OK"
}
```

### Plaza

```
{
  "type": "FeatureCollection",
  "features": [{
    "type": "Feature",
    "geometry": {
      "type": "Point",
      "coordinates": [-77.0365, 38.8977]
    },
    "properties": {
      "name": "The White House",
      "street": "Pennsylvania Avenue NW",
      "housenumber": "1600",
      "city": "Washington",
      "country_code": "us"
    }
  }]
}
```

Coordinate order: GeoJSON uses `[lng, lat]`, Google uses `{"lat": ..., "lng": ...}`. Plaza accepts GeoJSON geometry objects for all coordinate inputs.

## Side-by-side code examples

### Geocoding

**Google (Python)**

```
import googlemaps


gmaps = googlemaps.Client(key="AIza...")
result = gmaps.geocode("1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC")


location = result[0]["geometry"]["location"]
print(f"{location['lat']}, {location['lng']}")
```

**Plaza (Python)**

```
import plaza


client = plaza.Client(api_key="pk_live_abc123")
result = client.geocode(q="1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC")


coords = result.features[0].geometry.coordinates
print(f"{coords[1]}, {coords[0]}")
```

### Nearby search

**Google (Python)**

```
results = gmaps.places_nearby(
    location=(48.8566, 2.3522),
    radius=1000,
    type="restaurant",
)
for place in results["results"]:
    print(place["name"])
```

**Plaza (Python)**

```
results = client.features.nearby(
    location={"type": "Point", "coordinates": [2.3522, 48.8566]},
    radius=1000,
    tags={"amenity": "restaurant"},
)
for feature in results.features:
    print(feature.properties["name"])
```

### Directions

**Google (Python)**

```
directions = gmaps.directions(
    origin="Paris, France",
    destination="Lyon, France",
    mode="driving",
)
route = directions[0]
print(f"Distance: {route['legs'][0]['distance']['text']}")
```

**Plaza (Python)**

```
route = client.route(
    origin={"type": "Point", "coordinates": [2.3522, 48.8566]},
    destination={"type": "Point", "coordinates": [4.8357, 45.7640]},
    mode="auto",
)
print(f"Distance: {route.properties['distance_m']}m")
```

Plaza takes GeoJSON Point geometries for coordinates — geocode addresses first if needed.

## Travel modes

| Google      | Plaza     |
| ----------- | --------- |
| `driving`   | `auto`    |
| `walking`   | `foot`    |
| `bicycling` | `bicycle` |
| `transit`   | —         |

No transit routing — OSM lacks real-time transit schedules.

## What Plaza has that Google doesn’t

**PlazaQL.** Plaza’s purpose-built query language for geospatial data. “All drinking water fountains within 200m of a hiking trail” — one query. No Google equivalent.

**Isochrones.** “Everywhere reachable within 15 minutes by bike.” Google doesn’t offer isochrone polygons.

**Full tag access.** OSM tags go deep — `wheelchair=yes`, `opening_hours=Mo-Fr 08:00-18:00`, `cuisine=sushi`, `building:levels=5`. Google exposes a limited set of attributes. Plaza gives you everything.

**No client-side restrictions.** Google’s ToS requires displaying results on a Google Map. Plaza has no such restriction.

## Pricing comparison

| API             | Google price (per 1K) | Plaza price (per 1K) |
| --------------- | --------------------- | -------------------- |
| Geocoding       | $5.00                 | $0.50                |
| Directions      | $5.00–$10.00          | $1.50                |
| Places          | $17.00–$32.00         | $0.50                |
| Distance Matrix | $5.00–$10.00          | $1.50                |

Plaza’s free tier includes 500 standard requests/day and 10 premium requests/day. No credit card required.