Google Lowers Pricing and Simplified Limits with Google Maps API

In it's developers blog, Google announced that it will lower API usage fees and simplifying limits for both Styled and regular maps. According to the announcement:

• Changes to pricing. While the Maps API remains free for the vast majority of sites, some developers were worried about the potential costs. In response, we have lowered the online price from US $4 per 1,000 map loads to 50¢ per 1,000 map loads.
• Simplified limits. We’re eliminating the previous distinction between Styled Maps and regular unstyled maps. The same usage limits and pricing now apply to applications using Styled Maps and the default Google Maps style.

Google reports they're beginning to monitor Maps API usage starting today, June 22, 2012, and based on current usage, fees will only apply to the top 0.35% of sites regularly exceeding the published limits of 25,000 map loads every day for 90 consecutive days. The application of these limits is not automated, so if your site consistently uses more than the free maps allowance we’ll contact you to discuss your options. Your map will not stop working due to a sudden surge in popularity.

We hope the changes we’re announcing today will help you continue to deliver the most innovative maps experience to your users. If you have any questions or concerns please post to the Google Maps API forums or contact the Google Maps API for Business Sales team using this form. We look forward to helping you build great Maps applications for many years to come.

Posted by Thor Mitchell, Product Manager, Google Maps API