Google maps embeds ≠ $$$ ?

June 29, 2012 1:04 PM

Can anybody confirm for me that I can embed a Google Map on a commercial website in an iframe, without hitting the 25,000 request limit on the Google Maps API, or incurring a lawsuit?

If anybody has an explicit Voice of Google page saying this, I would appreciate it enormously...

posted by randomination to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

You can embed a Google Map via an iframe on a commercial website as long as it meets the criteria (must be freely available and public facing, e.g.). If you exceed the API limit, you will be billed accordingly. Here's a step-by-step tool to confirm your use is legitimate.
posted by misterbrandt at 1:33 PM on June 29, 2012

Response by poster: OK, that helps, but I am still a little confused. Am I using the API by embedding the map in an iframe on my site?
posted by randomination at 1:52 PM on June 29, 2012

Will this do?

No API key required, and I don't think they will block it, no matter how many times it's viewed.
posted by jsturgill at 2:04 PM on June 29, 2012

Oh, it's the same first link as misterbrandt's.

I don't think the API comes into play here, if you do the above. You're not using the API at all, you're not specifying an API key, and you probably haven't signed up for an API account.
posted by jsturgill at 2:05 PM on June 29, 2012

Do you want a dynamic map that users can pan and zoom? Or just a static map that will never change? If the latter, just make the map into a graphic (jpg or png) and put that on the page.
posted by exphysicist345 at 5:20 PM on June 29, 2012

A good compromise between fixed and dynamic map is to make an image as exphysicist345 suggests above, but make that static image a clickable link to the actual google map page with the marker you require for the dynamic searchable version.
posted by dirm at 6:25 PM on June 29, 2012 [3 favorites]

just make the map into a graphic (jpg or png) and put that on the page

if you're concerned with legalities, don't do this. the map data is © google (like it says at the bottom right of every map display), so you can't just take it to use on your own website without infringing on that copyright. odds of anything happening are slim, but it's worth pointing out.
posted by russm at 11:57 PM on June 30, 2012