[Resolved] I need help with getting insight in Google Maps API usage by Toolset

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[erikd-6]

I have browsed Google's web pages about their new pricing policy for usage of their Maps API, but I can't find the answer to a simple question:

When Toolset Maps places a marker on a Google Map, based on the address information of the location, then I suppose this involves an API-call for converting the address information into the marker location. I need to know if this call is charched under the new pricing rules of Google Maps. And, if so, how much is the charge per marker.

A typical example of this, which I have been developing for a number of client sites, is the display of markers on a Google map for all dealers, community members etcetera, where the dealers/community members etc are stored in a custom post type which contains an address field.

If for example I have a map for a country where 100 dealers are displayed in the form of markers, how much would 1(one) pageview cost.

I cannot find this here hidden link. Also the Google Maps Pricing Calculator (hidden link) is not clear bout this.

I called with a Google helpdesk employee, who couldn't give me an answer. I told her if a company charges prices for their services, it should be crystal clear what exactly is the price for which exact services. She agreed, but she could not provide the answer. She directed me to the pricing calculator and a directory of Google Cloud Partners.

As far as I have figured it out so far, the process of putting a marker on a Google Map would be an act of 'Geocoding', but even a local Google Maps expert I contacted via the Google Cloud Partner directory could tell me how many markers are included in one Geocoding request.

So I am hoping Toolset can provide some clarity, for I need to make calculations for my clients of the costs of using this service, translated to simple answers such as: "After xxx pageviews Google will start charging for the use of this Maps application".

[erikd-6]

I have received additional information from the Google Cloud Partner I mentioned in my post. They tell me each marker put on the map counts as one Geolocation request. This would mean that a Google Map with 100 markers would max out the monthly $200 free credits Google supplies after less than 400 pageviews.

However, if the markers are plotted using the lat/lon numbers from each location, then the plotting of these markers do not cost extra requests. This would mean only the displaying of the dynamic map would be counted by Google. According to their documentation the monthly $200 free credits allows for 28000 requests, which would then correspond to 28000 pageviews.

If this all is true, then it would be very handy if Toolset stored the lat/lon data automatically with the address field and made it accessible in Views. That would mean only one Geolocation request would be necessary, upon entering the address field data in a cpt. Which would reduce the number of requests to the Google Maps API enormously and hence would expand the use of the free monthly $200 Google credits.

Please let me know what you know and think about this.

[Christian Cox]

However, if the markers are plotted using the lat/lon numbers from each location, then the plotting of these markers do not cost extra requests.
Exactly right, and this is how Toolset Maps address custom fields work. Toolset geocodes each address the first time a marker is placed on a map, whether that is the map displayed in a post editor in wp-admin or when a map View and Marker displayed on the front-end of the site. Toolset stores those geocoded coordinates in a cache in the database. So each marker displayed does not correspond to one geocoding API hit. When you go to Toolset > Settings > Maps, there is a section where you can inspect the cached values and clear the cache if necessary. After you clear a cached value, the Geocoding API will be called again and the cache will be updated when the marker is displayed again.

[erikd-6]

Hi Christian, thanks for clarifying this. I have 3 more questions:

1. Does this mean the cached data will remain available from the database as long as it is not manually deleted by the user?
2. Does this mean displaying a Google Map on a web page will count for 1 (one) dynamic map request, so that the page can be displayed 28500 times monthly before the $200 free credits are maxed out?
3. When the page is filtered to show only a selection of the markers, or zoomed, will this count for extra dynamic maps requests?

[Christian Cox]

1. Does this mean the cached data will remain available from the database as long as it is not manually deleted by the user?
Yes, it stays in the database until it is manually deleted somehow.

2. Does this mean displaying a Google Map on a web page will count for 1 (one) dynamic map request, so that the page can be displayed 28500 times monthly before the $200 free credits are maxed out?
This is a question for Google, because I don't know what constitutes 1 dynamic map request in their system and I'm not educated about their pricing model. I can tell you that a map is displayed on the site using their JavaScript Maps API, and we send the API Key you provide along with the request for that map so Google tracks the map usage.

3. When the page is filtered to show only a selection of the markers, or zoomed, will this count for extra dynamic maps requests?
Again, I'm not sure what constitutes 1 dynamic map request in their system. Filters can be applied with AJAX, which doesn't technically count as a page reload. Other times filters are applied without AJAX, which does count as a page reload, and hence may count as a new map request, I'm not sure. However, zooming or filtering markers on the map will not trigger any extra calls to the Geolocation API unless the cached data for some address has been cleared and it is being queried again for the first time after that cache was cleared.