Calculating the Cost of Google Maps API Calls for a Taxi Booking App: A Step-by-Step Guide

Google Maps is an essential component of many transportation and navigation apps, including taxi booking apps. These apps use the Google Maps API to provide features such as real-time navigation, distance and route calculations, and map displays. However, the cost of using the Google Maps API can be a significant expense for app developers, especially for apps that handle large volumes of traffic. In this post, we will explore the costs of using the Google Maps API for a taxi booking app that handles an average ride distance of 10km and a 1000km ride per day.

Estimating the API calls

To estimate the number of Google Maps API calls required for a taxi booking app, we need to consider several factors, including the number of rides per day, the distance of each ride, and the features of the app. For this analysis, we will assume the following:

• The app handles an average ride distance of 10km
• The app handles 100 rides per day
• The app needs to calculate the distance of each ride using the Google Maps API
• The app needs to display maps and directions to the user during the ride

Based on these assumptions, we can estimate the number of API calls required as follows:

1. Distance Calculation: To calculate the distance of each ride, the app will need to make at least two API calls – one for geocoding the starting location and another for geocoding the destination. This would translate to 200 API calls per day (2 API calls per ride x 100 rides per day).
2. Map Display: The app may also need to display maps and directions to the user during the ride, which can require additional API calls for rendering and updating the map in real-time.
3. Usage Patterns: The number of API calls required will also depend on the app’s usage patterns, such as the number of users, and the frequency of updates to the route or location data.

Based on these factors, we can estimate that the app needs to make at least 200 API calls per day. This would translate to a total of 6,000 API calls per month (200 API calls per day x 30 days).

Cost of Google Maps API calls

Now that we have estimated the number of API calls required, we can calculate the cost of using the Google Maps API for the taxi booking app. The cost of using the Google Maps API is based on a pay-as-you-go pricing model, where the app developer pays for each API call made by the app.

The current pricing of the Google Maps API (as of February 2023) is as follows:

• Maps: $7 per 1,000 API calls
• Routes: $5 per 1,000 API calls

Since the taxi booking app requires both Maps and Routes components of the Google Maps API, we will use an average price of $6 per 1,000 API calls.

With an estimated 6,000 API calls per month, the cost of using the Google Maps API for the taxi booking app would be approximately $36 per month. This cost may vary depending on the app’s usage patterns, the pricing plan chosen by the app developer, and any applicable taxes or fees.

The cost of using the Google Maps API for a taxi booking app that handles an average ride distance of 10km and a 1000km ride per day is relatively low. Based on our estimate, the app would require around 200 API calls per day, which would translate to a cost of approximately $36 per month. However, it’s important to note that this is just an estimate, and the actual cost may vary depending on