Start building without barriers
Get started with a free Maps Demo Key, no credit card needed. Prototype, vibe code, and validate ideas as quickly as you can think of them.1
Get started with no credit card needed
Skip the administrative hurdles and quickly get a working Maps Demo Key with just your Google account. Whether you’re testing a new feature or learning the platform, you can validate technical feasibility quickly, saving you days of administrative approval time.
Go from idea to prototype in seconds
Access your free Maps Demo Key
Get a working API key and immediately start experimenting in a controlled sandbox environment.
Test the products on your own with no obligation
Prove the product works for your use case with no financial commitment.
Get full access when you’re ready
Upgrade to a paid plan to unlock full quotas, get more free usage, and access a $300 Google Cloud free trial.
Choose the path that fits your needs
| Feature | Maps Demo Key | Standard Key |
|---|---|---|
 Credit card required | No No credit card required | Yes Credit card required |
 Usage | Limited Limited | Unlimited Unlimited loads |
 Free tier | Always free | Up to 10K free* calls per SKU/month 10K free* calls per SKU/mo |
 Best for | Prototyping | Production |
Supported Demo Key APIs
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the demo key is completely free to use. It is designed for prototyping and evaluation, so it doesn’t require a billing account or credit card.
The demo key is optimized for development and testing. When you are ready to deploy to production, you can upgrade your account and add billing to unlock higher usage, access to all GMP APIs, additional monthly free usage, and support. You can still continue to prototype and use the Maps Demo Key.
There is a daily limit per API. Once you hit the limit, you are welcome to upgrade to a full account or wait until the next day when the usage resets.
You can upgrade at any time to unlock higher usage limits, more products, and dedicated support.
To protect you from accidental costs, the demo key has a daily limit. If you hit this limit, the map will pause for the day and you won’t be charged. If you need more volume or want to try other APIs, you can upgrade to a standard account and use the same API key.
To see the list of currently supported APIs for the Maps Demo Key, see here.
Maps Demo Key - no billing account required, API and daily usage limits.
Standard Keys - requires a billing account, regular quotas, and monthly free calls.
The Maps Demo Key is your entry point. When you upgrade to a full account, new Cloud customers are eligible for a $300 Cloud free trial to continue exploring, in addition to free monthly usage.
Yes, the demo key is completely free to use. It is designed for prototyping and evaluation, so it doesn’t require a billing account or credit card.
To protect you from accidental costs, the demo key has a daily limit. If you hit this limit, the map will pause for the day and you won’t be charged. If you need more volume or want to try other APIs, you can upgrade to a standard account and use the same API key.
The demo key is optimized for development and testing. When you are ready to deploy to production, you can upgrade your account and add billing to unlock higher usage, access to all GMP APIs, additional monthly free usage, and support. You can still continue to prototype and use the Maps Demo Key.
To see the list of currently supported APIs for the Maps Demo Key, see here.
There is a daily limit per API. Once you hit the limit, you are welcome to upgrade to a full account or wait until the next day when the usage resets.
Maps Demo Key - no billing account required, API and daily usage limits.
Standard Keys - requires a billing account, regular quotas, and monthly free calls.
You can upgrade at any time to unlock higher usage limits, more products, and dedicated support.
The Maps Demo Key is your entry point. When you upgrade to a full account, new Cloud customers are eligible for a $300 Cloud free trial to continue exploring, in addition to free monthly usage.
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Currently there are limited supported API & usage limits.
- *
Free usage refers to monthly calls available at no cost. Essentials Map Tiles APIs provide up to 100,000 calls at no cost per SKU per month.
Product availability, functionality and terms may differ for customers with billing addresses in the European Economic Area (EEA). Learn more