Hi all, I've been looking into creating a Google Maps Static API key for building more accurate routes, but I'm quite confused with the several steps needed, and different options available. From my understanding, you need to enable billing for the API key to work, and the Developer Console now gives you a free trial for $300 credit for 90 days. On the other hand, Google also run their Maps Platform, with the same API key available, with $200 credit per month available. The latter sounds like a better option, but I have some questions: 1) Would this actually work with TS2021? It offers the same key but all the info I can find is related to the Developer Console 2) If it doesn't work, can someone confirm I need to enable billing for the Developer console key to work? 3) Does anyone know how many requests TS makes for the maps overlay? I'd imagine one request is equal to one "square" of overlay, but can't find any info regarding this. Thanks in advance, hopefully this thread will become useful for anyone else out there needing assistance.
1) Don't know, I went for the standard option I didn't mess with anything 2) Emphatically YES. 3) I have not heard of anyone (professional route builder or otherwise) being charged for using it in route building in TS, those that get charged are people who embed api data into their commercial web pages or software as far as I can make out.
As noted above, the monthly credit limit is aimed at a completely different market where hundreds of thousands of map requests are made per day. Think websites using mapping software with thousands of visitors per day using the service. The $200 credit is equivalent to 28,000 requests by your API key per month. I route build a lot (yes, a lot) and i've never ever exceeded 250 requests in a day, even that was a solid 18 hours or so of route building. If you do the maths you will see you it's pretty impossible to exceed 28,000 simply by route building.
Thanks for the help guys, I have absolutely zero experience when it comes to these kinds of things, and Google's mixed messages don't help either! I don have one more question- once the free trial period ends, will the key still work or will I need to set another up?
I've never seen the $300/90 day option used before so couldn't really say. Personally I wouldn't bother with it and just go with the straightforward maps API, the other one is purely aimed at larger commercial ventures.
