TileCat vs Google Maps Platform: which one should you pick?

Google Maps Platform (Dynamic Maps / Maps JavaScript API) and TileCat both bill by map load. The difference starts before you write a single line of code: Google requires a Google Cloud billing account — a valid credit card — to issue an API key at all, even if you plan to stay under the free quota.

The quick math

TileCatGoogle Maps Platform
Free quota50,000 loads / month10,000 loads / month
Credit card to startNoYes — required to create the key at all
Price past the free tierFlat 25€/month for 1MTiered, starting at $7/1,000
Real cost at 1M loads/month25€/month≈ $4,970/month
Public price visible before signupYes, on the pricing pageYes, but requires understanding SKUs
Map design customizationCustomizable colors (Growth plan)Cloud-based Map Styling (style JSON)
How the Google total at 1M/month breaks down: 10,000 free, then 90,000 at $7/1,000 ($630), then 400,000 at $5.60/1,000 ($2,240), then 500,000 at $4.20/1,000 ($2,100) — about $4,970/month at the public rates listed on developers.google.com/maps/billing-and-pricing/pricing (checked September 2026 — rates and tiers change, always double-check the official page before deciding). Google does offer a $200 monthly credit, but it's shared across every API enabled on the account (Maps, Routes, Places…), not reserved for map loads.

The real friction: the credit card

Since 2018, Google Maps Platform has required linking a Google Cloud billing account — so a valid credit card — to get any API key at all, even for entirely free usage. That's a real barrier for a side project, a prototype, or a client who just wants to try something before committing. TileCat issues a working key in 30 seconds, with no such prerequisite.

Customizing the map design

Google Maps Platform offers Cloud-based Map Styling — a style JSON managed from the Google Cloud Console. TileCat keeps it simpler: colors are customized directly from the dashboard, no JSON to hand-write, and the result applies immediately to maps served by the API on the Growth plan.

What TileCat doesn't do

Honesty first: TileCat serves vector basemaps, nothing more. If your product depends on Street View, the Places API (Google's proprietary business data, reviews, hours), Google's proprietary geocoding, or a turn-by-turn navigation SDK, Google Maps Platform is still the only option that bundles all of it. TileCat isn't trying to replace that whole stack — just the "show a map" piece, on OpenStreetMap data.

For geocoding (address → coordinates), the closest open counterpart is Nominatim (OSM-based, like TileCat) — worth evaluating separately based on your volume and accuracy needs.

When Google Maps Platform is still the right call

  • Your product needs Street View or the Places API.
  • You depend on proprietary business data (reviews, opening hours) that OSM doesn't cover as thoroughly everywhere.
  • Your infrastructure already bills everything through Google Cloud.
  • You need a turn-by-turn navigation SDK out of the box.

Get a free API key, no credit card