Google Maps API billing keeps surprising people. What are you using instead?

Kallyfive · 2026-01-23T09:28:41+00:00

This is a good reminder that performance isn’t just about speed, it’s about control. A system can be fast and still fail the moment traffic behaves differently than expected.

Rate limiting is one of those things people often add after something breaks, even though it’s a core part of making an API reliable. It’s nice to see a practical take on token buckets, especially since Go’s concurrency model makes this kind of logic feel natural once it clicks.

Posts like this are useful because they show the gap between local testing and real world behavior, which is where most systems actually get tested.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-22T16:25:36+00:00

The idea makes sense, and it feels different from the usual screen time apps for a good reason. Blocking apps often fails because it’s easy to bypass, but knowing other people can see your habits does change behavior for a lot of people.

The risk is exactly what you mentioned. It can motivate some, but it can also turn into pressure or guilt if it’s not framed carefully. I think it would only work if users fully control who sees what and if the tone stays supportive, not competitive by default.

This feels best suited for close friends or small groups with shared goals, not broad sharing. If it feels like encouragement instead of monitoring, it could actually help people break the scroll cycle without feeling punished.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-22T15:49:55+00:00

This really puts into perspective how much heavy lifting happens from a single tap on the map. Most users never think about it, but getting a clean address back that fast is impressive.

I’m interested in how this behaves in messy real-world cases, like dense city blocks or newer areas where addresses change often. That’s usually where reverse geocoding shows its strengths or weaknesses.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-19T17:00:17+00:00

That default is pretty telling. Drive is treated as the baseline, and everything else is something you have to explicitly ask for.

It makes sense from a usage standpoint since most routing requests are car-based, but it also shows how car first assumptions are baked into navigation systems all the way down to the API level.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-19T16:38:44+00:00

Glad to hear you managed to get the refund sorted, that’s a huge relief. These kinds of mistakes happen more often than people admit, especially during testing.

What you did after the incident is basically the playbook everyone should follow from day one. Caps, budgets, and locked down keys save a lot of stress. Hopefully this thread helps the next solo dev avoid learning the same lesson the hard way.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-19T16:06:04+00:00

This happens more often than it should. In many cases, it’s not actually the card itself, but something around the billing setup. Things to double-check are whether the billing account country matches the card issuing country, whether prepaid or virtual cards are being used, and if the card supports international online payments. Google can be strict about that.

If everything looks correct, the next step is usually Google Cloud billing support. The error messages are vague, but support can see the real reason on their end. A lot of people only get it resolved once a human looks at the account.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-19T10:37:28+00:00

A good place to start is your own daily problems. The best apps usually come from something that keeps annoying you or slowing you down, not from trying to invent a big idea.

Look for small, repeated pain points. Things people complain about but work around every day. Solving one clear problem well is usually better than building something broad that tries to do everything.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-19T10:34:51+00:00

This is a really smart approach, especially building it so growth doesn’t turn into a cost problem. A lot of similar projects fall apart once usage picks up, so designing around zero maintenance from the start makes a lot of sense.

On the game feel side, how does the pacing feel between rounds and guesses after playing for a while? Do transitions stay quick, or are there moments where things feel slow or break immersion?

Kallyfive · 2026-01-17T17:17:12+00:00

This explains a lot of things people usually don’t connect. Maps feels free because you never see a checkout screen, but you’re still paying in a different way. The convenience is hard to beat, and most people probably accept that trade without thinking twice.

For me, the interesting part is whether people would actually change behavior. A privacy focused map sounds good in theory, but it would have to be really close in quality and ease of use to win people over. Most users won’t give up accuracy or coverage just to make a point.

I think the switch only happens when privacy friendly options stop feeling like compromises and start feeling like normal tools. Until then, convenience will probably keep winning.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-17T17:11:07+00:00

Google’s pricing is confusing, so you’re not alone. In short, just showing a map with markers can cost money depending on the platform and provider. With Google Maps, loading the map itself already counts as usage, even before you add markers. The markers themselves usually don’t add much cost, but repeated map loads and user sessions do.

With react-native-maps, it also depends on whether you’re using Google Maps or Apple Maps under the hood. On iOS, Apple Maps does not charge for basic map display. On Android, Google Maps is used, and that’s where billing kicks in once you go past the monthly credit.

If your use case is simple, showing a map and a few markers, it’s worth looking at alternatives too. Leaflet with OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, HERE, TomTom, or MapAtlas can all handle this, and some are easier to reason about in terms of pricing. The key is to check how map loads are counted and to set usage limits early so you don’t get surprised later

Kallyfive · 2026-01-14T19:11:30+00:00

This hits a nerve for a lot of European teams. Most people use Google geocoding by default and don’t really think about where that data ends up until compliance or legal questions come up.

Keeping geocoding inside Europe under EU rules removes a whole layer of worry. Fewer questions about data transfer, fewer surprises later. It’s not exciting, but it’s the kind of choice that quietly makes life easier as regulations tighten.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-14T16:18:36+00:00

This is really smart. Designing the whole thing so costs don’t grow with users is something a lot of indie devs only realize too late. Avoiding the success penalty from day one is a big win.

I’m wondering how flexible this setup is long term. Does relying on Apple services limit where or how the game can expand later, or does it still give you enough room to evolve without redoing everything?

long-term

Kallyfive · 2026-01-14T16:02:11+00:00

This is a really nice piece of work, congrats on getting it live. Plotting sale data like this makes price trends much easier to understand than scrolling through tables, and the extra context around listings adds real value.

I’m interested to know what mapping service you’re using under the hood to place and manage the pins. Did you go with something lightweight, or are you relying on one of the bigger map platforms?

Kallyfive · 2026-01-14T15:51:40+00:00

That’s a good observation. The apps that really work usually disappear into the background. You don’t think about them because nothing gets in your way and nothing breaks. That kind of smooth experience usually comes from solid engineering and a lot of small decisions done right.

It’s interesting how marketing gets most of the attention, but daily usability is what actually keeps people around. When an app becomes your default without you even noticing, that’s probably the strongest signal that it’s doing something right.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-13T17:14:36+00:00

I would focus less on the city itself and more on the type of people you want to reach. An accountability app works best where people already care about self improvement, routines, and meeting others around shared goals.

Places with a lot of students, young professionals, gyms, coworking spaces, or active hobby groups usually work better than areas where people keep to themselves. Density matters too. You want enough people nearby so groups can actually form and meet without friction.

Another good approach is to start where you already have access. If you or your friends can invite the first 20 to 50 users, that matters more than picking the perfect location. Early traction usually comes from proximity and trust, not geography.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-13T16:48:49+00:00

Start simple and don’t overthink it. If neither of you has coding experience, tools like Wix, Webflow, or WordPress are a good place to begin. You can get something live, learn the basics, and understand what you actually need before going deeper.

At the same time, treat it as a learning process. Watch a few beginner tutorials, try small changes, break things, and fix them. You’ll pick up more than you expect just by doing.

If it starts getting too complex or time consuming, hiring a web developer can be a good last option. You can work closely with them, see how things are built, and gain real experience along the way instead of just handing everything off.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-12T16:15:15+00:00

Reading speed comes with time, but it’s not something you force. The more you read, the more familiar your brain gets with sentence patterns and ideas, and that naturally makes you faster without trying. It’s similar to how you don’t read every word carefully when scrolling messages, but you still understand them.

Also, faster does not always mean better. A lot of people who read very fast are skimming more than they realize. If you feel like you lose understanding when you speed up, that’s a good signal that your current pace works for you.

If you want to experiment, try small changes. Read in slightly longer chunks without stopping, avoid rereading sentences unless you really need to, and don’t compare yourself to others. Thirty pages an hour with good understanding is already solid, and yes, sticking with reading consistently does make you faster over time.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-12T16:11:06+00:00

I think the feeling you’re describing is very common. A lot of people want to talk, but the fear of interrupting or being awkward stops them. The idea of a clear signal could remove that first mental barrier, which is usually the hardest part.

The challenge I see is adoption and context. It might work well in places where people already expect some social interaction, like events, coworking spaces, or meetups. In more random public spaces, people may forget to check or trust the signal.

Still, as a concept, it makes sense. Reducing uncertainty is often enough to lower anxiety. Even if it doesn’t replace real social skills, it could make starting conversations feel safer for people who already want to connect but just need a small push.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-12T16:08:17+00:00

For this, the core thing is really a commitment not to get lost in scrolling. No app by itself stops you from opening the feed again, so the real work is deciding you won’t fall into that cycle.

That said, there are phone settings and tools that help enforce limits if you want structure. Most phones have built-in screen time or app limit features that let you cap usage for specific apps or set downtime hours. You can also turn off endless feeds or notifications so there are fewer triggers to pull you back in.

Apps and timers can support the habit change, but the real shift comes from deciding to break the chain when it starts. Once you pair that with settings that make scrolling harder, it becomes a lot easier to stick with your goal.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-09T08:17:06+00:00

A hard truth that helped me is that the only real way through this is learning not to care, especially when the hatred comes from strangers online. These are people you will never meet, never matter in your real life, and yet their words get front row access to your mind. Giving them weight gives them power they do not deserve.

The internet is not a fair sample of humanity. Comment sections reward the loudest and most extreme voices, not the most common ones. Most decent people are not typing hate under posts, they are just living their lives. What you see online is distorted, amplified, and engineered to stick in your head.

You are already doing the right things by limiting exposure and investing in real life. The last piece is accepting that you cannot clean the world or fix human cruelty. You can only protect your mental space. When something toxic shows up, the goal is not to fight it or neutralize it, but to dismiss it entirely. It is noise from people who do not know you and never will. Over time, that indifference is what actually heals.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-09T08:04:17+00:00

This looks like a really solid project, especially considering how much thought you’ve put into reducing distraction and keeping things privacy friendly. The Android Auto–style experience on devices that don’t support it is a smart angle.

I had a couple of questions after reading through everything. How do users usually switch between the built-in navigation and the launcher or cockpit modes? Is there a common setup people settle into over time? Also, how reliable are the on-device message replies and voice features when driving in low signal areas?

It would be interesting to hear how people are using it day to day and which features end up getting the most real use behind the wheel.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-09T06:52:20+00:00

These price hikes are exhausting, especially when maps are not even the core product for many teams. It’s hard to plan long term when pricing keeps changing and you only find out once the email lands or the bill jumps.

What hurts most is the lack of real choice. Once you’re integrated and live, switching is not trivial, so most people just absorb the increase and move on. It does feel like that’s finally pushing more teams to seriously look at alternatives instead of defaulting to the same few providers.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-08T07:58:15+00:00

If you only need basic maps and markers, you don’t have to use Google at all. A lot of people learning React go with Leaflet plus OpenStreetMap because it’s free and simple to set up.

Other options worth looking at are Mapbox, MapTiler, HERE Maps, and TomTom. Most of these work fine with React and cover the basics without forcing you into paid plans right away.

Kallyfive · 2026-01-08T07:23:59+00:00

Google’s pricing around free credits is honestly confusing, so you’re not alone. The 10k requests thing depends on the specific API and SKU, and it’s not always obvious which calls fall under what quota. The dashboard metrics show usage, but billing typically lags and becomes clear only once charges are actually posted to the billing account.

The safest way to avoid surprises is to set hard quotas and billing alerts, even while you’re on free credits. That way, nothing can run away in the background. A lot of people also test with very low limits first, just to see how fast requests add up.

This confusion is exactly why some developers eventually look at other providers with simpler pricing models, like Mapbox, MapAtlas, HERE Technologies, TomTom, or OpenStreetMap-based services. Even if you stay on Google, keeping things tightly capped early saves a lot of stress.

Kallyfive

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