A drop-in alternative to the Google Maps Geocoding API for Canadian and U.S. addresses and postal codes. Cache and store your results, display them on any map, run the whole dataset on your own servers — and pay a flat, predictable price.
No caching ban. No per-call lock-in. The data is yours to keep.
Savings calculator
Drag in your monthly lookup volume. We compare Google's per-request bill against pay-as-you-go on Geocoder.ca and against licensing the local database outright.
Forward + reverse + postal requests per month.
Google figures use published Maps Platform geocoding rates (Mar 2025): first
10,000 free, then tiered $5 → $4 → $2 per 1,000.
Geocoder.ca figures are estimates for illustration — your quoted plan may be lower.
Side by side
The price is only half the story. The terms are the other half.
| Geocoder.ca | Google Maps Geocoding API | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Pay-as-you-go credits, flat subscription, or one-time local database | Per-request billing with per-SKU usage caps |
| Free to evaluate | Test credits on request, no card | 10,000 free events/month, then billed |
| Cache & store results | Yes — keep them as long as you like | Restricted by Google's terms |
| Display on any map | Any basemap you choose | Tied to Google maps for many uses |
| Run offline / on your servers | License the local database | Hosted API only |
| Canadian postal coverage | Specialist — full 6-character postal codes | General coverage |
| Batch & bulk tools | batchpostal, showaddrs, polygons, census | Limited |
| Vendor lock-in | None — you can hold the data | Ongoing per-call dependency |
Why teams switch
The same reasons turn up in our inbox every week.
Google's terms restrict caching and storing geocoding results. We let you cache, store, and license the whole dataset — so your lookups don't expire and your architecture isn't dictated by someone else's contract.
No per-SKU caps, no autocomplete-session surprises, no bill that triples when a new feature ships. Choose a flat subscription or a one-time database and know your number a year out.
Built around full 6-character Canadian postal codes and U.S. ZIP + address, with reverse geocoding, intersections, polygons and census enrichment that general-purpose APIs gloss over.
One request away
One HTTPS endpoint for forward, reverse and postal lookups. XML, JSON, JSONP or CSV. Most teams are reading their first result inside ten minutes.
Browse the examples →curl -G 'https://geocoder.ca/' \ --data-urlencode 'locate=330 metcalfe ottawa on' \ --data 'geoit=XML' \ --data 'json=1' \ --data 'standard=1' \ --data 'auth=YOUR_TOKEN'
Tell us roughly what you're geocoding and we'll set you up with test credits — no card, no sales call. Like what you see? Move to a subscription or take the local database in-house.