MapQuest Geocoding API
Geocoding and reverse geocoding API using OpenStreetMap data with batch support and fuzzy matching.
🔴 Offline · 1258 ms
0%
15,000 calls/month, free key, no credit card
API key
Free alternatives (live ranking)
- Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) — 🟢 Online · 1 req/sec, must set User-Agent, no key
- ip-api.com — 🟢 Online · 45 calls/min (HTTP only), no key, no credit card
- IPinfo — 🟢 Online · 50,000 calls/month, no key (token extends limits)
Compare MapQuest Geocoding API with…
- MapQuest Geocoding API vs Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) — 1 req/sec, must set User-Agent, no key
- MapQuest Geocoding API vs ip-api.com — 45 calls/min (HTTP only), no key, no credit card
- MapQuest Geocoding API vs IPinfo — 50,000 calls/month, no key (token extends limits)
Paid alternatives
- MapQuest Pro — from $99/mo
Frequently Asked Questions
Does MapQuest Geocoding API require an API key?
Yes, MapQuest Geocoding API requires a free API key. You can sign up via https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/geocoding-api/.
What is MapQuest Geocoding API's free tier?
15,000 calls/month, free key, no credit card
Is MapQuest Geocoding API currently online?
We check MapQuest Geocoding API every hour. The current status is shown at the top of this page. You can also see the 30-day uptime history in the chart above.
Implementation notes
When to use MapQuest Geocoding API
MapQuest Geocoding offers 15,000 calls/month free with batch geocoding support (up to 100 addresses per request), which is genuinely useful for data pipeline jobs. Its fuzzy matching handles misspellings better than strict address parsers, and the API has been stable for over a decade.
Common pitfalls
- The batch endpoint (`/geocoding/v1/batch`) sends addresses as a JSON POST body, not as URL parameters. Many developers try to pass multiple addresses as repeated `location` query params and receive only the first result.
- MapQuest's quality score (`geocodeQuality` field: `POINT`, `ADDRESS`, `STREET`, `INTERSECTION`, `CITY`, `COUNTY`, `STATE`, `COUNTRY`) indicates resolution accuracy. Results with `CITY` or lower accuracy have been geocoded to a city centroid, not a specific address — always filter by quality for precision-sensitive workflows.
- The `demo` key used in health check URLs is a MapQuest-maintained demo key that returns real data but may be throttled independently of your personal key. Use your own registered free key for development.
- MapQuest's data source for international addresses varies by region. North American addresses are strong; addresses in Southeast Asia and Africa show lower accuracy due to sparser OpenStreetMap coverage in those regions.
Quick start (bash)
curl "https://www.mapquestapi.com/geocoding/v1/address?key=YOUR_KEY&location=1600+Pennsylvania+Ave+NW+Washington+DC&thumbMaps=false"Embed this badge
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Markdown
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