Google Earth: Explore the world in 3D with satellite imagery. Google Maps Platform: Google's maps, places, routes and 3D tiles APIs.
| Google Earth | Google Maps Platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | 3D Cities & Digital Twins | Basemaps & Map Tiles |
| Pricing model | Free | Paid |
| Starts at | Free | See website |
| Free tier | — | Monthly free usage per API (see current pricing) |
| Open source | No | No |
| Software licence | — | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS | Web, JavaScript, iOS, Android, API |
| Made by | ||
| Commercial use | Not allowed | Paid plan |
| Export / print images | With conditions | Not allowed |
| Offline / caching | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Visits from MapTools | 4 | 7 |
| Visit | Visit |
Google Earth features
- Global imagery and 3D
- Projects and placemarks
- KML import
- Historical imagery (Pro)
Commercial or promotional use of Google Earth imagery is prohibited. A handful of static images may be exported for non-commercial uses such as blogs or education, with attribution. Embedding Google Earth in websites or apps is not allowed.
Google Earth alternativesGoogle Maps Platform features
- Maps JavaScript API and mobile SDKs
- Places, Geocoding and Routes APIs
- Photorealistic 3D Tiles
- Map styling
- Street View
Paying for the API grants online display rights, not download rights. Content may not be pre-fetched, stored or cached except where the terms allow, and offline use is prohibited. Place IDs may be stored. Google Maps content must not be shown on a non-Google map.
Google Maps Platform alternativesSummary based on public information. Check each provider's current pricing and terms.