I was building a local business directory and needed location data. Google Places API pricing added up fast:
- Text Search: $0.032 per call
- Place Details: $0.017 per call
- 1,000 searches = $49 gone
So I looked for alternatives.
Found one built on OpenStreetMap data, hosted on RapidAPI. It's not Google-level coverage for every region, but for US/Europe cities it's solid.
What I get:
- Business name, phone, address, website, GPS
- 60+ types (restaurant, hotel, pharmacy, gym...)
- 3,000 free requests/month
- No API key sign-up
Stack behind it is FastAPI + Overpass API. The source code is on GitHub.
If you're prototyping or building something that doesn't need pixel-perfect data, this is worth a look. Search "Places Search API" on RapidAPI.
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