{ "meta": { "attribution": "Anchor Terminal (https://www.anchorterminal.com)", "docs": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/docs/", "generatedAt": "2026-10-08", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "method": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/", "methodology": "0.4", "openapi": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/openapi.json", "preview": false, "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run" }, "tool": { "slug": "mapquest", "name": "MapQuest", "vendor": "MapQuest (System1)", "vendorUrl": "https://developer.mapquest.com", "kind": "http-api", "category": "maps", "summary": "MapQuest's location APIs cover geocoding, directions, route matrices, place search, traffic and static maps. Agents call the REST API with a key or connect to a hosted MCP server over OAuth.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/mapquest", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/mapquest.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/mapquest.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/mapquest.json", "license": "Proprietary service. No API terms were found published without a login", "transports": [ "http", "streamable-http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://www.mapquestapi.com", "packages": [], "auth": "mixed", "authNotes": "Self-serve. A person registers at developer.mapquest.com and creates an API key. REST calls send it in the `key` query parameter. The MCP server uses OAuth through login.mapquest.com with the single scope `mcp:tools`, then picks one of the account's keys. Further keys can be created with `POST /account/v1/keys`.", "pricing": "usage", "pricingNotes": "MapQuestGO is pay-as-you-go at $0.0045 a transaction with no monthly minimum, after 50,000 one-time free transactions that expire on 1 January 2027. Monthly plans run from Basic at $119 (30,000 transactions) to Business Plus at $949 (500,000). Enterprise is by quote. An agent can start on the free credits without a contract. Whether sign-up needs a card was not established (https://developer.mapquest.com/plans, checked 2026-10-08).", "priceSummary": "$4.50 / 1k req", "where": "hosted", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the docs, the plans page, llms.txt or the MCP endpoint's 401 response (checked 2026-10-08).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-08" }, "docsUrl": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/", "llmsTxt": "https://developer.mapquest.com/llms.txt", "capabilities": [ "geo.geocode", "geo.reverse", "geo.routing", "geo.places" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "mcp", "oauth", "api-key", "llms-txt", "free-credits", "usage-priced", "closed-source" ], "lastRelease": "2026-07-16", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 35.1, "grade": "F", "agentReady": false, "rank": 710, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 722, "categoryRank": 11, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 60, "maintenance": 23, "payments": 30, "reliability": 23, "schema": 47, "security": 28, "transparency": 28 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "breakdown": [ { "key": "reliability", "name": "Reliability", "weight": 16, "effectiveWeight": 20, "score": 23, "points": 4.6, "reason": "Graded as a hosted service. No status page is linked from the developer site, the docs or the plans page (0). With no page there is no readable incident history (5). The reference marks endpoints 'Rate Limited Yes' and gives functional maximums (100 locations a batch, 50 a route, 25 a matrix) but no request-rate numbers (5). No 429, Retry-After or backoff guidance found (0). The Enterprise plan lists a service-level agreement, with no text published (3). The REST API is generally available and the MCP page calls the server production-ready (10)." }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "weight": 10, "effectiveWeight": 0, "pending": true, "points": 0, "reason": "Pending. Latency is measured per call by our probes, which haven't run yet, so this run doesn't score it. Its weight is shared across the assessed categories until the first probe window closes." }, { "key": "schema", "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "weight": 13, "effectiveWeight": 16.25, "score": 47, "points": 7.64, "reason": "`https://developer.mapquest.com/openapi.json` describes the marketing site and has an empty `paths` object, so the product APIs have no machine-readable contract. The MCP tool definitions sit behind OAuth and were not read (0). `llms.txt` indexes every API with a one-line purpose (10). The reference states each endpoint's purpose and each parameter's effect, without when-not-to-use guidance (12). Parameter tables give ranges and allowed values in prose (8). Example requests and responses on each page, and status-code pages per API (12). Versions in the path (v1, v2, v4, v5) but no changelog (5)." }, { "key": "ergonomics", "name": "Agent ergonomics", "weight": 13, "effectiveWeight": 16.25, "score": 60, "points": 9.75, "reason": "The MCP page names 13 tools. Their definitions were not read, so context cost is scored from the count and from REST controls such as `maxResults`, `thumbMaps=false` and `outFormat` (15). Place search pages with `pageSize` 1 to 50 and filters by category, circle, bounding box or corridor (16). Status codes are documented, with geocoding and directions errors carried in the response body and problem+json on the Account API (12). Most calls read and are safe to retry. Data Manager writes have no idempotency key, and MCP annotations were not read (10). Geocoding needs only `key` and `location`. The only current SDKs are browser libraries (7)." }, { "key": "security", "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "weight": 14, "effectiveWeight": 17.5, "score": 28, "points": 4.9, "reason": "REST uses API keys, several per account, created in the dashboard or by API. The MCP server uses OAuth with one scope, `mcp:tools`. That earns 20, less 10 because the `key` query parameter is the documented way to send the secret (10). No key scopes, referrer or IP restrictions, or read-only mode found in the docs (3). Place and address text is returned with no prompt-injection guidance (7). The usage endpoint reports transactions by key, service and hour (8). No security.txt, disclosure policy, bug bounty or certification found (0)." }, { "key": "payments", "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "weight": 10, "effectiveWeight": 12.5, "score": 30, "points": 3.75, "reason": "No x402, MPP or L402 (0). $0.0045 a transaction and four monthly plans are published without a login (20). 50,000 one-time free transactions, expiring 1 January 2027. The sign-up page is drawn by script, so we could not confirm that no card is needed, and half credit is given (10). A person registers in a browser. The Account API creates further keys but needs a key first (0)." }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "weight": 10, "effectiveWeight": 0, "pending": true, "points": 0, "reason": "Pending. Task success needs the category task suites run through each tool, which haven't run yet, so this run doesn't score it. Its weight is shared across the assessed categories until then. A data provider's data-quality score is published on its listing now and becomes half of this category when it's scored." }, { "key": "maintenance", "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "weight": 7, "effectiveWeight": 8.75, "score": 23, "points": 2.01, "reason": "The newest dated product changes are two blog announcements on 16 July 2026 (the Geolocation API and a 10,000 by 10,000 async route matrix), 84 days before the check (20). Two dated entries in 90 days. The MCP guide's version 1.2 is dated 7 July 2026, 93 days before (0). No changelog. Support is by email, untested (3). The MCP registry returns no server for 'mapquest', and the only current SDKs are browser libraries with no dated releases found (0). No package to judge (0)." }, { "key": "transparency", "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "weight": 7, "effectiveWeight": 8.75, "score": 28, "points": 2.45, "note": "editorial 21, provenance 35", "reason": "Closed service. The only terms linked are System1's website terms of 26 February 2021, which allow personal, non-commercial use and do not mention the APIs. The plans page states the storage rule (5). The System1 group privacy policy of 5 July 2023 gives no retention periods and describes sale and sharing of personal information, while the plans page says 'we don't collect or sell user data' (8). No deprecation policy. Dated notices exist from 2018 only (5). The policy names categories of service providers, with no list or locations. The geocoding docs name TomTom for international queries (3)." } ], "assessment": { "date": "2026-10-08", "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "notes": { "ergonomics": "The MCP page names 13 tools. Their definitions were not read, so context cost is scored from the count and from REST controls such as `maxResults`, `thumbMaps=false` and `outFormat` (15). Place search pages with `pageSize` 1 to 50 and filters by category, circle, bounding box or corridor (16). Status codes are documented, with geocoding and directions errors carried in the response body and problem+json on the Account API (12). Most calls read and are safe to retry. Data Manager writes have no idempotency key, and MCP annotations were not read (10). Geocoding needs only `key` and `location`. The only current SDKs are browser libraries (7).", "maintenance": "The newest dated product changes are two blog announcements on 16 July 2026 (the Geolocation API and a 10,000 by 10,000 async route matrix), 84 days before the check (20). Two dated entries in 90 days. The MCP guide's version 1.2 is dated 7 July 2026, 93 days before (0). No changelog. Support is by email, untested (3). The MCP registry returns no server for 'mapquest', and the only current SDKs are browser libraries with no dated releases found (0). No package to judge (0).", "payments": "No x402, MPP or L402 (0). $0.0045 a transaction and four monthly plans are published without a login (20). 50,000 one-time free transactions, expiring 1 January 2027. The sign-up page is drawn by script, so we could not confirm that no card is needed, and half credit is given (10). A person registers in a browser. The Account API creates further keys but needs a key first (0).", "reliability": "Graded as a hosted service. No status page is linked from the developer site, the docs or the plans page (0). With no page there is no readable incident history (5). The reference marks endpoints 'Rate Limited Yes' and gives functional maximums (100 locations a batch, 50 a route, 25 a matrix) but no request-rate numbers (5). No 429, Retry-After or backoff guidance found (0). The Enterprise plan lists a service-level agreement, with no text published (3). The REST API is generally available and the MCP page calls the server production-ready (10).", "schema": "`https://developer.mapquest.com/openapi.json` describes the marketing site and has an empty `paths` object, so the product APIs have no machine-readable contract. The MCP tool definitions sit behind OAuth and were not read (0). `llms.txt` indexes every API with a one-line purpose (10). The reference states each endpoint's purpose and each parameter's effect, without when-not-to-use guidance (12). Parameter tables give ranges and allowed values in prose (8). Example requests and responses on each page, and status-code pages per API (12). Versions in the path (v1, v2, v4, v5) but no changelog (5).", "security": "REST uses API keys, several per account, created in the dashboard or by API. The MCP server uses OAuth with one scope, `mcp:tools`. That earns 20, less 10 because the `key` query parameter is the documented way to send the secret (10). No key scopes, referrer or IP restrictions, or read-only mode found in the docs (3). Place and address text is returned with no prompt-injection guidance (7). The usage endpoint reports transactions by key, service and hour (8). No security.txt, disclosure policy, bug bounty or certification found (0).", "transparency": "Closed service. The only terms linked are System1's website terms of 26 February 2021, which allow personal, non-commercial use and do not mention the APIs. The plans page states the storage rule (5). The System1 group privacy policy of 5 July 2023 gives no retention periods and describes sale and sharing of personal information, while the plans page says 'we don't collect or sell user data' (8). No deprecation policy. Dated notices exist from 2018 only (5). The policy names categories of service providers, with no list or locations. The geocoding docs name TomTom for international queries (3)." }, "sources": [ { "what": "documentation index", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "llms.txt", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/llms.txt", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "site OpenAPI file with empty paths", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/openapi.json", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "MCP product page and tool names", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/mcp/", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "MCP setup guide, version 1.2", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/mcp/", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "MCP endpoint, unauthenticated 401", "url": "https://www.mapquestapi.com/mcp", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "OAuth protected-resource metadata", "url": "https://www.mapquestapi.com/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource/mcp", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "plans and prices", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/plans", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "geocoding reference", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/api/geocoding/address/get.html", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "geocoding status codes", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/api/geocoding/status-codes.html", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "directions status codes and maximums", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/api/directions/status-codes.html", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "place search reference", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/api/place-search/place/get.html", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "Account API, create key", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/api/account/keys/post.html", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "Account API, usage", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/api/account/usage/get.html", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "blog index with dates", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/blog/", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "Geolocation API announcement", "url": "https://developer.mapquest.com/introducing-mapquest-geolocation-api/", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "System1 website terms of use", "url": "https://system1.com/terms/terms-of-use", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "System1 group privacy policy", "url": "https://system1.com/terms/privacy-policy", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "MCP registry search", "url": "https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0.1/servers?search=mapquest", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "GitHub organisation repositories", "url": "https://api.github.com/orgs/MapQuest/repos?per_page=100\u0026sort=pushed", "seen": "2026-10-08" }, { "what": "RDAP for mapquest.com", "url": "https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/mapquest.com", "seen": "2026-10-08" } ], "openQuestions": [ "unchecked: the MCP tool definitions, annotations and count, which need a signed-in account (the 13 tool names come from the MCP page)", "unchecked: whether sign-up needs a card, and which terms the sign-up form shows (the page is drawn by script)", "unchecked: www.mapquest.com/.well-known/security.txt, which returned an empty 202 to our reader", "No API terms or product privacy policy were found published without a login, so `provenance.terms` and `provenance.privacy` are left out", "The MCP page mentions 'free monthly transactions' while the plans page describes 50,000 one-time credits. Which applies to MCP use was not established", "The MCP server's launch date was not found. The setup guide's version 1.2 is dated 7 July 2026", "No request-rate limit, definition of a transaction or overage price for monthly plans was found in the reviewed documentation", "The lead described a large free allowance. It is a one-time 50,000 credits that expire on 1 January 2027" ] }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "One account reaches geocoding, routing, place search and traffic through a REST API or a hosted MCP server with OAuth, at a published $0.0045 a transaction. No API terms, status page, changelog or product OpenAPI spec was found, and REST keys travel in the query string.", "bestFor": "An agent that needs US-centred geocoding, routing with truck profiles, traffic and place search behind one account, with an MCP server ready to connect.", "strengths": [ "Hosted MCP server at `https://www.mapquestapi.com/mcp` with OAuth and published protected-resource metadata", "Pay-as-you-go price of $0.0045 a transaction published without a login, with 50,000 one-time free transactions", "The Account API creates and lists keys and reports usage by key, service and hour", "`llms.txt` indexes every REST API, SDK and tool with a one-line purpose", "Async batch geocoding accepts up to 1 million rows, and batch calls take 100 locations" ], "weaknesses": [ "No API terms of service found. The legal link leads to System1's 2021 website terms, which allow personal, non-commercial use only", "No status page, changelog or published rate-limit numbers found", "REST keys are sent in the `key` query parameter, and no key scopes or restrictions are documented", "`openapi.json` describes the marketing site and has no paths, so the product APIs have no machine-readable contract", "Monthly plans forbid storing or caching geocodes. That needs an Enterprise account" ], "agentNotes": [ "Register an account and create an API key before connecting the MCP server. Every tool needs an active key, chosen by nickname on first use", "Send REST calls to `https://www.mapquestapi.com` with `key` in the query string, and redact it from logged URLs", "Read `info.statuscode` in geocoding and directions responses. 0 is success, and errors such as 610 (ambiguous location) arrive in the body", "Set `thumbMaps=false` and `maxResults` on geocoding, and `pageSize` (1 to 50) on place search, to keep responses small", "Do not store or cache geocodes on a monthly or pay-as-you-go plan" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "F", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 35.1 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 60, "maintenance": 23, "payments": 30, "reliability": 23, "schema": 47, "security": 28, "transparency": 21 }, "provenanceScore": 35 }, "connect": { "http": "curl \"https://www.mapquestapi.com/geocoding/v1/address?key=$MAPQUEST_API_KEY\u0026location=Washington,DC\u0026maxResults=1\u0026thumbMaps=false\"", "claudeCode": "claude mcp add --transport http mapquest https://www.mapquestapi.com/mcp", "config": { "mcpServers": { "mapquest": { "url": "https://www.mapquestapi.com/mcp" } } } }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/geo.geocode", "tool": "https://letme.dev/mapquest" }, "notable": [ "The MCP server answers at https://www.mapquestapi.com/mcp over Streamable HTTP, and an unauthenticated request returns 401 with a `WWW-Authenticate` header pointing to OAuth protected-resource metadata (checked 2026-10-08)", "The MCP page names 13 tools, among them `geocode_address`, `reverse_geocode`, `batch_geocode`, `get_route`, `get_route_matrix`, `place_search`, `traffic_incidents` and `static_map` (https://developer.mapquest.com/mcp/)", "The MCP setup guide is version 1.2, updated 7 July 2026, with paths for Cursor, Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT and Codex (https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/mcp/)", "MapQuestGO is pay-as-you-go at $0.0045 a transaction after 50,000 one-time free transactions that expire on 1 January 2027 (https://developer.mapquest.com/plans)", "Storing or caching geocodes is not allowed on monthly plans and needs an Enterprise account with Extended Rights Geocoding (https://developer.mapquest.com/plans)", "The Terms of Use link on the developer site leads to System1's website terms, last updated 26 February 2021, which allow personal, non-commercial use only (https://system1.com/terms/terms-of-use)", "The geocoding reference says international queries go to the TomTom International Geocoder (https://developer.mapquest.com/documentation/api/geocoding/address/get.html)", "Place Search V5 and Search Ahead V5 are beta and for Enterprise accounts only (https://developer.mapquest.com/llms.txt)" ], "area": "everyday", "details": [ { "label": "REST API", "value": "Base `https://www.mapquestapi.com`. Geocoding (`/geocoding/v1`), Directions (`/directions/v2`), Place Search (`/search/v4/place-search`), Search, Search Ahead, Traffic, Static Map, Address Validation, Data Manager, Geolocation, Icons and Account APIs" }, { "label": "MCP server", "value": "`https://www.mapquestapi.com/mcp`, Streamable HTTP, OAuth with the single scope `mcp:tools`. 13 tools named on the MCP page. The tool definitions need a signed-in account and were not read" }, { "label": "Credentials", "value": "REST takes an API key in the `key` query parameter. An account can hold several named keys, created in the dashboard or by `POST /account/v1/keys`. The MCP server takes an OAuth token from login.mapquest.com and then uses one of the account's keys" }, { "label": "Free allowance", "value": "50,000 one-time transactions on MapQuestGO, expiring 1 January 2027. Whether sign-up needs a card was not established" }, { "label": "Storage", "value": "No storing or caching of geocodes on self-service plans. Enterprise with Extended Rights Geocoding permits it" }, { "label": "Limits", "value": "100 locations in a batch geocode, 1 million rows in an async batch job, 50 locations in a route, 25 in a route matrix, page size 1 to 50 on place search. No requests-per-second figure published" }, { "label": "Errors", "value": "Geocoding and Directions report a `statuscode` in the response body (0, 400, 403, 500 and 6xx routing codes). The Account API answers `application/problem+json`" }, { "label": "Usage reporting", "value": "`GET /account/v1/usage` returns transaction counts by key, service and time bucket down to an hour" }, { "label": "SDKs", "value": "MapQuest.js (Leaflet-based, browser) and PlaceSearch.js. The Python directions client on GitHub is archived, last pushed in 2016" }, { "label": "Status page", "value": "None found" } ], "unitPrices": [ { "item": "MapQuestGO pay-as-you-go", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4.5, "note": "$0.0045 a transaction after 50,000 one-time free transactions" }, { "item": "Basic plan", "unit": "month", "usd": 119, "note": "30,000 transactions a month" }, { "item": "Plus plan", "unit": "month", "usd": 249, "note": "75,000 transactions a month" }, { "item": "Business plan", "unit": "month", "usd": 499, "note": "200,000 transactions a month" }, { "item": "Business Plus plan", "unit": "month", "usd": 949, "note": "500,000 transactions a month" } ], "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Mapquest Holdings LLC", "domain": "mapquest.com", "domainRegistered": "1996-01-10", "endpointOnVendorDomain": false, "terms": "", "privacy": "", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-10-08", "notes": [ "The developer site's footer reads '© 2026 Mapquest Holdings LLC, A System1 Company'.", "No terms link is given. The site's Terms of Use link, and developer.mapquest.com/legal, lead to https://system1.com/terms/terms-of-use, the parent's website terms (last updated 26 February 2021), which allow personal, non-commercial use only and do not mention the APIs. We found no API or platform terms published without a login.", "No privacy link is given. The only privacy document linked is the System1 OpCo, LLC group privacy policy at https://system1.com/terms/privacy-policy (last updated 5 July 2023), a parent company's notice.", "The REST API and the MCP server answer at www.mapquestapi.com, a second domain (registered 2008-09-08 per RDAP). MapQuest's own docs name that host. OAuth runs at login.mapquest.com.", "developer.mapquest.com/.well-known/security.txt redirects to the home page, www.mapquestapi.com/.well-known/security.txt returns 404, and www.mapquest.com returned an empty 202 to our reader.", "No status page is linked from the developer site, the docs or the plans page. No changelog was found. The blog carries two product announcements dated 16 July 2026.", "RDAP for mapquest.com gives a registration date of 1996-01-10." ], "score": 35, "checks": [ { "check": "Legal entity named", "value": "Mapquest Holdings LLC", "points": 20, "max": 20, "state": "ok" }, { "check": "Domain age", "value": "mapquest.com, registered 1996-01-10 (30 years)", "points": 15, "max": 15, "state": "ok" }, { "check": "Endpoint on the vendor's domain", "value": "www.mapquestapi.com is not on mapquest.com", "points": 0, "max": 15, "state": "no" }, { "check": "Terms of service", "value": "not found", "points": 0, "max": 10, "state": "no" }, { "check": "Privacy policy", "value": "not found", "points": 0, "max": 10, "state": "no" }, { "check": "Status page", "value": "not found", "points": 0, "max": 10, "state": "no" }, { "check": "Changelog", "value": "not found", "points": 0, "max": 10, "state": "no" }, { "check": "security.txt", "value": "not found", "points": 0, "max": 10, "state": "no" } ] }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/mapquest.json", "live": { "slug": "mapquest", "probe": { "target": "https://www.mapquestapi.com", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-08T21:12:14.909748924Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 404, "lastMs": 251, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 262, "p95ms24h": 311, "samples24h": 21, "samples30d": 21, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-08", "probes": 21, "ok": 21 } ] }, "updatedAt": "2026-10-08T21:12:14.909748924Z" } } }