{ "data": { "a": { "slug": "amazon-location", "name": "Amazon Location Service", "vendor": "Amazon Web Services", "vendorUrl": "https://aws.amazon.com/location/", "kind": "http-api", "category": "maps", "summary": "Amazon Location Service is AWS's API for geocoding, place search, routing and map tiles, with geofences and device tracking. Agents call regional REST endpoints with an API key or IAM credentials, or through the AWS SDKs and CLI.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/amazon-location", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/amazon-location.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/amazon-location.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/amazon-location.json", "repo": "https://github.com/aws-geospatial/amazon-location-agent-context", "license": "Proprietary service under the AWS Customer Agreement and AWS Service Terms. The AWS SDK clients and the agent context package on GitHub are Apache-2.0", "transports": [ "http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://places.geo.us-east-1.amazonaws.com", "packages": [ { "registry": "npm", "name": "@aws-sdk/client-geo-places" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@aws-sdk/client-geo-routes" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@aws-sdk/client-geo-maps" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "boto3" } ], "auth": "api-key", "authNotes": "Access needs an AWS account. Maps, Places and Routes accept an Amazon Location API key in the `key` query parameter, created in the console, the CLI or the `CreateKey` call, limited to named actions and resources, with optional expiry and referrer or mobile app restrictions. Every API also accepts AWS Signature Version 4 with IAM credentials or a role, and Amazon Cognito identity pools for unauthenticated clients. Geofences, trackers and the Jobs API refuse API keys. API keys can't be used over AWS PrivateLink (https://docs.aws.amazon.com/location/latest/developerguide/using-apikeys.html).", "pricing": "usage", "pricingNotes": "Geocoding, reverse geocoding and place search cost $0.50 per 1,000 requests (core), $1.50 with advanced fields and $4.00 when results are stored, in US East (N. Virginia). Routes cost $0.50 per 1,000 for car, truck or pedestrian, map tiles $0.04 per 1,000. No sandbox or contract is needed, but an AWS account is. The pricing page lists monthly allowances for the first three months (20,000 core Places requests, 10,000 routes, 500,000 tiles) and up to $200 of credits for customers who joined after 15 July 2025. Volume discounts above $5,000 a month are by quote (https://aws.amazon.com/location/pricing/, checked 2026-10-08).", "priceSummary": "$0.50 / 1k req", "where": "hosted", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the developer guide's llms.txt, the service models or the pricing page (checked 2026-10-08).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": 426988, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-08" }, "docsUrl": "https://docs.aws.amazon.com/location/latest/developerguide/what-is.html", "llmsTxt": "https://docs.aws.amazon.com/location/latest/developerguide/llms.txt", "capabilities": [ "geo.geocode", "geo.reverse", "geo.places", "geo.routing", "geo.tiles" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "closed-source", "python", "typescript", "enterprise", "llms-txt", "card-required", "sla", "status-page", "batch" ], "lastRelease": "2026-08-17", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 74.1, "grade": "BB", "agentReady": true, "rank": 68, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 722, "categoryRank": 2, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 88, "maintenance": 60, "payments": 20, "reliability": 95, "schema": 87, "security": 73, "transparency": 70 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "high", "date": "2026-10-08" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "Places, Routes and Maps calls work over plain HTTPS with an API key limited to named actions, and every one of the 17 operations is read-only with typed inputs. Access starts with an AWS account a person opens, the key travels in the URL query string, and stored results cost eight times the single-use rate.", "bestFor": "Operators already on AWS who want geocoding, places and routing inside IAM, CloudTrail and one bill, with HERE data and GrabMaps for Southeast Asia.", "strengths": [ "API keys are limited to named actions and resources, can expire, and can be restricted by referrer or mobile app identifier", "All 17 Places, Routes and Maps operations are marked read-only in the public Smithy models, with enums and numeric ranges on inputs", "Default rates are published per operation (100 a second for each Places call, 20 for `CalculateRoutes`) and can be doubled by self-service", "An SLA of 99.9 per cent monthly uptime per region, with credits of 10, 25 and 100 per cent", "llms.txt, a Markdown twin of every guide page and an Apache-2.0 agent context package (v1.2.0, 11 September 2026)" ], "weaknesses": [ "The API key is sent as the `key` query parameter, the only documented way to present it", "Storing or caching results is barred unless `IntendedUse` is `Storage`, billed at $4.00 per 1,000 against $0.50 for single use", "An AWS account opened by a person in a browser is needed before any call, and no keyless or machine-payment route exists", "The developer guide gives no backoff or `Retry-After` guidance for `ThrottlingException` (429)", "The guide's document history holds one entry, dated 31 October 2024, so API changes have to be read from the SDK models" ], "agentNotes": [ "Call the v2 endpoints (`places.geo.\u003cregion\u003e.amazonaws.com/v2/geocode`, `routes.geo`, `maps.geo`). They need no resource creation, unlike the v1 place index and route calculator calls", "Set `IntendedUse` to `Storage` before saving or caching any Places result. The default `SingleUse` results may not be stored under section 82.4 of the AWS Service Terms", "Read `PricingBucket` in each response. Requesting `Contact`, `Access`, `TimeZone` or `Phonemes` in `AdditionalFeatures` moves a Places call from $0.50 to $1.50 per 1,000", "Keep the API key out of logs and shared URLs, since it travels as `?key=`. Use SigV4 with an IAM role for server-side work, and for the Jobs API, which refuses API keys", "Back off on HTTP 429 `ThrottlingException`. The burst allowance is 80 per cent of the per-second rate within any part of a second" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "high", "grade": "BB", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 74.1 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 88, "maintenance": 60, "payments": 20, "reliability": 95, "schema": 87, "security": 73, "transparency": 52 }, "provenanceScore": 88 }, "connect": { "install": "pip install boto3 # or: npm i @aws-sdk/client-geo-places", "http": "curl --request POST \\\n --url 'https://places.geo.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/v2/geocode?key=Your_Key' \\\n --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \\\n --data '{\"QueryText\": \"510 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC\"}'", "claudeCode": "/plugin install amazon-location-service@claude-plugins-official" }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/geo.geocode", "tool": "https://letme.dev/amazon-location" }, "sameCompany": [ "amazon-bedrock-guardrails", "amazon-transcribe", "amazon-polly", "aws-secrets-manager", "aws-mcp-servers", "amazon-ses", "amazon-translate", "amazon-ads-api" ], "area": "everyday", "unitPrices": [ { "item": "Geocode, reverse geocode, place search (core)", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 0.5, "note": "US East. `SingleUse` results, not for storage" }, { "item": "Geocode, reverse geocode, place search (advanced)", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 1.5, "note": "With contacts, opening hours, access points or time zone" }, { "item": "Geocode, reverse geocode, place search (stored)", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4, "note": "`IntendedUse` set to `Storage`" }, { "item": "Autocomplete and Suggest (label)", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 0.2 }, { "item": "Routes calculated (core)", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 0.5, "note": "Car, truck or pedestrian. A matrix bills origins times destinations" }, { "item": "Routes with toll cost (premium)", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4 }, { "item": "Dynamic map tiles", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 0.04 }, { "item": "Static map images", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 0.5 } ], "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Amazon Web Services, Inc.", "domain": "amazon.com", "domainRegistered": "1994-11-01", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://aws.amazon.com/service-terms/", "privacy": "https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/", "statusPage": "https://health.aws.amazon.com/health/status", "changelog": "https://docs.aws.amazon.com/location/latest/developerguide/doc-history.html", "securityTxt": "expired", "checked": "2026-10-08", "notes": [ "The AWS Service Terms (last updated 1 October 2026) govern the service, with Amazon Location Service at section 82. The AWS Customer Agreement sits above them.", "The AWS Privacy Notice (last updated 18 May 2026) names Amazon Web Services, Inc., 410 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109-5210.", "The endpoints are on amazonaws.com and api.aws, both AWS domains.", "aws.amazon.com/.well-known/security.txt carries Expires 2026-09-24T16:25:03Z, which had passed on the day of the check. It points to a HackerOne disclosure programme.", "RDAP for amazon.com gives a registration date of 1994-11-01.", "The document history page has one entry, dated 31 October 2024. API changes are otherwise visible in AWS What's New posts and the SDK service models." ], "score": 88 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/amazon-location.json", "live": { "slug": "amazon-location", "probe": { "target": "https://places.geo.us-east-1.amazonaws.com", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-08T21:12:03.434350122Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 404, "lastMs": 239, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 253, "p95ms24h": 307, "samples24h": 21, "samples30d": 21, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-08", "probes": 21, "ok": 21 } ] }, "updatedAt": "2026-10-08T21:12:03.434350122Z" } }, "answer": "Amazon Location Service scores 74.1 (BB) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. MapQuest leads on payments \u0026 pricing.", "b": { "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" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-08" }, "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" }, "area": "everyday", "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 }, "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" } }, "facts": [ { "a": "HTTP API", "b": "HTTP API", "name": "Kind" }, { "a": "Amazon Web Services", "b": "MapQuest (System1)", "name": "Vendor" }, { "a": "https://places.geo.us-east-1.amazonaws.com", "b": "https://www.mapquestapi.com", "name": "Hosted endpoint" }, { "a": "HTTP", "b": "HTTP, Streamable HTTP", "name": "Transports" }, { "a": "API key", "b": "OAuth or key", "name": "Auth" }, { "a": "Pay per use", "b": "Pay per use", "name": "Pricing" }, { "a": "$0.50 per 1,000 requests", "b": "not published", "name": "Price for geo geocode" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "x402" }, { "a": "Proprietary service under the AWS Customer Agreement and AWS Service Terms. The AWS SDK clients and the agent context package on GitHub are Apache-2.0", "b": "Proprietary service. No API terms were found published without a login", "name": "Licence" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "no", "name": "Read-only variant documented" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "yes", "name": "llms.txt" }, { "a": "2026-08-17", "b": "2026-07-16", "name": "Last release" }, { "a": "2026-10-01", "b": "no document linked", "name": "Terms last updated" }, { "a": "2026-05-18", "b": "no document linked", "name": "Privacy policy last updated" }, { "a": "yes, with an opt-out", "b": "", "name": "Customer content may train models" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "", "name": "Terms restrict automated access" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "", "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "", "name": "Terms or service can change without notice" }, { "a": "not found in the text", "b": "", "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver" }, { "a": "427k npm/wk", "b": "none", "name": "Popularity" } ], "faq": [ { "answer": "Amazon Location Service scores 74.1 (BB) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. MapQuest leads on payments \u0026 pricing.", "question": "Which is better for AI agents, Amazon Location Service or MapQuest?" }, { "answer": "Amazon Location Service needs an API key. MapQuest takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.", "question": "Do Amazon Location Service and MapQuest need an API key?" }, { "answer": "Yes. Amazon Location Service has a hosted endpoint at https://places.geo.us-east-1.amazonaws.com and MapQuest at https://www.mapquestapi.com.", "question": "Can an agent call Amazon Location Service and MapQuest without installing anything?" } ], "goodFor": [ { "aheadOn": [ "Reliability, 95 against 23", "Schema \u0026 documentation, 87 against 47", "Agent ergonomics, 88 against 60", "Security \u0026 auth, 73 against 28", "Maintenance \u0026 community, 60 against 23", "Transparency \u0026 trust, 70 against 28" ], "also": [ "Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better" ], "goodFor": "Operators already on AWS who want geocoding, places and routing inside IAM, CloudTrail and one bill, with HERE data and GrabMaps for Southeast Asia.", "slug": "amazon-location", "watchFor": "The API key is sent as the `key` query parameter, the only documented way to present it" }, { "aheadOn": [ "Payments \u0026 pricing, 30 against 20" ], "also": null, "goodFor": "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.", "slug": "mapquest", "watchFor": "No API terms of service found. The legal link leads to System1's 2021 website terms, which allow personal, non-commercial use only" } ], "job": { "capability": "geo.geocode", "name": "Geo geocode" }, "others": [ { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-arcgis.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs ArcGIS Location Platform", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-arcgis" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-azure-maps.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs Azure Maps", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-azure-maps" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-geoapify.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs Geoapify Location Platform + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-geoapify" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-google-maps-platform.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-google-maps-platform" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-locationiq.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs LocationIQ", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-locationiq" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapbox.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs Mapbox APIs + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapbox" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-opencage.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs OpenCage Geocoding API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-opencage" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-stadia-maps.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs Stadia Maps", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-stadia-maps" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-tomtom.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-tomtom" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-mapquest.json", "title": "ArcGIS Location Platform vs MapQuest", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-mapquest" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.json", "title": "Azure Maps vs MapQuest", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/geoapify-vs-mapquest.json", "title": "Geoapify Location Platform + MCP vs MapQuest", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/geoapify-vs-mapquest" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-maps-platform-vs-mapquest.json", "title": "Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP vs MapQuest", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-maps-platform-vs-mapquest" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/locationiq-vs-mapquest.json", "title": "LocationIQ vs MapQuest", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/locationiq-vs-mapquest" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapbox-vs-mapquest.json", "title": "Mapbox APIs + MCP vs MapQuest", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapbox-vs-mapquest" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-opencage.json", "title": "MapQuest vs OpenCage Geocoding API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-opencage" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-stadia-maps.json", "title": "MapQuest vs Stadia Maps", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-stadia-maps" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-tomtom.json", "title": "MapQuest vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-tomtom" } ], "scores": [ { "amazon-location": 95, "by": 72, "edge": "amazon-location", "key": "reliability", "mapquest": 23, "name": "Reliability", "weight": 16 }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "amazon-location": 87, "by": 40, "edge": "amazon-location", "key": "schema", "mapquest": 47, "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "weight": 13 }, { "amazon-location": 88, "by": 28, "edge": "amazon-location", "key": "ergonomics", "mapquest": 60, "name": "Agent ergonomics", "weight": 13 }, { "amazon-location": 73, "by": 45, "edge": "amazon-location", "key": "security", "mapquest": 28, "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "weight": 14 }, { "amazon-location": 20, "by": 10, "edge": "mapquest", "key": "payments", "mapquest": 30, "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "weight": 10 }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "amazon-location": 60, "by": 37, "edge": "amazon-location", "key": "maintenance", "mapquest": 23, "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "weight": 7 }, { "amazon-location": 70, "by": 42, "edge": "amazon-location", "key": "transparency", "mapquest": 28, "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "weight": 7 } ], "summary": "Amazon Location Service scores 74.1 (BB) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. MapQuest leads on payments \u0026 pricing. Both do geo geocode.", "verdicts": { "amazon-location": "Places, Routes and Maps calls work over plain HTTPS with an API key limited to named actions, and every one of the 17 operations is read-only with typed inputs. Access starts with an AWS account a person opens, the key travels in the URL query string, and stored results cost eight times the single-use rate.", "mapquest": "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." } }, "kind": "anchor.page", "links": { "api": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json", "html": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest", "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest.json", "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt", "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest.md", "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest.min.md" }, "markdown": "Amazon Location Service scores 74.1 (BB) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. MapQuest leads on payments \u0026 pricing. Both do geo geocode.\n\n- Amazon Location Service: grade BB, 74.1/100, rank #68 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/amazon-location.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/amazon-location.json\n- MapQuest: grade F, 35.1/100, rank #710 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/mapquest.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/mapquest.json\n\n## Which one, for what\n\n### Amazon Location Service (BB)\n\nGood for: Operators already on AWS who want geocoding, places and routing inside IAM, CloudTrail and one bill, with HERE data and GrabMaps for Southeast Asia.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 95 against 23\n- Schema \u0026 documentation, 87 against 47\n- Agent ergonomics, 88 against 60\n- Security \u0026 auth, 73 against 28\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 60 against 23\n- Transparency \u0026 trust, 70 against 28\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better\n\nWatch for: The API key is sent as the `key` query parameter, the only documented way to present it\n\n### MapQuest (F)\n\nGood for: 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.\n\nAhead on:\n- Payments \u0026 pricing, 30 against 20\n\nWatch for: No API terms of service found. The legal link leads to System1's 2021 website terms, which allow personal, non-commercial use only\n\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | Amazon Location Service | MapQuest | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 95 | 23 | Amazon Location Service +72 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 87 | 47 | Amazon Location Service +40 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 88 | 60 | Amazon Location Service +28 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 73 | 28 | Amazon Location Service +45 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 30 | MapQuest +10 |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 60 | 23 | Amazon Location Service +37 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 70 | 28 | Amazon Location Service +42 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **74.1 · BB** | **35.1 · F** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | Amazon Location Service | MapQuest |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | Amazon Web Services | MapQuest (System1) |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://places.geo.us-east-1.amazonaws.com` | `https://www.mapquestapi.com` |\n| Transports | HTTP | HTTP, Streamable HTTP |\n| Auth | API key | OAuth or key |\n| Pricing | Pay per use | Pay per use |\n| Price for geo geocode | $0.50 per 1,000 requests | not published |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | Proprietary service under the AWS Customer Agreement and AWS Service Terms. The AWS SDK clients and the agent context package on GitHub are Apache-2.0 | Proprietary service. No API terms were found published without a login |\n| Read-only variant documented | yes | no |\n| llms.txt | yes | yes |\n| Last release | 2026-08-17 | 2026-07-16 |\n| Terms last updated | 2026-10-01 | no document linked |\n| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-05-18 | no document linked |\n| Customer content may train models | yes, with an opt-out | |\n| Terms restrict automated access | yes | |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | |\n| Terms or service can change without notice | yes | |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | |\n| Popularity | 427k npm/wk | none |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**Amazon Location Service.** Places, Routes and Maps calls work over plain HTTPS with an API key limited to named actions, and every one of the 17 operations is read-only with typed inputs. Access starts with an AWS account a person opens, the key travels in the URL query string, and stored results cost eight times the single-use rate.\n\n**MapQuest.** 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.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### Amazon Location Service\n\n1. Call the v2 endpoints (`places.geo.\u003cregion\u003e.amazonaws.com/v2/geocode`, `routes.geo`, `maps.geo`). They need no resource creation, unlike the v1 place index and route calculator calls\n2. Set `IntendedUse` to `Storage` before saving or caching any Places result. The default `SingleUse` results may not be stored under section 82.4 of the AWS Service Terms\n3. Read `PricingBucket` in each response. Requesting `Contact`, `Access`, `TimeZone` or `Phonemes` in `AdditionalFeatures` moves a Places call from $0.50 to $1.50 per 1,000\n4. Keep the API key out of logs and shared URLs, since it travels as `?key=`. Use SigV4 with an IAM role for server-side work, and for the Jobs API, which refuses API keys\n5. Back off on HTTP 429 `ThrottlingException`. The burst allowance is 80 per cent of the per-second rate within any part of a second\n\n### MapQuest\n\n1. 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\n2. Send REST calls to `https://www.mapquestapi.com` with `key` in the query string, and redact it from logged URLs\n3. Read `info.statuscode` in geocoding and directions responses. 0 is success, and errors such as 610 (ambiguous location) arrive in the body\n4. Set `thumbMaps=false` and `maxResults` on geocoding, and `pageSize` (1 to 50) on place search, to keep responses small\n5. Do not store or cache geocodes on a monthly or pay-as-you-go plan\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, Amazon Location Service or MapQuest?\n\nAmazon Location Service scores 74.1 (BB) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. MapQuest leads on payments \u0026 pricing.\n\n### Do Amazon Location Service and MapQuest need an API key?\n\nAmazon Location Service needs an API key. MapQuest takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.\n\n### Can an agent call Amazon Location Service and MapQuest without installing anything?\n\nYes. Amazon Location Service has a hosted endpoint at https://places.geo.us-east-1.amazonaws.com and MapQuest at https://www.mapquestapi.com.\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"amazon-location\", \"b\": \"mapquest\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare amazon-location mapquest`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/amazon-location.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/mapquest.json\n\n## Other comparisons with Amazon Location Service or MapQuest\n\n- [Amazon Location Service vs ArcGIS Location Platform](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-arcgis.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs Azure Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-azure-maps.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs Geoapify Location Platform + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-geoapify.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-google-maps-platform.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs LocationIQ](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-locationiq.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs Mapbox APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapbox.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs OpenCage Geocoding API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-opencage.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs Stadia Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-stadia-maps.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-tomtom.md)\n- [ArcGIS Location Platform vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-mapquest.md)\n- [Azure Maps vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.md)\n- [Geoapify Location Platform + MCP vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/geoapify-vs-mapquest.md)\n- [Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-maps-platform-vs-mapquest.md)\n- [LocationIQ vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/locationiq-vs-mapquest.md)\n- [Mapbox APIs + MCP vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapbox-vs-mapquest.md)\n- [MapQuest vs OpenCage Geocoding API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-opencage.md)\n- [MapQuest vs Stadia Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-stadia-maps.md)\n- [MapQuest vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-tomtom.md)\n", "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" }, "page": { "breadcrumbs": [ { "name": "Home", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/" }, { "name": "Compare", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/" }, { "name": "Amazon Location Service vs MapQuest", "url": "" } ], "description": "Amazon Location Service scores 74.1 (BB) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. MapQuest leads on payments \u0026 pricing. Both do geo geocode. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.", "facts": [ "Amazon Location Service BB 74.1", "MapQuest F 35.1", "scores" ], "h1": "Amazon Location Service vs MapQuest", "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/compare-amazon-location-vs-mapquest.png", "path": "/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest", "published": "2026-10-01", "section": "tools", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs MapQuest for AI agents, BB 74.1 vs F 35.1", "toc": null, "updated": "2026-10-08", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest" }, "tokens": { "markdown": 2450, "slim": 780 }, "version": 1 }