{ "data": { "a": { "slug": "azure-maps", "name": "Azure Maps", "vendor": "Microsoft Azure", "vendorUrl": "https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/azure-maps", "kind": "http-api", "category": "maps", "summary": "Microsoft Azure's mapping service. Its REST APIs at `atlas.microsoft.com` cover geocoding, reverse geocoding, place search, routing with traffic, map tiles, time zones and weather, with access by subscription key, SAS token or Microsoft Entra ID.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/azure-maps", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/azure-maps.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/azure-maps.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/azure-maps.json", "repo": "https://github.com/Azure/azure-rest-api-specs", "license": "Proprietary service under Microsoft's Product Terms. The Azure SDK client libraries are MIT", "transports": [ "http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://atlas.microsoft.com", "packages": [ { "registry": "pypi", "name": "azure-maps-search" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "azure-maps-route" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@azure-rest/maps-search" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@azure-rest/maps-route" } ], "auth": "mixed", "authNotes": "Self-serve. A person creates an Azure subscription and an Azure Maps account in the portal, which issues a primary and a secondary subscription key. The key goes in the `subscription-key` header or as a URL parameter and reaches every REST API on the account. Microsoft Entra ID tokens (scope `https://atlas.microsoft.com/.default`, with the `x-ms-client-id` header) are authorised by Azure roles such as Azure Maps Data Reader or a custom role for one service. SAS tokens (`Authorization: jwt-sas`) last 24 hours at most and carry a rate cap and allowed regions. `disableLocalAuth` turns keys and SAS tokens off.", "pricing": "freemium", "pricingNotes": "$4.50 per 1,000 transactions on every Gen2 meter, after a free monthly amount of 5,000 transactions for Search, Geolocation, Timezone and base map tiles and 1,000 for Routing, Traffic, Weather, imagery tiles and static images (https://prices.azure.com/api/retail/prices, read 8 October 2026). Fifteen tiles count as one transaction, four route matrix cells as one, and ten autocomplete requests as one. The pricing page says discounts start at 100,000 transactions a month through sales. An Azure account needs a card for identity checks, so there is no card-free start. Gen1 pricing retired on 15 September 2026.", "priceSummary": "$4.50 / 1k req", "where": "hosted", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the Azure Maps docs, the OpenAPI documents or the pricing page (checked 2026-10-08).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": 9084, "pypiWeekly": 24564, "asOf": "2026-10-08" }, "docsUrl": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/maps/", "openapi": "https://github.com/Azure/azure-rest-api-specs/blob/main/specification/maps/data-plane/Search/stable/2026-01-01/search.json", "capabilities": [ "geo.geocode", "geo.reverse", "geo.places", "geo.routing", "geo.tiles", "weather.current", "weather.forecast" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "closed-source", "freemium", "free-tier", "card-required", "openapi", "oauth", "python", "typescript", "dotnet", "java", "enterprise", "sla", "eu" ], "lastRelease": "2026-09-30", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 67.9, "grade": "B", "agentReady": false, "rank": 196, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 722, "categoryRank": 5, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 73, "maintenance": 67, "payments": 20, "reliability": 81, "schema": 83, "security": 66, "transparency": 74 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-08" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "Azure Maps publishes OpenAPI documents for every service, per-service rate limits, a 99.9 per cent SLA and written rules on storing results, and Entra ID roles can limit a caller to one service. Place search exists only in Search 1.0, which the newer version has superseded, and the REST client libraries are all beta.", "bestFor": "Teams already on Azure that want geocoding and routing under Entra ID roles and one flat price.", "strengths": [ "Public OpenAPI documents for Search, Route, Render, Traffic, Weather, Timezone and Geolocation in `Azure/azure-rest-api-specs`, with examples on every operation", "Three credential types. Entra ID with built-in and custom roles, SAS tokens with a 24-hour limit, a rate cap and allowed regions, and two rotatable keys", "Default rate limits published per service, 500 requests a second for search, 250 for reverse geocoding and 50 for routing", "The product terms state storage rules in writing. Geocodes may be kept while the Azure account is active, other results for six months at most", "Responses with 5xx, 401, 403, 408 and 429 are not billed, and the October 2026 SLA commits to 99.9 per cent" ], "weaknesses": [ "Place and category search exist only in Search 1.0. Search 2026-01-01, which supersedes it, has geocoding, autocomplete, reverse geocoding and polygons", "Every REST client library is a beta. `azure-maps-search` on PyPI was last released on 12 December 2024", "The authentication guide tells callers to put the subscription key in the URL, and the key reaches every REST API on the account", "An Azure account needs a card and a browser signup before the free monthly transactions apply", "No Retry-After header or backoff guidance for 429 was found in the reviewed documentation, and no API changelog page" ], "agentNotes": [ "Send the key in the `subscription-key` header, or use `Authorization: Bearer` with `x-ms-client-id`. The key also works as a URL parameter, which leaks into logs.", "Call `GET /geocode?api-version=2026-01-01` for addresses. It can return 200 with no results, so check `confidence`, `matchCodes` and the entity type before use.", "Use Search 1.0 (`/search/poi/json`, `/search/nearby/json`, `/search/fuzzy/json`) for places. The 2026-01-01 version has no place search.", "Use `eu.atlas.microsoft.com` or `us.atlas.microsoft.com` to keep request data in that geography.", "Don't store route or tile results beyond six months, and never for serving several users. The product terms allow keeping geocodes while the account is active." ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "B", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 67.9 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 73, "maintenance": 67, "payments": 20, "reliability": 81, "schema": 83, "security": 66, "transparency": 69 }, "provenanceScore": 78 }, "connect": { "install": "pip install azure-maps-search # or: npm i @azure-rest/maps-search", "http": "curl \"https://atlas.microsoft.com/geocode?api-version=2026-01-01\u0026query=15127%20NE%2024th%20Street%2C%20Redmond%2C%20WA\" \\\n -H \"subscription-key: $AZURE_MAPS_KEY\"" }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/geo.geocode", "tool": "https://letme.dev/azure-maps" }, "sameCompany": [ "azure-foundry-fine-tuning", "azure-ai-content-safety", "azure-speech-to-text", "azure-text-to-speech", "microsoft-agent-framework", "microsoft-execution-containers", "microsoft-entra-agent-id", "azure-key-vault", "azure-devops-mcp", "microsoft-learn-mcp", "playwright-mcp", "azure-mcp", "azure-translator", "microsoft-graph-calendar", "microsoft-teams", "dynamics-365-sales", "power-automate", "microsoft-advertising-api", "microsoft-excel-graph", "outlook-mail-graph" ], "area": "everyday", "unitPrices": [ { "item": "Search (geocoding, reverse geocoding, places)", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4.5, "note": "5,000 free a month. Ten autocomplete requests count as one" }, { "item": "Routing", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4.5, "note": "1,000 free a month. Four matrix cells count as one" }, { "item": "Base map tiles", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4.5, "note": "5,000 free a month. One transaction is 15 tiles" }, { "item": "Traffic", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4.5, "note": "1,000 free a month" }, { "item": "Weather", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4.5, "note": "1,000 free a month" }, { "item": "Static map images", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4.5, "note": "1,000 free a month" } ], "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Microsoft Corporation", "domain": "microsoft.com", "domainRegistered": "1991-05-02", "domainNote": "The API answers at atlas.microsoft.com, with eu.atlas.microsoft.com and us.atlas.microsoft.com for a chosen geography. Docs are on learn.microsoft.com.", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms/productoffering/MicrosoftAzure/MCA", "privacy": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement", "statusPage": "https://azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status", "changelog": "", "securityTxt": "expired", "checked": "2026-10-08", "notes": [ "The Product Terms page for Microsoft Azure carries the Azure Maps service-specific terms (navigation, database, caching and storage, attribution, print and broadcast rules) and points to the Data Protection Addendum and the SLA. Our reader saw no effective date on the page.", "The privacy statement (last updated September 2026) names Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052, and Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited in Dublin. It lists Microsoft Azure among the enterprise online services and says the customer's agreement controls where the two conflict.", "No changelog for the REST APIs was found in the Azure Maps docs. The release notes there cover the Web SDK map control, drawing tools and spatial module only, and the docs link to the general Azure updates page.", "https://www.microsoft.com/.well-known/security.txt shows Expires 2026-09-23T16:00:00.000Z. It points to the MSRC researcher portal, the bounty policy and the coordinated disclosure policy.", "RDAP for microsoft.com gives a registration date of 1991-05-02.", "The Azure status page is shared by all Azure services and its history lists only broad incidents." ], "score": 78 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/azure-maps.json", "live": { "slug": "azure-maps", "probe": { "target": "https://atlas.microsoft.com", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-08T21:12:04.826843978Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 200, "lastMs": 552, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 85.71, "uptime30d": 85.71, "p50ms24h": 391, "p95ms24h": 825, "samples24h": 21, "samples30d": 21, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-08", "probes": 21, "ok": 18 } ] }, "updatedAt": "2026-10-08T21:12:04.826843978Z" } }, "answer": "Azure Maps scores 67.9 (B) 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": "Microsoft Azure", "b": "MapQuest (System1)", "name": "Vendor" }, { "a": "https://atlas.microsoft.com", "b": "https://www.mapquestapi.com", "name": "Hosted endpoint" }, { "a": "HTTP", "b": "HTTP, Streamable HTTP", "name": "Transports" }, { "a": "OAuth or key", "b": "OAuth or key", "name": "Auth" }, { "a": "Freemium", "b": "Pay per use", "name": "Pricing" }, { "a": "$4.50 per 1,000 requests", "b": "not published", "name": "Price for geo geocode" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "x402" }, { "a": "Proprietary service under Microsoft's Product Terms. The Azure SDK client libraries are MIT", "b": "Proprietary service. No API terms were found published without a login", "name": "Licence" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "Read-only variant documented" }, { "a": "no", "b": "yes", "name": "llms.txt" }, { "a": "2026-09-30", "b": "2026-07-16", "name": "Last release" }, { "a": "no date given", "b": "no document linked", "name": "Terms last updated" }, { "a": "2026-09-01", "b": "no document linked", "name": "Privacy policy last updated" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "", "name": "Customer content may train models" }, { "a": "not found in the text", "b": "", "name": "Terms restrict automated access" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "", "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking" }, { "a": "not found in the text", "b": "", "name": "Terms or service can change without notice" }, { "a": "not found in the text", "b": "", "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver" }, { "a": "9.1k npm/wk, 25k PyPI/wk", "b": "none", "name": "Popularity" } ], "faq": [ { "answer": "Azure Maps scores 67.9 (B) 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, Azure Maps or MapQuest?" }, { "answer": "Both take an API key or an OAuth sign-in.", "question": "Do Azure Maps and MapQuest need an API key?" }, { "answer": "Yes. Azure Maps has a hosted endpoint at https://atlas.microsoft.com and MapQuest at https://www.mapquestapi.com.", "question": "Can an agent call Azure Maps and MapQuest without installing anything?" } ], "goodFor": [ { "aheadOn": [ "Reliability, 81 against 23", "Schema \u0026 documentation, 83 against 47", "Agent ergonomics, 73 against 60", "Security \u0026 auth, 66 against 28", "Maintenance \u0026 community, 67 against 23", "Transparency \u0026 trust, 74 against 28" ], "also": null, "goodFor": "Teams already on Azure that want geocoding and routing under Entra ID roles and one flat price.", "slug": "azure-maps", "watchFor": "Place and category search exist only in Search 1.0. Search 2026-01-01, which supersedes it, has geocoding, autocomplete, reverse geocoding and polygons" }, { "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-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-mapquest.json", "title": "Amazon Location Service vs MapQuest", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-azure-maps.json", "title": "ArcGIS Location Platform vs Azure Maps", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-azure-maps" }, { "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-geoapify.json", "title": "Azure Maps vs Geoapify Location Platform + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-geoapify" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-google-maps-platform.json", "title": "Azure Maps vs Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-google-maps-platform" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-locationiq.json", "title": "Azure Maps vs LocationIQ", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-locationiq" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapbox.json", "title": "Azure Maps vs Mapbox APIs + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapbox" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-opencage.json", "title": "Azure Maps vs OpenCage Geocoding API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-opencage" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-stadia-maps.json", "title": "Azure Maps vs Stadia Maps", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-stadia-maps" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-tomtom.json", "title": "Azure Maps vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-tomtom" }, { "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": [ { "azure-maps": 81, "by": 58, "edge": "azure-maps", "key": "reliability", "mapquest": 23, "name": "Reliability", "weight": 16 }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "azure-maps": 83, "by": 36, "edge": "azure-maps", "key": "schema", "mapquest": 47, "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "weight": 13 }, { "azure-maps": 73, "by": 13, "edge": "azure-maps", "key": "ergonomics", "mapquest": 60, "name": "Agent ergonomics", "weight": 13 }, { "azure-maps": 66, "by": 38, "edge": "azure-maps", "key": "security", "mapquest": 28, "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "weight": 14 }, { "azure-maps": 20, "by": 10, "edge": "mapquest", "key": "payments", "mapquest": 30, "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "weight": 10 }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "azure-maps": 67, "by": 44, "edge": "azure-maps", "key": "maintenance", "mapquest": 23, "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "weight": 7 }, { "azure-maps": 74, "by": 46, "edge": "azure-maps", "key": "transparency", "mapquest": 28, "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "weight": 7 } ], "summary": "Azure Maps scores 67.9 (B) 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": { "azure-maps": "Azure Maps publishes OpenAPI documents for every service, per-service rate limits, a 99.9 per cent SLA and written rules on storing results, and Entra ID roles can limit a caller to one service. Place search exists only in Search 1.0, which the newer version has superseded, and the REST client libraries are all beta.", "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/azure-maps-vs-mapquest", "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.json", "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt", "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.md", "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.min.md" }, "markdown": "Azure Maps scores 67.9 (B) 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- Azure Maps: grade B, 67.9/100, rank #196 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/azure-maps.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/azure-maps.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### Azure Maps (B)\n\nGood for: Teams already on Azure that want geocoding and routing under Entra ID roles and one flat price.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 81 against 23\n- Schema \u0026 documentation, 83 against 47\n- Agent ergonomics, 73 against 60\n- Security \u0026 auth, 66 against 28\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 67 against 23\n- Transparency \u0026 trust, 74 against 28\n\nWatch for: Place and category search exist only in Search 1.0. Search 2026-01-01, which supersedes it, has geocoding, autocomplete, reverse geocoding and polygons\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 | Azure Maps | MapQuest | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 81 | 23 | Azure Maps +58 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 83 | 47 | Azure Maps +36 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 73 | 60 | Azure Maps +13 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 66 | 28 | Azure Maps +38 |\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) | 67 | 23 | Azure Maps +44 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 74 | 28 | Azure Maps +46 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **67.9 · B** | **35.1 · F** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | Azure Maps | MapQuest |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | Microsoft Azure | MapQuest (System1) |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://atlas.microsoft.com` | `https://www.mapquestapi.com` |\n| Transports | HTTP | HTTP, Streamable HTTP |\n| Auth | OAuth or key | OAuth or key |\n| Pricing | Freemium | Pay per use |\n| Price for geo geocode | $4.50 per 1,000 requests | not published |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | Proprietary service under Microsoft's Product Terms. The Azure SDK client libraries are MIT | Proprietary service. No API terms were found published without a login |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | no |\n| llms.txt | no | yes |\n| Last release | 2026-09-30 | 2026-07-16 |\n| Terms last updated | no date given | no document linked |\n| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-09-01 | no document linked |\n| Customer content may train models | yes | |\n| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | |\n| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | |\n| Popularity | 9.1k npm/wk, 25k PyPI/wk | none |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**Azure Maps.** Azure Maps publishes OpenAPI documents for every service, per-service rate limits, a 99.9 per cent SLA and written rules on storing results, and Entra ID roles can limit a caller to one service. Place search exists only in Search 1.0, which the newer version has superseded, and the REST client libraries are all beta.\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### Azure Maps\n\n1. Send the key in the `subscription-key` header, or use `Authorization: Bearer` with `x-ms-client-id`. The key also works as a URL parameter, which leaks into logs.\n2. Call `GET /geocode?api-version=2026-01-01` for addresses. It can return 200 with no results, so check `confidence`, `matchCodes` and the entity type before use.\n3. Use Search 1.0 (`/search/poi/json`, `/search/nearby/json`, `/search/fuzzy/json`) for places. The 2026-01-01 version has no place search.\n4. Use `eu.atlas.microsoft.com` or `us.atlas.microsoft.com` to keep request data in that geography.\n5. Don't store route or tile results beyond six months, and never for serving several users. The product terms allow keeping geocodes while the account is active.\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, Azure Maps or MapQuest?\n\nAzure Maps scores 67.9 (B) 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 Azure Maps and MapQuest need an API key?\n\nBoth take an API key or an OAuth sign-in.\n\n### Can an agent call Azure Maps and MapQuest without installing anything?\n\nYes. Azure Maps has a hosted endpoint at https://atlas.microsoft.com and MapQuest at https://www.mapquestapi.com.\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"azure-maps\", \"b\": \"mapquest\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare azure-maps mapquest`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/azure-maps.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/mapquest.json\n\n## Other comparisons with Azure Maps or MapQuest\n\n- [Amazon Location Service vs Azure Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-azure-maps.md)\n- [Amazon Location Service vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest.md)\n- [ArcGIS Location Platform vs Azure Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-azure-maps.md)\n- [ArcGIS Location Platform vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-mapquest.md)\n- [Azure Maps vs Geoapify Location Platform + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-geoapify.md)\n- [Azure Maps vs Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-google-maps-platform.md)\n- [Azure Maps vs LocationIQ](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-locationiq.md)\n- [Azure Maps vs Mapbox APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapbox.md)\n- [Azure Maps vs OpenCage Geocoding API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-opencage.md)\n- [Azure Maps vs Stadia Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-stadia-maps.md)\n- [Azure Maps vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-tomtom.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": "Azure Maps vs MapQuest", "url": "" } ], "description": "Azure Maps scores 67.9 (B) 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": [ "Azure Maps B 67.9", "MapQuest F 35.1", "scores" ], "h1": "Azure Maps vs MapQuest", "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/compare-azure-maps-vs-mapquest.png", "path": "/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest", "published": "2026-10-01", "section": "tools", "title": "Azure Maps vs MapQuest for AI agents, B 67.9 vs F 35.1", "toc": null, "updated": "2026-10-08", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest" }, "tokens": { "markdown": 2300, "slim": 730 }, "version": 1 }