# Azure Maps vs Woosmap

> Azure Maps scores 67.1 (B) to Woosmap's 59.4 (C) for geocoding. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-woosmap
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-woosmap.md (~4,250 tokens)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (the key docs and every listing in one file, at most 16 MB, about 4 million tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
- DNS: dig +short TXT <slug>.grade.anchorterminal.com (the grade as a DNS TXT record, for a sandbox with no HTTP where names still resolve; also top., best.<category>. and <a>.vs.<b>. under the zone, and the same under grade.letme.dev)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)
- Updated: 2026-11-07

Azure Maps scores 67.1 (B) on agent readiness against Woosmap's 59.4 (C), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Woosmap leads on payments & pricing. Both do geocoding.

- Azure Maps: grade B, 67.1/100, rank #338 of 1486. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/azure-maps.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/azure-maps.json
- Woosmap: grade C, 59.4/100, rank #704 of 1486. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/woosmap.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/woosmap.json
- Best maps, geocoding and places APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/maps/index.md
- All 153 maps comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/maps/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Azure Maps (B)

Good for: Teams already on Azure that want geocoding and routing under Entra ID roles and one flat price.

Ahead on:
- Security & auth, 66 against 43
- Maintenance & community, 57 against 26
- Transparency & trust, 75 against 54

Watch 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

### Woosmap (C)

Good for: Store locators, address autocomplete and distance for retail and logistics teams that keep their own location data in the platform, with an MCP server for agents.

Ahead on:
- Payments & pricing, 30 against 20

Also in its favour:
- Free to start without a card

Watch for: No public changelog or release notes for the APIs


## Why the edge

### Maintenance & community: Azure Maps +31

- Azure Maps (57): Read as a closed service with official SDKs. The spec repository's newest Maps API or description changes are from 30 September 2026, removing Render 1.0 after its retirement on 17 September and clarifying autocomplete result types, 32 days before 1 November. The commits since then under the Maps folder (8 and 14 October) only change TypeSpec tooling and linter settings, so they don't count (20). Dated Maps changes since 3 August include description and example fixes on 28 August, 1 September, 14, 16 and 23 September and the two of 30 September, plus the Gen1 pricing retirement on 15 September (20). No API changelog. Microsoft Q&A and a feedback forum are linked from each docs page, which we did not read (8 of 15). The REST client libraries are all beta and lag the service. The azure-sdk changelogs date `azure-maps-search` 2.0.0b2 and `azure-maps-route` 1.0.0b3 to 12 December 2024 and `@azure-rest/maps-search` 2.0.0-beta.4 and `@azure-rest/maps-route` 1.0.0-beta.6 to 22 August 2025, with the next betas unreleased (5 of 15). The libraries live in the azure-sdk monorepos, CI not checked (4 of 10). 20+20+8+5+4 = 57.
- Woosmap (26): No dated API release, changelog or release note found. The newest dated activity we saw is the public woosmap-samples repository on 16 September 2026, which isn't an API release (10). No dated changes to count in the last 90 days (0). Support by email and a support centre, with no public changelog (5). Official JavaScript, iOS and Android SDKs exist, but we couldn't check their versions because the GitHub API was rate-limited and two SDK repository names didn't resolve; the MCP server isn't in the official MCP registry (8). The samples carry tests, per the rate-limits page (3). 10+0+5+8+3 = 26.

### Security & auth: Azure Maps +23

- Azure Maps (66): Microsoft Entra ID OAuth tokens with Azure roles, SAS tokens limited to 24 hours with a rate cap and allowed regions, and two subscription keys that can be regenerated in turn (30). Less 10 because the authentication guide tells callers to add the subscription key as a URL parameter, and Search 1.0 declares the key as a query parameter (20). Built-in reader roles, custom roles down to one service such as `Microsoft.Maps/accounts/services/search/read`, and `disableLocalAuth` to turn keys off. The data-plane APIs only read. A subscription key reaches every API on the account (18 of 20). Place names, addresses and traffic incident text come from third parties, and no prompt-injection guidance was found (5 of 15). Azure Monitor metrics show usage, errors and availability for 93 days. Per-request logs were not found in the Azure Maps docs (6 of 15). MSRC coordinated disclosure and bounty policies, and Azure Maps is on the FedRAMP High audit scope list dated 21 September 2026. The microsoft.com security.txt passed its Expires date on 23 September 2026 and still carries it on 1 November, and we did not confirm Maps on a SOC 2 scope list. An MSRC search on 1 November finds no CVE naming Azure Maps since November 2025 (17 of 20). 20+18+5+6+17 = 66.
- Woosmap (43): Public keys are read-only and must carry a domain or IP restriction. Private keys are read-only or read and write (fixed at creation), restricted by IP, iOS or Android, and can go in an X-Api-Key header. Less 10 because `private_key` in the query string is a documented option and the default in the spec (17). Read-only keys and the read/write split give least privilege; no confirmation step on dataset deletes was found (16). find_nearby and get_place_details return public POI data, ratings and opening hours, with no prompt-injection guidance (7). Console usage per project wasn't checked (3). www.woosmap.com/.well-known/security.txt returns 404, and we found no disclosure policy, bug bounty or certification (0). 17+16+7+3+0 = 43.

### Transparency & trust: Azure Maps +21

- Azure Maps (75): Closed service under Microsoft's Product Terms, which carry a section of Azure Maps rules on storage, navigation and attribution, with MIT client libraries (15 of 30). The docs say requests and input data are stored only in the chosen geography and that queries go to TomTom without a link to the customer. No retention period for request data was found, and we did not read the Data Protection Addendum (22 of 30). The Modern Lifecycle Policy promises 12 months' notice before support ends. Gen1 pricing and Render 1.0 retired on stated dates in September 2026, while Search 1.0 is superseded with no date (16 of 20). TomTom is named as a subprocessor, and European and United States endpoints fix the data location. The full sub-processor list sits on the Service Trust Portal, which we did not read (16 of 20). 15+22+16+16 = 69.
- Woosmap (54): Editorial half only. Closed service under online terms that name WOOSMAP SAS of Montpellier and the Commercial Court of Paris (15). The privacy policy covers website visitors only, and we found no statement on how long API request data is kept (5). The pricing page says the Address API is 'being deprecated for Pro Plan subscriptions', with no date (5). The legal notice says the site is hosted by Amazon Web Services; no sub-processor list or data location for the APIs was found (6). 15+5+5+6 = 31.

### Payments & pricing: Woosmap +10

- Azure Maps (20): No x402, MPP or L402 (0). Per-1,000-transaction prices are public without a login through the Azure Retail Prices API, $4.50 on each Gen2 meter. The pricing page showed our reader the free amounts but no dollar figures (20), re-read on 1 November. Free monthly transactions exist, 5,000 for search and 1,000 for routing, but an Azure account asks for a card to verify identity (0). A person signs up in a browser and creates the Maps account (0). 0+20+0+0 = 20.
- Woosmap (30): No x402, MPP or L402 (0). Plans and per-API tier breakpoints are public, but per-request prices sit in a script-driven calculator we couldn't read, so plan-only credit (10). Free plan up to 10,000 requests a month with 'No Credit Card Required' (20). A person signs up and creates a key in the console (0). 0+10+20+0 = 30.

## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Azure Maps | Woosmap | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 81 | 78 | Azure Maps +3 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 83 | 81 | Azure Maps +2 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 73 | 76 | Woosmap +3 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 66 | 43 | Azure Maps +23 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 30 | Woosmap +10 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 57 | 26 | Azure Maps +31 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 75 | 54 | Azure Maps +21 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **67.1 · B** | **59.4 · C** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Azure Maps | Woosmap |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | Microsoft | WOOSMAP SAS |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://atlas.microsoft.com` | `https://api.woosmap.com/mcp` |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP, Streamable HTTP |
| Auth | OAuth or key | API key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Price for geocoding | $4.50 per 1,000 requests | not published |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary service under Microsoft's Product Terms. The Azure SDK client libraries are MIT | none |
| Tools exposed | none | 9 |
| Read-only variant documented | no | yes |
| llms.txt | no | yes |
| Last release | 2026-09-30 | none |
| Terms last updated | no date given | no date given |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-09-01 | 2024-07-01 |
| Customer content may train models | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Popularity | 9.1k npm/wk, 25k PyPI/wk | none |
| Agent reviews | 3.3/5 (4) | none |

## How the scores have moved

### Azure Maps

- -0.9 on 1 November 2026: time
- +0.1 on 27 October 2026: checklist

### Woosmap

No score change since it was listed.

## 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.

**Woosmap.** Woosmap publishes an OpenAPI 3.1 spec, llms.txt with Markdown pages, per-endpoint rate limits and 429 retry rules, plus a hosted nine-tool MCP server. No changelog, security.txt, API data retention statement or readable per-request price was found, and private keys can travel in the query string.

## Before you call either

### Azure Maps

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Use Search 1.0 (`/search/poi/json`, `/search/nearby/json`, `/search/fuzzy/json`) for places. The 2026-01-01 version has no place search.
4. Use `eu.atlas.microsoft.com` or `us.atlas.microsoft.com` to keep request data in that geography.
5. 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.

### Woosmap

1. Send the private key in the X-Api-Key header, not the private_key query parameter
2. Use a read-only private key for the MCP server unless the task writes stores or datasets
3. On 429 wait the `t` seconds from the RateLimit header, retry at most three times, and pause batches when `r` reaches 0
4. Use find_stores_nearby for the customer's own locations and find_nearby for public POIs
5. Read endpoint parameters from the /api-reference/ Markdown pages, which llms.txt marks as authoritative

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Azure Maps or Woosmap?

Azure Maps scores 67.1 (B) on agent readiness against Woosmap's 59.4 (C), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Woosmap leads on payments & pricing.

### Do Azure Maps and Woosmap need an API key?

Azure Maps takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in. Woosmap needs an API key.

### Can an agent call Azure Maps and Woosmap without installing anything?

Yes. Azure Maps has a hosted endpoint at https://atlas.microsoft.com and Woosmap at https://api.woosmap.com/mcp.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-woosmap.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-woosmap.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "azure-maps", "b": "woosmap"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare azure-maps woosmap`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/azure-maps.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/woosmap.json

## Other comparisons with Azure Maps or Woosmap

- [Amazon Location Service vs Azure Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-azure-maps.md)
- [Amazon Location Service vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-woosmap.md)
- [ArcGIS Location Platform vs Azure Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-azure-maps.md)
- [ArcGIS Location Platform vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-woosmap.md)
- [Azure Maps vs Geoapify Location Platform + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-geoapify.md)
- [Azure Maps vs Geocodio](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-geocodio.md)
- [Azure Maps vs Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-google-maps-platform.md)
- [Azure Maps vs HERE Location Services](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-here-location-services.md)
- [Azure Maps vs LocationIQ](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-locationiq.md)
- [Azure Maps vs Mapbox APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapbox.md)
- [Azure Maps vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.md)
- [Azure Maps vs MapTiler Cloud](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-maptiler.md)
- [Azure Maps vs NextBillion.ai](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-nextbillion.md)
- [Azure Maps vs Nominatim](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-nominatim.md)
- [Azure Maps vs OpenCage Geocoding API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-opencage.md)
- [Azure Maps vs Radar](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-radar.md)
- [Azure Maps vs Stadia Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-stadia-maps.md)
- [Azure Maps vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-tomtom.md)
- [Geoapify Location Platform + MCP vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/geoapify-vs-woosmap.md)
- [Geocodio vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/geocodio-vs-woosmap.md)
- [Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-maps-platform-vs-woosmap.md)
- [HERE Location Services vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/here-location-services-vs-woosmap.md)
- [LocationIQ vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/locationiq-vs-woosmap.md)
- [Mapbox APIs + MCP vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapbox-vs-woosmap.md)
- [MapQuest vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-woosmap.md)
- [MapTiler Cloud vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/maptiler-vs-woosmap.md)
- [Nominatim vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/nominatim-vs-woosmap.md)
- [OpenCage Geocoding API vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/opencage-vs-woosmap.md)
- [Radar vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/radar-vs-woosmap.md)
- [Stadia Maps vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/stadia-maps-vs-woosmap.md)
- [TomTom Maps APIs + MCP vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/tomtom-vs-woosmap.md)
- [NextBillion.ai vs Woosmap](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/nextbillion-vs-woosmap.md)

---

Query this catalogue directly over MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). How: https://www.anchorterminal.com/agents/#mcp