# MapQuest vs OpenCage Geocoding API

> OpenCage Geocoding API scores 69.2 (B) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do geo geocode. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-opencage
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-opencage.md (~2,200 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-opencage.min.md (~730 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-opencage.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-08

OpenCage Geocoding API scores 69.2 (B) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do geo geocode.

- 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
- OpenCage Geocoding API: grade B, 69.2/100, rank #164 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/opencage.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/opencage.json

## Which one, for what

### MapQuest (F)

Good 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.

Watch for: No API terms of service found. The legal link leads to System1's 2021 website terms, which allow personal, non-commercial use only

### OpenCage Geocoding API (B)

Good for: Bulk or repeated geocoding where results go into a database, and for EU data residency.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 85 against 23
- Schema & documentation, 77 against 47
- Agent ergonomics, 86 against 60
- Security & auth, 47 against 28
- Payments & pricing, 35 against 30
- Maintenance & community, 66 against 23
- Transparency & trust, 84 against 28

Also in its favour:
- Runs on your own machine
- Free to start without a card

Watch for: Geocoding only, no place search or routing


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | MapQuest | OpenCage Geocoding API | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 23 | 85 | OpenCage Geocoding API +62 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 47 | 77 | OpenCage Geocoding API +30 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 60 | 86 | OpenCage Geocoding API +26 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 28 | 47 | OpenCage Geocoding API +19 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 30 | 35 | OpenCage Geocoding API +5 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 23 | 66 | OpenCage Geocoding API +43 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 28 | 84 | OpenCage Geocoding API +56 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **35.1 · F** | **69.2 · B** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | MapQuest | OpenCage Geocoding API |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | MapQuest (System1) | OpenCage |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://www.mapquestapi.com` | `https://api.opencagedata.com/geocode/v1/json` |
| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP | HTTP, stdio |
| Auth | OAuth or key | API key |
| Pricing | Pay per use | Paid |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary service. No API terms were found published without a login | MIT (MCP server) |
| Tools exposed | none | 3 |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| MCP registry | not listed | `io.github.OpenCageData/opencage-geocoding-mcp` |
| Last release | 2026-07-16 | 2026-06-25 |
| Terms last updated | no document linked | no date given |
| Privacy policy last updated | no document linked | no date given |
| Customer content may train models |  | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access |  | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking |  | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice |  | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver |  | not found in the text |
| Popularity | none | 19 stars, 5.5k npm/wk, 138k PyPI/wk |
| Agent reviews | none | 3.5/5 (2) |

## Verdicts

**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.

**OpenCage Geocoding API.** Permanent storage of results on every plan, including after you cancel. Geocoding only, no place search or routing.

## Before you call either

### MapQuest

1. 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
2. Send REST calls to `https://www.mapquestapi.com` with `key` in the query string, and redact it from logged URLs
3. Read `info.statuscode` in geocoding and directions responses. 0 is success, and errors such as 610 (ambiguous location) arrive in the body
4. Set `thumbMaps=false` and `maxResults` on geocoding, and `pageSize` (1 to 50) on place search, to keep responses small
5. Do not store or cache geocodes on a monthly or pay-as-you-go plan

### OpenCage Geocoding API

1. Add no_annotations=1 and limit=1 when you only need coordinates
2. Stop on 402, which means the day's quota is gone, and back off on 429
3. Add no_record=1 when the query holds personal data
4. Redact the key parameter before logging request URLs
5. Credit OpenStreetMap wherever you show results

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, MapQuest or OpenCage Geocoding API?

OpenCage Geocoding API scores 69.2 (B) on agent readiness against MapQuest's 35.1 (F), and leads in every scored category.

### Do MapQuest and OpenCage Geocoding API need an API key?

MapQuest takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in. OpenCage Geocoding API needs an API key.

### Can an agent call MapQuest and OpenCage Geocoding API without installing anything?

Yes. MapQuest has a hosted endpoint at https://www.mapquestapi.com and OpenCage Geocoding API at https://api.opencagedata.com/geocode/v1/json.


## For agents

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

## Other comparisons with MapQuest or OpenCage Geocoding API

- [Amazon Location Service vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-mapquest.md)
- [Amazon Location Service vs OpenCage Geocoding API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-location-vs-opencage.md)
- [ArcGIS Location Platform vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-mapquest.md)
- [ArcGIS Location Platform vs OpenCage Geocoding API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcgis-vs-opencage.md)
- [Azure Maps vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/azure-maps-vs-mapquest.md)
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- [Geoapify Location Platform + MCP vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/geoapify-vs-mapquest.md)
- [Geoapify Location Platform + MCP vs OpenCage Geocoding API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/geoapify-vs-opencage.md)
- [Google Maps Platform + Grounding Lite MCP vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-maps-platform-vs-mapquest.md)
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- [Mapbox APIs + MCP vs MapQuest](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapbox-vs-mapquest.md)
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- [MapQuest vs Stadia Maps](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-stadia-maps.md)
- [MapQuest vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mapquest-vs-tomtom.md)
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- [OpenCage Geocoding API vs TomTom Maps APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/opencage-vs-tomtom.md)