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Is Google Address Lookup API Free?

Google offers a service that can validate a single address - but only if you use it on your public website. If you need to use it for internal systems or data entry on an ongoing basis, there are additional costs associated with this kind of access. Additionally, if you require support or customization of this API, Google charges for these services, based on the number of lookups - regardless of whether they return valid addresses.



One of the biggest issues with Google's API is that it does not provide any sort of standardized address data. This makes it hard to match your input against theirs. Additionally, it lacks important features such as unit numbers - critical for businesses shipping items to apartment buildings or complexes.


Another key issue is that Google's API limits the amount of data that can be stored, cached, pre-fetched or indexed - their license terms allow only 30 days. This is a significant limitation for companies that need to validate high volumes of addresses quickly and often.


Lastly, it is worth mentioning that Google's RDI (Return Delivery Indicator) accuracy is hit-or-miss. This could be a significant drawback, as not knowing the status of an address can prevent your company from providing accurate shipping quotes to customers or informing them that their order may be delayed. Fortunately, Smarty(tm)'s API offers a fast and reliable RDI option, allowing for thousands of addresses to be validated in less than 14 seconds.





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