LocationIQ
LocationIQ, operated by Unwired Labs from Hyderabad, India, is an API-first location data platform offering geocoding, mapping, and routing APIs built on OpenStreetMap. It serves 100,000+ global developers as a low-cost alternative to Google Maps, monetizing via usage-based subscriptions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBengaluru, India
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What LocationIQ does
LocationIQ is a private, developer-focused location data platform founded in 2013 and operated by parent entity Unwired Labs out of Hyderabad, India. The company provides a unified REST API surface covering forward geocoding, reverse geocoding, autocomplete/typeahead, static and dynamic map tiles (vector and raster, in Streets/Dark/Light themes), routing (directions, TSP-based optimization, distance matrix, map matching, nearest-road), timezone lookup, and nearby/POI queries. Underlying geographic data is aggregated from multiple open-source datasets including OpenStreetMap, Geonames, OpenAddresses, and Who's On First, with routing powered by the Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM). The company maintains US and EU datacenter endpoints and claims 99.99% uptime with 100,000+ developers on the platform processing billions of requests per day.
The technology stack is intentionally built on open-source data and rendering libraries, with first-party and community SDKs available for MapLibre GL JS, OpenLayers, Leaflet JS, and Angular (plus unofficial Go, Node, PHP, and Python clients). The platform is GDPR-compliant and serves global customers through an API-first go-to-market motion. GTM is split between self-service signup with a free tier (targeting SMBs, individual developers, and long-tail customers) and a direct enterprise sales motion offering custom rate limits, payment terms, and SLAs.
The commercial model is usage-based with monthly billing, with paid plans scaled from 10,000 calls/day up to 10 billion calls/day and no long-term commitments. The company explicitly positions on price, claiming up to 92% cost savings versus Google Maps API, and supports SEO-driven comparison pages (Google Maps Alternative, Mapbox Alternative, Mapquest Alternative) to capture intent-driven organic demand. Named reference customers (MoBerries GmbH, eDelta, EnVsion, Detonation IoT, Evobel) skew toward startups and SMBs across HR tech, education, AI video analysis, IoT, and entrepreneurship, with asset tracking, web/app development, and business intelligence cited as primary use-case segments.
LocationIQ firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LocationIQ
- Legal name
- LocationIQ (operated by Unwired Labs)
- Website
- https://locationiq.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LocationIQ, operated by Unwired Labs from Hyderabad, India, is an API-first location data platform offering geocoding, mapping, and routing APIs built on OpenStreetMap. It serves 100,000+ global developers as a low-cost alternative to Google Maps, monetizing via usage-based subscriptions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LocationIQ industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Geocoding and Location Intelligence APIs
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Geocoding, Search & Place Data Platforms (BPAMANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mapping & Basemap Platforms (Tiles/SDKs) (BPAMANAB)
Keywords
Where LocationIQ is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bengaluru
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
LocationIQ business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- API Usage-based Subscription: Usage-based pricing where customers pay according to the number of API requests made. Plans range from 10,000 calls per day on free tier up to 10 billion calls per day on enterprise plans. No complicated agreements, no long-term commitments, no hidden charges.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free tier for developers to get started |
| Usage-based | Monthly | Scalable paid plans from startup to enterprise |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
LocationIQ product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LocationIQ provides a comprehensive suite of location-based REST APIs covering geocoding (forward and reverse), autocomplete, static and dynamic maps (vector and raster tiles), routing (directions, optimization, matrix, map matching, nearest), timezone, and nearby/POI queries. The platform is built on open-source geographic data from OpenStreetMap, Geonames, OpenAddresses, and Who's On First, with US and EU datacenters delivering 99.99% uptime for global developer and enterprise use.
Product overview
LocationIQ is a location intelligence platform offering a comprehensive suite of geocoding, mapping, and routing APIs as an affordable alternative to Google Maps. The product portfolio centers on six core APIs: Geocoding (forward/reverse address-to-coordinate conversion), Autocomplete (typeahead search), Maps (vector and raster tile rendering), Routing (directions, optimization, distance matrix, map matching), Timezone API (timezone data), and Nearby/Places (point of interest queries). Additional utilities include Static Maps for standalone map images and a Balance API for usage monitoring. All services are powered by OpenStreetMap and other open data sources, with US and EU datacenter deployment for high availability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Geocoding API
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 92% cost savings on monthly bill compared to Google Maps alternative
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use LocationIQ
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
LocationIQ technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Feature8 records
LocationIQ partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF)coreLocationIQ is a corporate member of the OpenStreetMap Foundation. The company's geocoding and location services are powered by OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0). This partnership provides the foundational geographic data for LocationIQ's APIs.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
LocationIQ competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mapbox: Mapbox provides developer APIs and SDKs for maps, geocoding, routing, and navigation, directly competing with LocationIQ's core offering. Both target developers with usage-based pricing and serve similar use cases including asset tracking, BI, and web/app mapping.
- OpenCage Geocoding: OpenCage offers a developer-focused geocoding API built on open data, with a similar value proposition to LocationIQ including global coverage, usage-based pricing, and a freemium tier for developers.
- Geoapify: Geoapify provides location APIs including geocoding, routing, isolines, and map tiles with usage-based pricing for developers and SMBs. It competes head-to-head with LocationIQ in the affordable alternative segment.
- Radar: Radar offers a location platform with geocoding, search, routing, and geofencing APIs aimed at product and engineering teams. It overlaps directly with LocationIQ's developer-facing location services.
Broad incumbents
- Google Maps Platform: Google Maps Platform is the dominant incumbent offering geocoding, maps, routing, and Places APIs. LocationIQ explicitly positions itself as a cost-saving alternative, making Google the principal competitor.
- HERE Technologies: HERE offers a global location platform with mapping, geocoding, routing, and location services used by enterprises across automotive, logistics, and IoT. It is a broader incumbent with comparable API surface area.
- TomTom: TomTom provides maps, traffic, and location APIs as part of its broader navigation and location technology stack. Comparable to LocationIQ on routing and geocoding but at much larger enterprise scale.
- Esri: Esri's ArcGIS platform provides enterprise-grade mapping, geocoding, and spatial analytics. It serves as a broader incumbent in the geospatial stack, overlapping with LocationIQ's location intelligence and BI use cases.
- Pitney Bowes (Location Intelligence): Pitney Bowes offers geocoding and address validation APIs as part of its broader commerce and location intelligence portfolio. It overlaps with LocationIQ's address-quality-focused geocoding services, especially in enterprise contexts.
Emerging players
- Foursquare Places: Foursquare's Places API provides POI, geocoding, and location context data. It is a partial competitor to LocationIQ's Nearby/POI API but emphasizes venue data depth over horizontal mapping APIs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LocationIQ social profiles
Digital presenceLocationIQ compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
LocationIQ financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LocationIQ leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
LocationIQ funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LocationIQ M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LocationIQ
What does LocationIQ do?
LocationIQ provides a comprehensive suite of location-based REST APIs covering geocoding (forward and reverse), autocomplete, static and dynamic maps (vector and raster tiles), routing (directions, optimization, matrix, map matching, nearest), timezone, and nearby/POI queries. The platform is built on open-source geographic data from OpenStreetMap, Geonames, OpenAddresses, and Who's On First, with US and EU datacenters delivering 99.99% uptime for global developer and enterprise use.
Is LocationIQ a public or private company?
LocationIQ is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was LocationIQ founded?
LocationIQ was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LocationIQ based?
LocationIQ is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, in the Asia region.
How does LocationIQ make money?
One revenue line is on record: API Usage-based Subscription.
Who are LocationIQ's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mapbox, OpenCage Geocoding, Geoapify and Radar. Broad incumbents are Google Maps Platform, HERE Technologies, TomTom, Esri and Pitney Bowes (Location Intelligence). Foursquare Places is listed as an emerging player.
Does LocationIQ have an API?
Yes. LocationIQ offers a public REST API for location-based services including Geocoding, Reverse Geocoding, Autocomplete, Maps, Routing, Timezone, Nearby/Places, Map Matching, Balance, and Static Maps. The API uses access token authentication and supports both US (us1.locationiq.com) and EU (eu1.locationiq.com) endpoints. The Autocomplete endpoint offers Anycast routing for optimal performance. Rate limits vary by plan. Official code samples available in Python, PHP, Shell, and JavaScript. Unofficial community client libraries exist for Go, Node, PHP, and Python. Developer documentation is at docs.locationiq.com.
What industry is LocationIQ in?
LocationIQ's product category is Geocoding and Location Intelligence APIs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMANAC, Geocoding, Search & Place Data Platforms, with a secondary code of BPAMANAB, Mapping & Basemap Platforms (Tiles/SDKs). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7370.