Today we are implementing a verification requirement for free API users in order to have access to the full allocation of free API requests (10,000 calls per day for most APIs, including Global Places). Unverified users will be capped at 100 calls per day. All existing API users will automatically be granted verified status.
There are two ways a new user can verify their account. One is immediate via a free credit card verification1 powered by Stripe. The second method is by emailing us and can take up to 3 business days for us to verify your account.
While we wish we did not have to implement verification, this is the result of our needing to balance limited resources to support a free service against responding to bad actors in the system – users that either breach our terms of service (for example, scraping the API for data with hundreds of accounts registered to a single user) or who consistently abuse the service at high volumes. We continue to offer download licensing for users that require volume access of our data for local use. That being said, we are committed to providing generous free access to our APIs for developers to develop, test, and launch innovative apps, and will continue to do so to verified users.
-Bradley Geilfuss, Sr. Product Manager
Notes:
1. A temporary test charge of $1.00 will be made to your card from Stripe. This charge should be refunded in ~7 days.
