Do commercial (paid) iPhone apps have to pay a license to Google for Maps? [closed]

Answer 1

Looking at Google's Terms of Services, it does not look like you have to pay Google for the use of MapKit with Commercial applications.

Google Maps Terms of Service (Specifically for the iPhone) http://code.google.com/apis/maps/iphone/terms.html

However, there are important restrictions such as you cannot charge a user for solely the use of a map (which most likely means if your app is just a locator application, you cannot charge for it).

Answer 2

You are not allowed to use the free Google Maps API on the iPhone if the App is for Sale unless you use Android with Google's store. See 9.1.2 Exceptions: https://developers.google.com/maps/terms

(Free Access) does not apply if your Maps API Implementation is used in a mobile application that is sold for a fee through an online store and is downloadable to a mobile device that can access the online store.

A commercial Maps Api License is too expensive for most cases. However using Apple's Map Kit will switch you to AppleMaps and that should be free.

Answer 3

The Maps API ToS here:

http://code.google.com/apis/maps/terms.html

will help. Basically they do say that they may decide to limit or throttle your requests to the API at any time at their discretion. You get a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable and non-exclusive license.

It may be used for personal or commercial, with the exception that if it's used by a US Government department, there's a separate ToS for that too.

Essentially it's up to you to use for what you will, but their ToS gives them the legal right to kick you out or change the terms at any time. Although I've yet to hear of a case of that actually happening.

Answer 4

According to the FAQ for Google Maps

http://code.google.com/apis/maps/iphone/terms.html

7.2 Service License. Google gives you a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable and non-exclusive license to use the Service as provided by Google, in the manner permitted by the Terms.

7.3 Content License. Google gives you a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable and non-exclusive license to access, use, publicly perform and publicly display the Content in your Maps API Implementation, as the Content is provided in the Service, and in the manner permitted by the Terms. Specifically, you understand the following:

Answer 5

I suppose that the key part from TOS is 9.1:

...Your Maps API Implementation may not charge an incremental fee solely for the Service.