Thought I would share my just concluded experience with the new Google Maps Premium Plan options if anyone else has a renewal coming up.
Had old rate of just under $18,000 a year for my website maps usage. Several months before renewal, I am told about new plan and it would be $10,000. I was expecting a increase to maybe 20-25K so I think "Great, save a few thousand". I sign the contract. Then 3 weeks before renewal date, I am told it was a mistake and it should be $96,000 for the year. First payment due in 3 weeks.
Many phone calls and talks, (which they stood me up on three scheduled ones). Their stats don't match mine or what is reported in the API statistic areas. They sent me a spreadsheet and it included my urls and domains of large corporations that I have nothing to do with. Their map counts were being put on my record. They wouldn't acknowledge that report existed ever again so I think it was a mistake to send it to me.
Most of my maps are public and would be a standard plan but I have some in a subscription area, which is why I have to pay. To me, it seems like I should only pay for the paid area maps, which would be around $1 per map load at their new rate. But they said as soon as I have a paid section, the old free maps (up to around 25,000 a day) don't apply and I have to pay higher rate for everything, even the free maps. So they wanted $96,000 for map load numbers WAY UNDER the normal free amount.
The guy hinted that I would have to pay for Android maps too but would never clarify that really. But they already get 30% of my paid Android app fee, and maps have always been part of base Android. If they charge for that, while Apple provides it for free, it would be a HUGE change.
After being disappointed and thinking for a couple hours that I might be out of business, I spent three weeks of 18 hours days, no time off, rebuilding my entire site to use another map provider.
I don't know what the plan is or why all this was happening but instead of keeping or gaining a little from me, they lost it all. Doesn't seem like a realistic plan for small businesses.
