LocationIQ

Overview

LocationIQ offers OpenStreetMap-based geocoding and maps — forward/reverse geocoding, autocomplete, and static maps — with a free tier. Auth is an API key (an invalid key returns 401, verified).

Quick Start

Forward geocoding (replace YOUR_KEY):

curl "https://us1.locationiq.com/v1/search?key=YOUR_KEY&q=paris&format=json&limit=1"

[
  {
    "place_id": "12345",
    "display_name": "Paris, Île-de-France, France",
    "lat": "48.8566",
    "lon": "2.3522",
    "class": "place",
    "type": "city"
  }
]

Reverse geocoding:

curl "https://us1.locationiq.com/v1/reverse?key=YOUR_KEY&lat=48.8566&lon=2.3522&format=json"

Autocomplete:

curl "https://us1.locationiq.com/v1/autocomplete?key=YOUR_KEY&q=par&limit=5"

Authentication

• Register at locationiq.org → free API key (in the dashboard).
• Send it as the key query parameter (invalid key → 401, verified).

Rate Limits & Notes

• Free tier: 5,000 requests/day (check current docs); paid plans scale.
• Data is OpenStreetMap-based (free data, API paid tiers).
• The US region host is us1.locationiq.com (EU: eu1).
• Also offers static map tiles and routing on paid tiers.

FAQ

Is LocationIQ free? Free tier: 5,000 requests/day; more is paid.

How do I get a key? Register at locationiq.org — the key is in your dashboard.

What data is it based on? OpenStreetMap.