Google Maps cost $$$ in spite of using “Embedded Maps”

Hi!

I make heavy use of maps on my site https://padelfinder.de/ where i list padel locations in germany. To keep the cost low, i am using the “Embedded maps” setting in Events > Settings > Google Maps & Location Services.

Now, Google is billing me $$$ nevertheless and when searching for a reason, i stumbled across this sentence in the EM documentation: Also, if you're using the [events_map] or [locations_map] shortcode, each map load will count as one Dynamic Maps API call. If you have multiple maps on a single page, each map displayed counts as one map load, even if on the same page.

I use the shortcode maps [locations_map width=100% height=100% limit=500] on most category pages and #_LOCATIONMAP{100%,0} on the location pages.

My questions are:

• Is there a setting in free or pro versions of EM to make shortcode maps stick to the preset map type? Or are they always going to be dynamic maps that cost $$$?
• With my settings, only the shortcode maps cost $$$, right? Maps on location pages using #_LOCATIONMAP{100%,0} are embedded and thus free, right?
• Is there an option in free or pro versions of EM to natively use alternatives to Google Maps like OpenStreetMap? Now or in future?

Thank you so much for clarifiying and pointing me in the right direction.

🙂🙏

• This topic was modified 2 months, 1 week ago by Oliver Gelbrich.

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