Google Maps MCP

Google Maps MCP is a free MCP server that gives your AI agent eight tools for Google Maps Platform. Your agent can turn addresses into coordinates, search for places, read a place’s hours and reviews, and work out routes, distances, elevation, and time zones. It is its own VS Code extension, it runs on your machine, and it uses your own Google Maps Platform API key.

There is no server to host and no config file to edit. You install the extension, paste your API key, and the tools appear in every agent it finds: VS Code Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, Google Gemini, Windsurf, Continue.dev, and Cline.

What you can ask

  • “What are the coordinates of this address?”
  • “Find coffee shops near Lake Eola in Orlando that are open now”
  • “How long is the drive from the airport to the convention center?”
  • “What are the opening hours and phone number for this place?”
  • “Which of these five warehouses is closest to each customer?”
  • “What time zone is this location in?”

The eight Google Maps MCP tools

Tool What it does What you can pass
maps_geocode Turn an address or place name into coordinates, a formatted address, and a place ID The address and an optional region
maps_reverse_geocode Turn coordinates into the nearest addresses Latitude and longitude
maps_search_places Search places by text. Returns name, address, rating, and place ID The search, a point and radius to search near, an open-now switch
maps_place_details A place’s phone, website, opening hours, rating, and recent reviews The place ID
maps_directions A route between two places with distance, duration, and steps Origin, destination, live traffic or schedules, alternatives, units
maps_distance_matrix Travel distance and time between several origins and destinations Origins, destinations, units
maps_elevation Elevation in meters for up to 100 points The points
maps_timezone The time zone and current UTC offset for a location The location

Three things people use it for

Cleaning an address list

Give the agent a file of addresses and ask for coordinates and a standard formatted address for each. It geocodes them and writes the results back, flagging the ones Google could not place.

Building a store locator

While you write the feature, the agent can check it against real answers: the nearest three locations to a postcode, with driving time. It uses the same APIs your code will call.

Planning deliveries or visits

Ask which depot is closest to each customer by driving time. The distance matrix returns every pair in one call.

Set it up in five steps

Google Maps Platform uses an API key and not a Google sign-in.

  1. In the Google Cloud Console, create a project or pick one, with billing enabled.
  2. Under APIs and Services, enable the ones you want to use: the Geocoding API, Places API, Directions API, Distance Matrix API, Elevation API, and Time Zone API.
  3. Under Credentials, create an API key.
  4. Restrict the key to those APIs.
  5. Paste the key into the extension’s setup wizard.

Using Google Maps MCP with Claude Code, Cursor and other agents

You do not add a server entry by hand. The extension writes the registration for each agent it finds: ~/.claude.json for Claude Code, ~/.cursor/mcp.json for Cursor, ~/.codex/config.toml for OpenAI Codex, ~/.gemini/settings.json for Gemini, and the matching files for Windsurf, Continue.dev, and Cline. VS Code Copilot picks it up through the VS Code API.

Open a new session in any of them and the tools are in the tool list. To limit which agents get them, switch the others off in VS Code settings under googleMapsMcp.agents. The command “Google Maps MCP: Remove from All Agents” takes every registration back out.

Limits

  • It needs a Google Cloud project with billing enabled. Google bills Maps Platform calls to that project after the free monthly allowance.
  • It does not draw maps or return map images. It returns data.
  • Place details and reviews are what Google’s API returns: a handful of recent reviews, not the full history.
  • Keep the API key restricted to the Maps APIs you use.

Common questions

Is Google Maps MCP free?

Yes. The extension is free and MIT licensed. Google’s own charges for the API are separate.

Why does it need an API key and not a Google sign-in?

Google Maps Platform identifies the caller by API key. That is how Google bills and limits it, and it is the same for every Maps integration.

Does it cost money?

The extension is free. Google charges for Maps Platform calls beyond its free monthly allowance, on the project that owns the key.

Is this an official Google server?

No. It is an independent extension that calls the Google Maps Platform APIs with your own key.

Does it work with Claude Code and Cursor?

Yes. Both are registered automatically, along with Copilot and five other agents.

Where does my data go?

Nowhere except Google. The MCP server runs on your own machine and calls Google’s API with your key. There is no telemetry, and the key is kept in VS Code’s encrypted secret storage.

Install it

Google Maps MCP is free and MIT licensed.

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