API is short for "application programming interface". WordPress plugins use Google Maps Platform APIs to request data and functionality from Google Maps Platform for use in WordPress sites.

An API key is a unique authentication credential that will allow your WordPress plugin to make requests to Google Maps Platform on your behalf. Once you generate an API key, you can provide it to your WordPress plugin to enable it to access Google Maps Platform on your behalf.

The Maps JavaScript API, Places API, and Directions API are the Google Maps Platform APIs that are most commonly used by WordPress plugins. Enabling these APIs will allow your WordPress plugin to load maps, retrieve place data, and generate directions on your behalf.

If you used our API key creation tool to generate a new API key for use with your WordPress plugin, these three APIs have automatically been enabled for you by default.

You can view which APIs are enabled for your Google Cloud project by going to the Google Maps Platform APIs page in the Google Cloud Console.

APIs that are currently enabled are listed under 'Enabled APIs'.

APIs that are currently disabled are listed under 'Additional APIs'.

You can enable or disable Google Maps Platform APIs at any time by going to the Google Maps Platform APIs page in the Google Cloud Console.

To disable an API, click the name of the API you want to disable in the 'Enabled APIs' list, then click the 'Disable' button at the top of the page.

To enable an API, click the name of the API you want to enable in the 'Additional APIs' list, then click the 'Enable' button.

Google Maps Platform automatically credits $200 in usage every month, at no charge, to the billing account associated with your Google Cloud project.

Usage is charged per request made to Google Maps Platform APIs, such as requesting map loads, directions, and Place information. The cost per request varies based on the type of request and total number of monthly requests. For more information, check out our pricing calculator.