StoreRocket supports two map providers: Google Maps and Mapbox. Both work great, and you can switch between them anytime. Here's how they compare so you can pick the right one.
Quick comparison
Google Maps | Mapbox | |
Setup time | 10-15 minutes | 2 minutes |
Credit card required | Yes (even for free tier) | No |
Free tier | 10,000 loads/month per API | 50,000 loads/month |
Cost after free tier | $5-7 per 1,000 requests | $5 per 1,000 loads |
Search autocomplete | Google Places (very accurate) | Mapbox Geocoding (good) |
Marker clusters | Fully supported | Fully supported |
Street View | Yes | No |
Look and feel | The map everyone recognizes | Modern, clean, customizable |
When to choose Google Maps
You want the most familiar map experience for your visitors
You want the most accurate address search (Google Places is hard to beat)
You don't mind spending 10 minutes setting up an API key
When to choose Mapbox
You want to get up and running in 2 minutes
You don't want to enter a credit card
Your store locator gets under 50,000 views per month (higher free tier)
You prefer a cleaner, more modern map design
How do I set my map provider?
Go to Store Locator > Customize, or open Mapping service directly
Choose Map & markers and find Map connection
Under Mapping service, choose Google Maps or Mapbox
Paste your Google Maps API key or Mapbox access token. For Google Maps, follow our API key setup guide. For Mapbox, follow our access token guide, or get a free token at mapbox.com
Select Save
Select Check connection to test the saved key
A saved key stays hidden. Leave the field blank to keep it.
Can I switch between providers?
You can switch anytime. Open Mapping service, choose the other provider, add its key or token, and select Save.
Your install code changes with the mapping service. Your website keeps the previous map until you replace the code there. After you save, select Get the new code to open Store Locator > Install. Copy the new code and replace the old one on your website.
The preview beside your settings is a draft. Your live website only changes after you save and replace the install code.
My live site still shows the old map
The most common reason is that your website still has the previous install code, which loads the previous map. To fix it:
Copy the current code from Store Locator > Install and replace the old code on your page.
Hard refresh the page. On Mac press Cmd, Shift and R together. On Windows press Ctrl, Shift and R.
Open the page on your phone or in a private window, which skips your computer's saved copy.
If your website uses a caching or performance plugin, or a CDN like Cloudflare, clear or purge the cache for your store locator page.
After that the new map will show. If it still does not, send us the page URL on live chat and we will look at exactly what it is loading.
Pricing details
Google Maps
Each of the four required APIs has its own free tier of 10,000 requests per month. For most StoreRocket users, this means zero cost. If you exceed the free tier, rates are $5-7 per 1,000 additional requests. You'll need a Google Cloud account with billing enabled (credit card required even for the free tier).
Mapbox
50,000 free map loads per month and 100,000 free geocoding requests per month. After the free tier, it's $5 per 1,000 loads. No credit card required to start.
Still not sure?
If you're just getting started or testing things out, Mapbox is a straightforward place to start. It's faster to set up and you can always switch to Google Maps later. If you want Street View and the most accurate address search, go with Google Maps.
Questions? Message us on live chat.