Pricing overview
What3Words employs a usage-based pricing model for its API services, structured into various tiers designed to accommodate different levels of demand, from individual developers to large enterprises. The primary metric for billing is the number of API requests made within a monthly billing cycle. This includes calls to convert 3-word addresses to coordinates, convert coordinates to 3-word addresses, and utilize the AutoSuggest feature for predictive address input What3Words Business Pricing page. Each tier provides a specific allowance of requests, with overage charges applied if the included volume is exceeded.
The pricing strategy is designed to scale with an application's usage: as request volume increases, the per-request cost generally decreases within higher tiers. The service makes a free tier available, offering a specific number of requests for non-commercial or evaluation purposes before requiring a paid subscription.
Developers integrating location services often consider the cost implications of various geocoding providers. For instance, services like the Google Maps Platform Geocoding API also operate on a pay-as-you-go model, where costs accumulate based on usage exceeding a free allowance.
Plans and tiers
What3Words offers several plans tailored to different user needs and request volumes. These plans typically include a set number of API requests per month, with additional requests billed at a per-request rate. The specific features, such as AutoSuggest, are generally available across paid tiers, with differing rate limits and support levels.
| Plan Name | Monthly Price | Included Requests per Month | Overage Rate (per 1,000 requests) | Key Features/Limits | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | £0 | 10,000 | N/A (capped) | Limited to non-commercial use; standard API access. | Prototyping, personal projects, initial evaluation. |
| Starter | £15 | 50,000 | £0.30 | Includes AutoSuggest; suitable for testing and small-scale commercial use. | Small businesses, early-stage startups, commercial testing. |
| Pro | £45 | 200,000 | £0.25 | Enhanced support; higher request limits for growing applications. | Medium-sized applications, growing businesses. |
| Business | £120 | 500,000 | £0.20 | Dedicated account management; optimized for significant commercial operations. | Large-scale applications, e-commerce, logistics providers. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | SLA, custom terms, offline services, specialized integration support. | Very large organizations, critical infrastructure, high-volume bespoke needs. |
Note: Pricing and features are based on information available as of Q2 2026. For the most current details, refer to the official What3Words pricing page.
Free tier and limits
What3Words offers a free plan that includes 10,000 API requests per month. This tier provides access to the core API functionalities, allowing developers to convert 3-word addresses to coordinates and vice versa. It is primarily intended for non-commercial use, such as personal projects, educational purposes, or initial proof-of-concept development.
Key limitations of the free tier include:
- Request Volume Cap: A hard limit of 10,000 requests per month. There are no overage charges; rather, API access is typically suspended until the next billing cycle if this limit is reached.
- Commercial Use Restriction: The free tier is explicitly for non-commercial applications. Commercial usage requires upgrading to a paid plan What3Words commercial usage terms.
- Support: Community support is generally available, but dedicated technical support is limited or not included.
This free tier allows developers to explore the API's capabilities and integrate it into their applications without an upfront financial commitment. It serves as an entry point for understanding the value proposition of 3-word addressing before scaling usage.
Real-world cost examples
To illustrate how What3Words pricing translates to real-world scenarios, consider the following examples:
Scenario 1: Small Local Delivery Service (Starter Plan)
- Usage: A local florist uses the What3Words API to verify delivery addresses and provide precise drop-off instructions. They process approximately 1,500 deliveries per month. Each delivery involves 2 API calls (one for searching with AutoSuggest, one for final conversion).
- Monthly Requests: 1,500 deliveries * 2 calls/delivery = 3,000 requests.
- Cost Calculation: The Starter plan includes 50,000 requests for £15/month. Since 3,000 requests are well within this limit, the service pays the base £15.
- Total Monthly Cost: £15.
Scenario 2: Medium-sized E-commerce Platform (Pro Plan with Overage)
- Usage: An online clothing retailer integrates What3Words AutoSuggest for customer shipping address input and uses the conversion API for its logistics partners. They experience varying traffic, with an average of 150,000 API calls per month, but a peak month hits 250,000 calls.
- Monthly Requests (Peak): 250,000 requests.
- Cost Calculation: The Pro plan includes 200,000 requests for £45/month. The overage is 250,000 - 200,000 = 50,000 requests. At an overage rate of £0.25 per 1,000 requests, the additional cost is (50,000 / 1,000) * £0.25 = £12.50.
- Total Monthly Cost (Peak): £45 (base) + £12.50 (overage) = £57.50.
Scenario 3: Large Fleet Management System (Business Plan)
- Usage: A national logistics company manages a fleet of hundreds of vehicles, using What3Words for precise pickup and drop-off points, route optimization, and driver navigation. Their system generates an average of 600,000 API calls monthly.
- Monthly Requests: 600,000 requests.
- Cost Calculation: The Business plan includes 500,000 requests for £120/month. The overage is 600,000 - 500,000 = 100,000 requests. At an overage rate of £0.20 per 1,000 requests, the additional cost is (100,000 / 1,000) * £0.20 = £20.
- Total Monthly Cost: £120 (base) + £20 (overage) = £140.
These examples highlight how the tiered structure and overage rates influence the final monthly bill, emphasizing the importance of accurate usage forecasting for cost optimization.
How the pricing compares
When evaluating What3Words's pricing, it is useful to compare it with other prominent geospatial and geocoding service providers. Alternatives often include traditional geocoding APIs that convert street addresses to coordinates and vice-versa, or mapping platforms with integrated search functionalities.
- Google Maps Platform: Google Maps offers a pay-as-you-go model for its Geocoding API, Places API, and other services. It typically includes a free tier, then charges per call or per load, with pricing varying significantly by specific API and usage volume. For example, a Places API autocomplete request might cost $0.017 per session beyond the free quota, and geocoding requests can be $5 per 1,000 requests (approximately £4 at current exchange rates) for basic usage Google Maps Platform Geocoding API pricing. What3Words's pricing can be more predictable for applications specifically requiring 3-word address conversion, while Google offers a broader suite of mapping services.
- Mapbox: Mapbox provides various services, including geocoding, mapping, and navigation APIs, with pricing based on request volume, map loads, and feature usage. Mapbox Geocoding, for instance, offers a free tier of 100,000 requests per month, with subsequent requests priced at $2 per 1,000 requests (£1.60 approximately). Their pricing model is similar to What3Words in offering tiered usage, but caters to a broader set of mapping needs Mapbox Pricing overview. What3Words differentiates itself by offering a unique, human-friendly addressing system, which may justify its specific pricing for applications prioritizing this feature.
- OpenStreetMap (OSM): Open-source options like OpenStreetMap itself are free to use, but deploying and maintaining a robust geocoding service based on OSM data (e.g., using Nominatim) requires significant technical resources, infrastructure, and development effort. While the data is free, the operational costs for hosting, scaling, and ensuring high availability can be substantial, making it a different cost model compared to commercial APIs. For specific applications where the 3-word addressing system is a core requirement, What3Words offers a managed service that simplifies implementation compared to building a custom solution on OSM.
In summary, What3Words's pricing is competitive within the niche of precise location addressing. While other platforms offer broader geospatial functionalities, What3Words focuses on its unique addressing solution, providing a managed service that integrates readily into applications. The choice between What3Words and an alternative often depends on whether the specific benefits of 3-word addressing outweigh the broader feature sets or lower per-request costs of traditional geocoding services.