Google Places API changed: what a store owner does
A plugin stopped showing your stores on a map, or a developer says the key has to move to a new API. If what you need is your addresses as points, that part does not need Google at all.
What you have
What Google says, read November 10, 2026 (the page last updated November 9, 2026): the Places API (Legacy) was set to legacy status on March 1, 2025; it is not available to new Cloud projects, stays supported for existing ones, gets no new features, and will be turned down with 12 months' notice, on no set date yet (Google Maps Platform legacy products). And a list of your store addresses:
store,address Loop,"233 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606" Magnificent Mile,"600 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611" Wrigleyville,"1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613"
Steps
1. Geocode the list on your own machine, with the country file and no key:
$ gridpin batch usa.bin stores.csv stores_geocoded.csv
2. Every row comes back with its point and the address found:
$ cat stores_geocoded.csv
store | gp_lat | gp_lon | gp_match_level | gp_street |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loop | 41.878658 | -87.6358684 | PointAddress | South WACKER Drive |
| Magnificent Mile | 41.8929239 | -87.6248765 | PointAddress | North MICHIGAN Avenue |
| Wrigleyville | 41.9476301 | -87.6563756 | PointAddress | West ADDISON Street |
What you get
Latitude and longitude your store locator, map plugin or spreadsheet can read, computed once and kept: no key, no monthly bill, no terms on how long you may store them (keep your geocoding results). Without a terminal: geocode a CSV in the browser.
Why it works
Store and customer addresses change rarely, so a one-off geocode of the list replaces most of the calls a plugin makes. The point comes from the country's own address data, the same for every run.
Limits
- It does not replace Places itself: no shop names, opening hours, photos, reviews or search as you type across businesses. For address suggestions in a form: address autocomplete.
- Only the countries GridPin has files for.
- GridPin is not affiliated with Google; the dates above are Google's, as read on the day named.
The function: batch mode and spreadsheets.