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Maps & Navigation · head to head

Citymapper vs Foursquare Places API

Citymapper logo

Citymapper

Maps & Navigation

The ultimate urban mobility app for city commuters

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
F

Foursquare Places API

Maps & Navigation

Access to the world's most trusted location data, including points of interest

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Citymapper citymapper's own App Store listing states live transit and turn-by-turn features work only in a named list of specific cities (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and dozens of other listed cities), not globally, per the developer's own description.; Foursquare Places API premium endpoint features like photos and ratings require paid calls with no free option
  • They diverge on capability: Citymapper covers Multi-modal routing, Foursquare Places API covers Core Functionality.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Citymapper and Foursquare Places API actually diverge.

Attributes where Citymapper and Foursquare Places API differ
AttributeCitymapperFoursquare Places API
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps & Navigation).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Citymapper

  • Multi-modal routing
  • Real-time departures
  • Live bus tracking
  • Disruption alerts
  • Walking directions
  • Uber
  • Lyft
  • Lime

Only in Foursquare Places API

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Citymapper

  • Daily commutingnot Foursquare Places API
  • City explorationnot Foursquare Places API
  • Trip planningnot Foursquare Places API
  • Mobility as a servicenot Foursquare Places API

Foursquare Places API

No use cases recorded yet. See the Foursquare Places API review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Citymapper

  • Citymapper's own App Store listing states live transit and turn-by-turn features work only in a named list of specific cities (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and dozens of other listed cities), not globally, per the developer's own description.

Foursquare Places API

  • Premium endpoint features like photos and ratings require paid calls with no free option
  • Entry-level free tier ($200/month) may be insufficient for high-volume applications
  • Limited real-time update frequency compared to enterprise solutions
  • Requires API key management and developer portal familiarity

Pricing, plan by plan

Citymapper

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Multi-modal routing
    • Real-time departures
    • Basic navigation
  • Citymapper Premium$4.99/month
    • Live location sharing
    • Weather integration
    • Widgets

Foursquare Places API

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • $200 monthly free credits
    • 500 free Pro endpoint calls
    • Access to standard place data
  • Pro Endpoints$0.00375/per call
    • Basic place search
    • Details and photos
  • Premium Endpoints$18.75/per 1000 calls
    • Photos
    • Tips
    • Hours

Which should you pick?

Choose Citymapper if

  • You need multi-modal routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want real-time departures.
Citymapper review

Choose Foursquare Places API if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want user interface.
Foursquare Places API review

Questions people ask

Is Citymapper or Foursquare Places API better?
Neither clearly leads. Citymapper starts at Free and Foursquare Places API at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Citymapper or Foursquare Places API?
Citymapper starts at Free and Foursquare Places API at Free.
Does Citymapper or Foursquare Places API run on more platforms?
Citymapper runs on Ios, Android, Web. Foursquare Places API runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Citymapper for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Citymapper best used for?
Citymapper is most often used for daily commuting, city exploration, trip planning, mobility as a service. Of those, daily commuting and city exploration are not what Foursquare Places API is typically brought in for.
What can Citymapper do that Foursquare Places API cannot?
Citymapper covers Multi-modal routing, Real-time departures, Live bus tracking, Disruption alerts. Foursquare Places API covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Foursquare Places API: How much free usage does Foursquare Places API provide?

All developer accounts receive $200 per month in free usage credits. After these are consumed, pay-as-you-go pricing applies. Pro endpoints have 500 free calls monthly, while premium endpoints have no free tier.

Source
Foursquare Places API: What data does Foursquare Places API provide?

Foursquare provides a dataset of 100M+ places across 200 countries with 50+ attributes per place, including venue details, categories, hours, ratings, photos, and tips.

Source
Foursquare Places API: What are the pricing tiers for premium endpoints?

Premium endpoints like photos, tips, hours, and ratings cost $18.75 per 1,000 calls with no free tier available. Pricing scales with usage.

Source
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Related pages

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