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Maps · head to head

Foursquare Places API vs Motive

F

Foursquare Places API

Maps

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Motive logo

Motive

Fleet Management

ELD compliance, AI dashcams and spend management for North American commercial fleets

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Foursquare Places API has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Foursquare Places API premium endpoint features like photos and ratings require paid calls with no free option; Motive contracts are multi-year and per vehicle with hardware embedded, so a fleet that shrinks keeps paying for units that are sitting in a yard.
  • They diverge on capability: Foursquare Places API covers Core Functionality, Motive covers ELD compliance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Foursquare Places API and Motive differ
AttributeFoursquare Places APIMotive
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
CategoryMapsFleet Management

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Foursquare Places API

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

Only in Motive

  • ELD compliance
  • AI dashcams
  • GPS tracking
  • Driver safety scoring
  • Vehicle diagnostics
  • Spend management

What people use each for

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

Foursquare Places API

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

Motive

  • A trucking fleet that must run FMCSA compliant electronic logs and wants cameras from the same vendornot Foursquare Places API
  • An operator facing an insurance renewal that requires evidence of a driver coaching programmenot Foursquare Places API
  • A construction fleet tracking both vehicles and unpowered assets such as trailers and generatorsnot Foursquare Places API
  • A fleet suspecting fuel card misuse and wanting transactions matched against vehicle locationnot Foursquare Places API

Where each one falls short

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

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

Motive

  • Contracts are multi-year and per vehicle with hardware embedded, so a fleet that shrinks keeps paying for units that are sitting in a yard.
  • Driver facing cameras generate real workforce resistance, and fleets in tight labour markets have lost drivers over the rollout rather than the technology.
  • Installation and calibration across a distributed fleet takes weeks of vehicle downtime, which is rarely costed into the comparison at the point of purchase.
  • The rebrand from KeepTruckin means older documentation, integration guides and third-party references are inconsistent, which slows technical work on connections.
  • Coverage depends on cellular networks, so remote route segments produce gaps in tracking and delayed log uploads that drivers then have to reconcile.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Motive

On request
  • Motive$undefined/year
    • Per-vehicle subscription over a multi-year term
    • Hardware supplied within the agreement rather than purchased outright
    • Dashcams, asset trackers and spend management priced as separate lines

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Motive if

  • You need eld compliance.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ai dashcams.
Motive review

Questions people ask

Is Foursquare Places API or Motive better?
Neither clearly leads. Foursquare Places API starts at Free and Motive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Foursquare Places API or Motive?
Foursquare Places API has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Foursquare Places API and On request for Motive.
Does Foursquare Places API or Motive run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Foursquare Places API for free?
Yes. Foursquare Places API has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Motive starts at On request.
What can Foursquare Places API do that Motive cannot?
Foursquare Places API covers Core Functionality, User Interface. Motive covers ELD compliance, AI dashcams, GPS tracking, Driver safety scoring.

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
Motive: Is Motive the same company as KeepTruckin?

Yes. KeepTruckin renamed to Motive in 2022. The products and account relationships carried over.

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
Motive: Can hardware be bought outright?

It is normally supplied inside a multi-year subscription rather than sold, which is why the exit cost of a shrinking fleet is high.

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
Motive: Does it work outside the United States?

Canada and Mexico are supported, including Canadian electronic logging requirements. Coverage elsewhere is limited.

Motive: Are the driver facing cameras optional?

Yes, road facing only configurations are available, and fleets worried about driver retention often start there.

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