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Maps · head to head

Foursquare Places API vs Radar

F

Foursquare Places API

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Radar logo

Radar

Maps

Geofencing, trip tracking, and location-based search APIs that power location features in

From
$0.02/per monthly tracked user
Rated
-
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; Radar no free tier available
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Foursquare Places API and Radar differ
AttributeFoursquare Places APIRadar
Starting priceFree$0.02/per monthly tracked user
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps).

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

Nothing recorded that Radar does not also cover.

Only in Radar

Nothing recorded that Foursquare Places API does not also cover.

Both cover

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

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.

Radar

  • Detecting and preventing fraud with geolocation verificationnot Foursquare Places API
  • Tracking pickups and deliveries in real-time with geofencingnot Foursquare Places API
  • Engaging customers with location-based marketing campaignsnot Foursquare Places API
  • Managing geographic compliance and hyper-accurate location trackingnot 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

Radar

  • No free tier available
  • Annual contracts required with committed monthly quotas
  • Volume discounts applied manually; no public discount tiers

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

Radar

$0.02/per monthly tracked user

No published plan breakdown. See the Radar review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Foursquare Places API if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
Foursquare Places API review

Choose Radar if

  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
Radar review

Questions people ask

Is Foursquare Places API or Radar better?
Neither clearly leads. Foursquare Places API starts at Free and Radar at $0.02/per monthly tracked user, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Foursquare Places API or Radar?
Foursquare Places API has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Foursquare Places API and $0.02/per monthly tracked user for Radar.
Does Foursquare Places API or Radar run on more platforms?
Foursquare Places API runs on Web, iOS, Android. Radar runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Foursquare Places API for free?
Yes. Foursquare Places API has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Radar starts at $0.02/per monthly tracked user.

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
Radar: What is Radar's core function?

Radar is an all-in-one location platform providing SDKs and APIs for geofencing, trip tracking, geocoding, and location search. It handles 100+ billion annual queries from 100+ million devices.

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
Radar: Who uses Radar?

Companies like Sleeper, Panera, DICK's Sporting Goods, T-Mobile, and Zillow use Radar's geofencing SDKs and maps APIs for location-based solutions.

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
Radar: How is Radar's pricing structured?

Radar does not publicly disclose pricing. Custom quotes are required based on usage and requirements, meaning pricing varies per customer.

Source
Radar: What are Radar's security and privacy features?

Radar prioritizes enterprise-level security, privacy, and customer support. It maintains high uptime, low latency connections for reliable monitoring of location data across platforms.

Source
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