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Maps · head to head

Foursquare Places API vs TomTom Developer Portal

F

Foursquare Places API

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
T

TomTom Developer Portal

Maps

TomTom provides mapping and traffic APIs, SDKs, and data products for developers

From
On request
Rated
-

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; TomTom Developer Portal default rate limits on self-serve plans are modest at approximately 5 requests per second; higher limits require contracts
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Foursquare Places API and TomTom Developer Portal actually diverge.

Attributes where Foursquare Places API and TomTom Developer Portal differ
AttributeFoursquare Places APITomTom Developer Portal
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 TomTom Developer Portal does not also cover.

Only in TomTom Developer Portal

Nothing recorded that Foursquare Places API does not also cover.

Both cover

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

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

TomTom Developer Portal

  • Default rate limits on self-serve plans are modest at approximately 5 requests per second; higher limits require contracts
  • Limited POI rich media compared to Google Places; no reviews, photos, or user-generated content
  • Smaller developer community with fewer tutorials and Stack Overflow answers than Google or Mapbox
  • No official Flutter SDK; developers must use third-party plugins for Flutter integration
  • Maps SDK for Web v6 deprecated as of February 2026 with migration required to newer SDK

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

TomTom Developer Portal

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the TomTom Developer Portal review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Foursquare Places API if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.

Choose TomTom Developer Portal if

  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.

Questions people ask

Is Foursquare Places API or TomTom Developer Portal better?
Neither clearly leads. Foursquare Places API starts at Free and TomTom Developer Portal 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 TomTom Developer Portal?
Foursquare Places API has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Foursquare Places API and On request for TomTom Developer Portal.
Does Foursquare Places API or TomTom Developer Portal 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. TomTom Developer Portal starts at On request.

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
TomTom Developer Portal: Does TomTom Developer Portal have a free tier?

Yes. TomTom offers a freemium plan with 50,000 tile requests plus 2,500 non-tile requests daily at no cost with no credit card required, and commercial use is permitted.

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
TomTom Developer Portal: What APIs does TomTom provide?

TomTom provides REST APIs for Maps (display raster or vector maps), Navigation (routing and turn-by-turn), Places (geocoding and POI search), and Traffic (real-time flow and incidents), plus JavaScript SDK and mobile SDKs.

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
TomTom Developer Portal: What JavaScript SDKs are available?

TomTom provides Maps SDK for JavaScript with TypeScript support, a Services library as a wrapper for REST APIs, and mobile integration through NativeScript WebView for iOS and Android.

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