Maps & Navigation · head to head
What3words vs Bing Maps
What3words
Maps & Navigation
What3words has divided the world into 3m squares and given each one
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Bing Maps
Maps & Navigation
Web mapping services with street maps, aerial imagery, and APIs for developers
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: What3words the free API plan includes no coordinate conversion, only AutoSuggest, and is rate limited to 5 requests per second; Bing Maps bing Maps API keys are split into Basic (free-use, capped) and Enterprise (billable) tiers, and Spatial Data Services requests exceeding 1,000,000 per year are billable even when a session ID is used, per Microsoft's own developer documentation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which What3words and Bing Maps actually diverge.
| Attribute | What3words | Bing Maps |
|---|
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (freemium), free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 What3words
Nothing recorded that Bing Maps does not also cover.
Only in Bing Maps
Nothing recorded that What3words 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.
What3words
- Referring to a 3 metre square location with three wordsnot Bing Maps
- Adding location entry to a delivery or dispatch appnot Bing Maps
- Converting between coordinates and what3words addresses via APInot Bing Maps
Bing Maps
No use cases recorded yet. See the Bing Maps review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
What3words
- The free API plan includes no coordinate conversion, only AutoSuggest, and is rate limited to 5 requests per second
- Converting to and from what3words addresses starts on the Basic plan at $9.99 per month for 1,000 conversions
- Priority and developer support require the Standard plan at $45 per month
- 24/7 phone support requires the Plus plan at $125 per month
- Custom invoicing and annual payment require the Premium plan at $300 per month
- Overage pricing is not published; the page states only that a fair usage policy applies
- The three word address scheme is proprietary and licensed rather than open data
Bing Maps
- Bing Maps API keys are split into Basic (free-use, capped) and Enterprise (billable) tiers, and Spatial Data Services requests exceeding 1,000,000 per year are billable even when a session ID is used, per Microsoft's own developer documentation.
Pricing, plan by plan
What3words
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the What3words review.
Bing Maps
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Bing Maps review.
Which should you pick?
Choose What3words if
Nothing in the data separates What3words from Bing Maps on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Bing Maps if
Nothing in the data separates Bing Maps from What3words on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is What3words or Bing Maps better?
- Neither clearly leads. What3words starts at On request and Bing Maps at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, What3words or Bing Maps?
- What3words starts at On request and Bing Maps at On request.
- Does What3words or Bing Maps run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is What3words best used for?
- What3words is most often used for referring to a 3 metre square location with three words, adding location entry to a delivery or dispatch app, converting between coordinates and what3words addresses via api. Of those, referring to a 3 metre square location with three words and adding location entry to a delivery or dispatch app are not what Bing Maps is typically brought in for.