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Google Maps Platform
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What3words
What3words has divided the world into 3m squares and given each one
As of 29 August 2026, What3words is free to use. What3words has divided the world into 3m squares and given each one a unique 3-word address, making it simple to communicate precise locations. Softwr lists it under Maps. What3words is available on Web.
Overview
What What3words does
What3words has divided the world into 3m squares and given each one a unique 3-word address, making it simple to communicate precise locations.
What people use it 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
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about 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
Cross-shopped
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Capabilities
Features
Core Functionality
Essential features for everyday use
User Interface
Intuitive and user-friendly interface
Keep looking
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- Best Maps softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
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Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for What3words, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
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