Across my last three projects I ended up shipping three different map SDKs, each for a different reason. I wrote myself a decision guide; sharing it here.
MapKit
Apple’s own SDK, genuinely much better after iOS 17. Detailed map model, lookaround (street-view style), improved POI data, offline cache, custom anchors, full control via MapReader. The SwiftUI Map view is production-ready as of iOS 17.
Upsides:
– Free. No billing, rate limits, or API keys from Apple.
– System integration is excellent, you can hand off directions to Apple Maps.
– Privacy compliance is out of the box, no tracking.
– Performance is strong, rendered via Metal.
– Native CarPlay support.
Downsides:
– POI quality outside major metro areas is weak. Restaurants, cafes, and shops in smaller cities are missing or outdated.
– Road data is sometimes out of date.
– There’s no web equivalent, so a web + app product means mixing SDKs.
– Custom styling is limited, nowhere near as flexible as Google or Mapbox.
On a food delivery app we started with MapKit and it was fine in big cities. Once we expanded to smaller regions, half the businesses weren’t on the map. We switched to Google.
Google Maps SDK
Pair it with the Google Places API and you get the strongest POI database globally. But there’s a cost.
Upsides:
– Best-in-class data worldwide.
– Directions, autocomplete, distance matrix, geocoding. The whole ecosystem.
– Same SDK family as web and Android, cross-platform consistency is high.
– Places API for business photos, reviews, and opening hours.
Downsides:
– Pricing. There’s a $200 monthly credit, but heavy traffic burns through it fast. Autocomplete fires a request per keystroke, so you need to be deliberate.
– SDK size. It adds real weight to the app binary.
– Privacy compliance. App Tracking Transparency applies, you have to ask permission.
– Weak offline capability.
On a navigation app we started with Google and the bill was hitting $1,200/month. We grouped autocomplete with session tokens and added caching, and dropped it to $380. Watch the invoice.
Mapbox
If you need full custom map styling, Mapbox is the pick.
Upsides:
– Studio is a visual style editor, you can design a map that matches your brand.
– Vector tiles, solid offline story.
– Navigation SDK is separate but strong.
– Web SDK parity is high.
– Free up to 50,000 MAU, then usage-based.
Downsides:
– Setup is more work, not as plug-and-play as Google.
– POI data is weaker, mostly OpenStreetMap-backed. Coverage gaps in specific regions.
– I’ve seen crash reports originating from the SDK, be careful around version upgrades.
On a real estate project I chose Mapbox because the map needed to reflect the character of the neighborhood. I spent a day in Studio and the client loved the result. MapKit or Google couldn’t have matched it.
Decision tree
POI-centric app, budget is fine: Google Maps + Places.
iOS-only, POI not critical, cost matters: MapKit.
Custom design or web + iOS parity: Mapbox.
Offline is the priority: Mapbox or MapKit.
Task is simple (show a location, drop a marker): MapKit is enough, don’t overcomplicate.
One footnote: pricing shifts every year. Check current tiers before starting a project. On one engagement, two months after signing the contract Google removed a free tier and the budget blew up.