Free Google Places alternative for business search data without API keys

Google’s Places API eliminated its free tier in February 2025, shifting from zero-cost access to a minimum fee of around $275 per month for 100,000 calls. For developers needing straightforward business or point-of-interest (POI) data—without the complexity of reviews, photos, or rigid rate limits—an open-source alternative has emerged.

A lightweight REST API built on OpenStreetMap

The BizData API wraps the Overpass API from OpenStreetMap, delivering a simple REST interface that requires no API key, no sign-up, and no usage fees. It returns clean, structured JSON responses containing essential details like business names, addresses, phone numbers, websites, email contacts, geographic coordinates, and opening hours.

The API can be queried with a basic HTTP request. For example, to find cafes in Paris:

curl "

This returns a structured list of up to 500 results, limited to a default radius of 5 kilometers unless specified otherwise.

Comparing features: Google Places vs. BizData API

Developers weighing options should consider key differences in cost, coverage, and data richness. Google Places charges a hefty fee for its comprehensive dataset, including reviews and photos. In contrast, BizData offers a free, no-frills alternative focused solely on core business attributes.

| Feature | Google Places API | BizData API | |-----------------------|--------------------|-------------------| | Monthly cost | $275+ | Free | | API key required | Yes | No | | Categories available | Over 100 | 37 | | Reviews/photos | Included | Not included | | EU coverage | Excellent | Excellent | | US coverage | Excellent | Good | | Rate limits | Strict | Fair use |

For projects that prioritize simplicity, affordability, and speed over granular review data, BizData presents a compelling choice.

Practical use cases for the API

The BizData API suits several real-world scenarios where developers need quick, reliable access to business listings without financial or administrative barriers:

• Lead generation: Pull bulk lists of businesses in target neighborhoods for sales outreach or contact databases.

• Market research: Analyze local business density, such as counting cafes in a specific district.

• Location-based applications: Integrate POI data into apps needing coordinates and basic business info.

• Prototyping and testing: Experiment with business data before committing to paid services like Google Places.

• AI assistant integrations: Use the API via MCP servers for tools like Claude or Cursor to fetch live business data during workflows.

Endpoints and configuration options

The API provides three primary endpoints with optional parameters to refine queries:

• GET /api/businesses?location=X&category=Y – Retrieve a list of matching businesses.

• GET /api/count?location=X&category=Y – Return the total number of matching businesses.

• GET /api/categories – List all 37 available business categories.

Query parameters include:

• radius_km – Adjust search radius (default: 5 km).
• limit – Set maximum results (up to 500).

For instance, to count restaurants within 10 kilometers of Berlin, a developer could call:

MCP server support for AI tools

Beyond REST calls, BizData operates as an MCP server, enabling direct integration with AI coding assistants such as Claude or Cursor. By configuring the MCP client with the server URL, developers can fetch real-time business data during development sessions without leaving their workflow.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bizdata": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "
    }
  }
}

This setup allows AI tools to pull business information dynamically, streamlining processes like code generation or data validation.

Final thoughts: A free bridge in a paid landscape

As Google Places retreats behind paywalls, developers must adapt. The BizData API offers a viable, cost-effective path forward for projects requiring basic business data across multiple regions. Its simplicity—no keys, no fees, no signup—makes it ideal for bootstrapped startups, researchers, and prototyping teams.

While it lacks the depth of Google’s ecosystem, the trade-off in cost and ease of use may outweigh the limitations for many use cases. For now, it stands as a practical stopgap in a landscape where free, quality alternatives are becoming rare.