In a bold move to capitalize on recent shifts in the mapping technology landscape, Ola Maps has unveiled a revamped pricing structure aimed at attracting developers, shortly after Google Maps announced its own price reductions.
Bhavish Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Ola, revealed in a blog post that Ola Maps will now offer a tiered pricing model with significant cost benefits for developers.
Effective immediately from July 18, 2024, Ola Maps will provide all developers with free access to its platform for the first year.
Additionally, a new “FREE tier” has been introduced, allowing up to 5 million API calls per month at no charge. This tier is expected to cater to over 90% of developers and startups in India, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape of map services.
For those committing to a longer-term engagement, Ola Maps is offering two years of free usage for a three-year subscription, and a special deal providing three years of free access for startups and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) building on the ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) platform.
Bhavish Aggarwal highlighted that Ola Maps’ new pricing for higher volumes is 50% cheaper than Google Maps’ revised rates, underscoring the platform’s competitive edge.
He also criticized big tech firms for their historical pricing practices in India, emphasizing the need for more localized and affordable solutions.
“It’s surprising that even now, some tech giants hesitate to fully localize their pricing in India,” Bhavish Aggarwal remarked, advocating for greater digital sovereignty and support for local tech innovation.
The announcement follows Google’s recent move to lower subscription prices and accept payments in Indian rupees, which Aggarwal dismissed as “too little too late.”
Ola Maps, which has already attracted over 10,000 developers, also plans to release new APIs, SDKs, and features in the near future, further expanding its appeal to the tech community.
With these new offerings, Ola Maps aims to position itself as a more attractive and cost-effective alternative for developers in India, potentially shifting the dynamics of the mapping service market.
