You can manage your Maps API usage costs in several ways. WalkInto provides you with several ways to limit the Maps API usage, you could also use configurations in your Google Cloud account to limit the Maps API usage and contain the associated costs.


Within WalkInto

WalkInto has several mechanisms to limit the Maps API usage for your WalkInto tours/easyembeds


Configure "loading screen waits option" for your WalkInto Tours

You could add a loading screen to your WalkInto tours with the option of "Loading screen waits" checked. This would limit the use of Maps API key only when user enters the tour, not when the loading screen shows. With this, you would get targeted users to visit the tour and just because the tour is embedded or shared, Maps API wont be used, until user clicks on the enter button.



Configure a daily/monthly limit to your Maps API Keys as well to the tours

Add a daily/monthly number of views limit to your tours as well API keys in WalkInto, beyond which WalkInto will show your tour as a plain StreetView



Within Google Cloud Account

Google cloud account also provides ways to limit the Maps API usage.

  • Configure a daily limit to your Maps API usage

Add a daily limit to your Maps API usage in Google Cloud console, beyond which google will show "For development use only" text and a low resolution images negative image on your tour and some features of WalkInto wont work. This is only recommended for your showcase and demo tours, not for your production tours paid by a customer. 

  • Add a budget

Add a budget to your Maps API usage in Google Cloud Platform. This wont restrict the API usage, however it sends the email alerts when a percentage of budget is reached. See the following video for additional details.