If you have ever tried to add a store locator to a WordPress site, you probably ran into the same wall: the plugin wants a Google Maps API key, Google wants a credit card, and the billing dashboard wants you to understand the difference between the Maps JavaScript API, the Geocoding API and the Routes API before you can put a single pin on a map.
For a lot of sites that is a deal-breaker. Maybe you are in the EU and your privacy officer does not want Google scripts loading before consent. Maybe you run a non-profit or a small shop and do not want an open-ended bill attached to a map. Or maybe you simply do not want to hand a credit card to Google just to show ten locations.
The good news is that you no longer have to. WP Store Locator 3 works without Google Maps. You can run the whole store locator, including map, search, geocoding and directions, on OpenStreetMap, Mapbox or StadiaMaps.
This post explains how that works and how to pick the right alternative for your site.
Choose your provider
- OpenStreetMap (Leaflet) — Free, no key, no credit card
- Mapbox — Custom styles, 50,000 free monthly loads
- Stadia Maps — Full-featured, EU endpoints, predictable pricing
Why store locators depend on Google Maps in the first place
A store locator needs three things from a map service:
- Map tiles. The actual map images or vector data drawn on the page.
- Geocoding. Turning “10001” or “Amsterdam” into coordinates, so the plugin can work out which stores are nearby.
- Directions. Optional, but most visitors expect a “Directions” link.
For years Google was the only service most WordPress plugins bothered to integrate, because it did all three well and it used to be free. That changed in 2018 when Google started requiring a billing account for every project. The free monthly credit still covers a small site, but you need a card on file to get it, and once you are on pay-as-you-go, a traffic spike can push you past the free tier. A misconfigured or leaked API key is worse: there are documented cases of unrestricted keys running up five-figure bills before the owner noticed.
What WP Store Locator 3 supports instead
Version 3 is a full rewrite of a plugin that has been on WordPress.org since 2013. The map layer is now provider-independent, and you choose the provider on the settings page:
| Map service | API key required? | Credit card required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenStreetMap (Leaflet) |
No | No | Free. Default choice in v3. |
| Stadia Maps | Yes — free tier | No, on the free tier | Free plan is for non-commercial use. EU-only endpoints available. |
| Mapbox | Yes — free tier | Yes, to store geocoding results permanently | Generous free tier, custom styles via Mapbox Studio. |
| Google Maps | Yes | Yes | Still fully supported if you want it. |
OpenStreetMap, fully free, no keys at all 
This is the answer most people searching for this topic are looking for. Set the map service to OpenStreetMap (Leaflet) and you are done. Nothing to sign up for.
Here is what each piece uses under the hood:
Map tiles. By default the plugin loads the standard OpenStreetMap tiles. If you want a different look, you can switch the tile source to OpenFreeMap, which serves free vector styles (Liberty, Bright, Positron, Dark and Fiord) with no key and no usage cap for normal sites. You can also paste any MapLibre style JSON URL, so a style you designed in Maputnik works too.
Geocoding. When a visitor searches for a city or postcode, the plugin looks it up through Nominatim, the OpenStreetMap geocoder. The request goes through your own server, not straight from the visitor’s browser, so the visitor’s IP is never sent to a third party for the search.
Results are cached in your database, so the same search only hits Nominatim once. The plugin also spaces out requests site-wide to stay inside the Nominatim usage policy, so you do not have to think about rate limits.
Directions. By default the Directions link opens the route on openstreetmap.org. If you would rather draw the route on your own map, add a free Openrouteservice key and the plugin renders it inline, with driving, cycling, walking, hiking and wheelchair profiles.
Everything else works exactly as it does with Google: marker clusters, custom markers from the Marker Studio, category filters, radius filters, open/closed status, the geolocation button, and the vertical and horizontal themes.
The one caveat with OpenStreetMap
The default tile server at openstreetmap.org is run by volunteers and donations. Its usage policy asks heavy commercial sites to use a different tile provider. For a typical business site with a store locator page this is not a problem. If you run a very high-traffic site, switch the tile source to OpenFreeMap (still free) or to Stadia Maps or Mapbox, which is a one-click change on the same settings page.
Stadia Maps, the privacy-friendly middle groundStadia Maps
Stadia Maps is a good fit if you want polished map styles and EU data residency.
- Ten built-in styles, including Alidade Smooth, OSM Bright, Outdoors and the Stamen Toner and Terrain sets.
- An EU endpoints toggle that routes tiles, geocoding and routing through servers inside the European Union. Useful if your GDPR assessment requires it.
- Its own geocoder, so searches do not depend on Nominatim.
- Inline directions with driving, walking and cycling.
You need a Stadia Maps API key, which takes a minute to create. The free plan does not allow commercial use, so a business site needs one of the paid plans. Pricing is flat and predictable, which is the point.
Mapbox, for custom map design
Mapbox is the choice if you want the map to match your brand exactly. Design a style in Mapbox Studio, paste the style URL into the plugin, and the store locator uses it. Ten Mapbox styles ship out of the box, including satellite and navigation styles.
Mapbox has a free tier that covers most small and mid-sized sites. One thing to know: Mapbox only allows you to permanently store geocoding results (which the plugin does when it saves a store’s coordinates) once you have added a payment method. So Mapbox is “no Google”, but not quite “no credit card”.
You can also mix and match. Run the map on OpenStreetMap (Leaflet) and pull Mapbox raster tiles into it, which gives you Mapbox styling on the free Leaflet map.
Privacy and GDPR
Getting rid of Google Maps is often about privacy, so 3.0 takes that seriously regardless of provider.
- Built-in consent handling. The plugin can hold the map back until the visitor agrees, with your own description text and a link to the provider’s privacy policy. No extra plugin needed.
- Borlabs Cookie and Complianz integration. If you already use one of these, the plugin defers to it and only loads the map after consent.
- Server-side geocoding for OpenStreetMap. Visitor searches go through your server, not to a third-party from the browser.
- EU endpoints for Stadia Maps, as mentioned above.
Switching an existing site away from Google
If you already run WP Store Locator with Google Maps, the switch is straightforward:
- Go to Store Locator, Settings, API and change the map service.
- Add an API key if the provider needs one, and click Validate API key to check it.
- Pick a map style under Appearance.
- Reload your store locator page.
Your stores, coordinates, categories, custom fields, markers and settings all stay as they are. The coordinates were already saved when you created each store, so nothing needs to be geocoded again.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any API key for a WordPress store locator without Google Maps?
No. With OpenStreetMap (Leaflet) selected, WP Store Locator 3 runs with no key at all. A key is only needed if you want inline directions (Openrouteservice, free) or choose Stadia Maps or Mapbox.
Is OpenStreetMap accurate enough for a store locator?
For cities, postcodes and street addresses in most countries, yes. Coverage is community-driven, so very rural areas in some regions can be thinner than Google. If a store’s address does not geocode, you can drag the marker to the right spot in the editor or type the coordinates in directly.
Can I still show driving directions without Google?
Yes. By default the Directions link opens the route on openstreetmap.org. With a free Openrouteservice key the route is drawn on your own map. Stadia Maps and Mapbox include their own routing.
Will my add-ons keep working?
Yes. The CSV Manager, Search Widget and Statistics add-ons work with every map provider.
Can I switch back to Google later?
Yes. The map service is a single setting. Your data is provider-independent.
Get started
WP Store Locator 3 is free on WordPress.org. Install it, run through the onboarding, pick OpenStreetMap, Mapbox or StadiaMaps, and you will have a store locator on your page in a few minutes, with no Google account in sight.
For a walkthrough, see the Getting Started guide.