Google Maps MCP Server

What this server does

Geocoding, reverse geocoding, place search, place details, distance matrix, elevation, and directions. Seven tools that cover what a chat agent typically reaches for from Google Maps. `maps_geocode` converts an address to coordinates and returns a `place_id` for follow-up calls. `maps_reverse_geocode` goes the other direction with full address components. `maps_search_places` takes a free-text query, optionally constrained to a location and a radius up to 50 km. `maps_place_details` pulls ratings, reviews, opening hours, and contact info for a `place_id`. `maps_distance_matrix` returns distances and durations between origins and destinations across driving, walking, bicycling, or transit. `maps_elevation` and `maps_directions` round out the surface. The API key needs four Google APIs enabled: Maps JavaScript, Places, Geocoding, and Directions. Distance Matrix and Elevation each require their own API as well; turn those on or the corresponding tools return errors. Grab the key at developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/get-api-key. Where this shines: trip planning ('driving time from SF to LA via 5 versus 101'), location enrichment ('get the address and hours for place_id ChIJ...'), and comparison ('which of these three coffee shops has the highest rating'). Where it does not: live traffic streams, Street View images, place editing. Read and compute only. The upstream Anthropic reference is archived and Google has not published an official MCP server, so this remains the canonical option for now.

Tools included

• maps_geocode

  Geocode an address to coordinates.

• maps_reverse_geocode

  Reverse-geocode coordinates to an address.

• maps_search_places

  Search for places near a location.

• maps_place_details

  Fetch detailed information about a place.

• maps_directions

  Compute directions between two locations.

The authoritative list comes from the server's tools/list at runtime. This catalog entry may lag the upstream until the next ToolPiper release.

Install in ToolPiper

ToolPiper handles the JSON configuration. Click Install, fill in any required tokens, and the server is ready in your chat.

Install in another client

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "google-maps": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Example prompts

Security notes

The Google Maps API key is the credential. It is not OAuth, just a string. Anyone with it can run up your bill against the four enabled APIs. Restrict the key in the Google Cloud console to the specific APIs and (if possible) your IP. Each tool call counts against the Maps billing meter, which has a generous free tier but bills aggressively past it. Set quotas in the console as a hard cap. The upstream Anthropic reference is archived; Google has not published an official MCP server yet, so this is still the canonical option pending an upstream replacement.

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