# Google My Maps pins up to 2,000 places per layer on a map you can embed. Here is what it leaves out.

> Instaform vs Google My Maps

**URL:** https://www.instaform.co/compare/google-my-maps

My Maps turns a spreadsheet or a Google Sheet into a map with up to 10 layers that you can share, embed on your site and build together with others. With Instaform, every location can offer several of your own forms, like Order and Book a table, right on the map.

## At a glance

- Up to 10 layers and 10,000 places a map.
- It can import a spreadsheet or a Google Sheet of up to 2,000 rows.
- The map must be public to embed on your site.
- The My Maps pages we checked describe no opening hours, near-me search or forms.

## Feature comparison

| Feature | Instaform | Google My Maps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Search by address, near me, radius | ✅ | Partly (The My Maps viewer can search the map contents; whether an embedded map keeps that search is not published. Near me and radius: not published) |
| Opening hours and Open now | ✅ | Not published |
| Filters | ✅ | Partly (Visitors can show or hide layers) |
| Directions | ✅ | Not published |
| Its own shareable page for the map | ✅ | ✅ (A My Maps link that you share, or make public so anyone can find the map) |
| Several action buttons per location | ✅ | ❌ (A visitor can search the map, show or hide layers, and share, export or print the map; no buttons on a place are described) |
| Buttons open your own built-in forms (order, book, quote, contact) | ✅ | ❌ (No built-in form is described) |
| A different form per location | ✅ | ❌ (No built-in form is described) |
| Responses saved with the location in a built-in inbox | ✅ | ❌ (No built-in form is described, so no responses are stored) |
| A page per location | A button can open any Instaform link page you choose; none is generated | ❌ (No page per place is described; the map as a whole has one link) |
| Map provider | Your own Google or Mapbox account | Google Maps (Its embed steps mention no API key: you make the map public, then follow the on-screen instructions) |
| Remove the vendor's branding | From Starter | Not published |
| Price of the first paid plan | $19/mo (Starter) | Not published (No price on its product page or help pages) |
| Locations on the first paid plan | 100 | Up to 2,000 per layer, 10,000 per map |

## Pricing tiers

### My Maps

- Instaform: **$19/mo** — Starter plan; 100 locations; No Instaform logo on your map; Plus your own map account's usage
- Google My Maps: **Not published** — No price on its product page or help pages; Up to 10 layers, 2,000 places per layer and 10,000 per map; Imports of up to 2,000 rows a file; The map must be public to embed

> Prices in US dollars as published on November 9, 2026. The My Maps product page and help pages show no price. On Instaform, the map runs on your own Google or Mapbox account, and the provider prices that usage on your own account.

## Verdict

**Google My Maps for a map of places people look at. Instaform for locations people search, with buttons to act on each one.**

Google My Maps makes custom maps with up to 10 layers and 10,000 places, from places you add or from a spreadsheet or Google Sheet you import, and you can build a map together with others, share its link, or embed it once it is public. In the My Maps viewer, people can search the map contents and show or hide layers. If people only need to see where your places are, it covers that. If you want visitors to act on a location, Instaform lets people search your locations by city or postcode, or near them, shows opening hours with Open now, and lets every location offer several of your own forms, like Order and Book a table. Orders and bookings arrive in your inbox with the location they came from.

### When to choose Instaform

- You want people to search your locations by city or postcode, or near them
- Each location should show its opening hours, with Open now worked out for the visitor's time
- Each location should offer your own forms, like Order, Book a table or Get a quote
- You want orders and bookings in one inbox that shows which location each one came from

### When to choose Google My Maps

- You want a map of places for a trip, an event or a one-off list
- You already keep the places in a Google Sheet
- No visitor needs to act on a location
- You want to build the map together with others, like a Google Doc

## FAQ

### Can I move my locations from Google My Maps?

Yes. My Maps can export each layer as a spreadsheet file, and if you already keep the places in a Google Sheet, you can use that. Copy the rows from the spreadsheet and paste them into Instaform as a list. Each row becomes a location.

### Is Google My Maps enough for a list of places?

For a map people look at, often yes. My Maps holds up to 10 layers and 10,000 places a map, can import a spreadsheet or a Google Sheet of up to 2,000 rows, and embeds on your site once the map is public. In the My Maps viewer, people can search the map contents and show or hide layers. The My Maps pages we checked describe no opening hours, near-me search or forms, and show no price.

### What does Instaform add?

People search your locations by city or postcode, or tap to use their location, and see the nearest first. Every location has its opening hours, with Open now and Closes soon worked out for the visitor's time, and its own buttons, like Order, Book, Get a quote or Contact, each opening one of your forms. Orders and bookings arrive like any other response to that form, and your inbox and email alert show which location it came from.

### Do I need my own map key?

For the map, yes. It runs on your own Google or Mapbox account, so you keep control of the cost. Your locations work as a list right away, and you connect Google or Mapbox when you are ready for the map. The My Maps embed steps mention no API key.

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Last reviewed: 2026-11-09