Why Is My Google Map Breaking?

February 5, 2025
|In Websites, Tips and Tools
|By Alex Georghiou Frankart

If you’ve ever logged into a website and suddenly noticed an error message where your Google Map used to be, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common issues we’re seeing across client sites — and it almost always comes down to billing or API configuration inside Google Cloud.

Let’s break it down.

Google Maps Isn’t “Free” Anymore

Google Map APIs are managed in Google Cloud, which operates on a pay-as-you-go model. Google does provide a monthly free usage credit that covers many small-to-moderate traffic sites (under 10,000 map loads per month), but — this is the important part — an active billing account must be attached to the project for maps to load at all.

We’re also seeing cases where sites were originally set up using Google’s 90-day free trial. Once that trial expires, maps will stop working unless a valid payment method is attached and fully activated.

If your map is breaking, it’s usually one of these:

  • The project is still on an expired free trial
  • Billing isn’t linked to the correct Google Cloud project
  • The billing account is inactive or missing an active payment method
  • Required APIs aren’t enabled
  • The API key isn’t properly restricted

Here’s how to fix it.

Step 1: Create a Google Cloud Account

If you don’t already have one:

  • Go to the Google Cloud Console.
  • Sign in with your Google account (Gmail or work account).
  • Create a new project (or confirm you’re inside the correct one).

Everything — billing, APIs, and keys — lives inside a specific project, so this step matters.

Step 2: Add and Activate Billing

  • Go to Billing in the Google Cloud Console.
  • Click Create Billing Account.
  • Add a valid payment method.
  • Make sure the billing account is fully activated and in good standing.
  • Link the billing account to your Maps project.

Even if your site never exceeds the monthly free credit, billing must remain active for Maps to function.

Step 3: Enable Required APIs

Inside your project:

  • Go to APIs & Services → Library
  • Make sure these APIs are enabled:
    – Maps JavaScript API
    – Places API
    – Geocoding API

If these aren’t turned on, your map may not load properly — even if billing is configured correctly.

Step 4: Generate and Restrict Your API Key

Once billing and APIs are enabled:

  • Go to: https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials
  • Find your Google Maps API key in the list.
  • Click the Edit (pencil) icon next to it.
  • Under Application restrictions, select: HTTP referrers (web sites)
  • In the Website restrictions section, add your domain URLs (one per line):
    – https://yourdomain.com/*
    – https://www.yourdomain.com/*
    (Replace “yourdomain.com” with your actual domain. Sometimes it also helps to add the exact page URL your map will show up on. Also make sure you include the /* wildcard!)
  • Click Save.
  • Wait 5–10 minutes for the changes to take effect.

Restricting the API key to your domain protects it from unauthorized use and prevents unexpected charges.

What This Means for Website Owners

Google Maps is still a great option — but it requires proper configuration. The most common cause of broken maps today is an expired free trial or a billing account that was never fully activated.

If your map disappears, don’t panic. Check:

  • Is billing attached and active?
  • Are the correct APIs enabled?
  • Is the API key restricted to your domain?

Nine times out of ten, that’s the fix.

Still have questions?

Reach out to our team. We’re always happy to help guide you through the process!