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Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal’s AI startup Krutrim launches a new pricing policy for Ola Maps, offering competitive rates and free API calls to challenge Google Maps.
Key Points
- Krutrim’s new pricing policy for Ola Maps includes five million free API calls per month for Indian startups.
- Rates for larger volumes are 50% less than Google’s, with additional incentives for long-term commitments.
- Bhavish Aggarwal emphasizes building world-class alternatives to empower Indian innovation.
- Ola Cabs recently transitioned from Google Maps to Ola Maps, saving substantial costs.
- Over 10,000 developers have signed up for Ola Maps as of July 18, 2024.
Krutrim, the AI startup founded by Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal, has unveiled a new pricing structure for Ola Maps that promises to shake up the mapping services market by offering a competitive alternative to global tech giants like Google. Announced on July 18, the new policy aims to foster innovation in India by providing startups with substantial benefits, including five million free API calls per month and costs that are 50% lower than Google’s rates.
In a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), Aggarwal explained that the new pricing policy, effective immediately, is designed to support the burgeoning tech ecosystem in India. For Indian startups, the policy includes five million free API calls each month. Additionally, users requiring larger volumes will benefit from rates that are half those of Google. Furthermore, organizations that commit to a three-year term will receive two years of free access. Startups and small to midsize businesses on the ONDC platform will enjoy three years of free usage, highlighting Krutrim’s commitment to supporting emerging businesses.
Aggarwal emphasized that Ola Maps currently supports all main APIs and will be feature-complete for all types of APIs, SDKs, and niche use cases by December. This comprehensive roadmap is intended to ensure that Ola Maps can cater to a wide range of developer needs, providing a robust alternative to existing services.
“While all main APIs are supported by Ola Maps today, we will be feature complete for all kinds of APIs, SDKs and niche use cases by December. Roadmap attached,” Aggarwal stated in his post.
This move comes in response to Google’s announcement of a price reduction for its Google Maps platform, set to take effect on August 1. However, Aggarwal’s strategy is distinctly tailored to the Indian market, focusing on cost-effectiveness and accessibility for local developers.
Krutrim, launched by Aggarwal as part of his broader vision for technological innovation, introduced its mapping and location-based services for developers via the Ola Maps API in May. The service aims to provide a dependable alternative to dominant market players like Google Maps. According to a report by Moneycontrol, Ola Cabs recently transitioned from Google Maps to its own Ola Maps, a move projected to save the company approximately ₹100 crore annually.
Aggarwal’s social media campaign has garnered significant interest, with over 10,000 developers signing up for Ola Maps as of July 18. The company is leveraging this momentum to attract new customers by offering one year of free access, encouraging developers to integrate Ola Maps into their projects.
This strategic move underscores Aggarwal’s dedication to challenging established tech giants and promoting indigenous technological solutions. By offering a more affordable and accessible mapping service, Krutrim aims to make Ola Maps a preferred choice for developers seeking cost-effective and comprehensive mapping solutions.
