Map not showing because of required URL signature

Hi, Sorry to hear you’re having problems.

Haven’t seen this issue yet. Might be related to the new Google key rules ?? Please email your original post to [email protected] so that our devs can have a look and contact you if they need and sensible info that shouldn’t be posted publically. Thank you!

We’ve updated our docs on how to create API keys which solves this issue – https://www.gmapswidget.com/documentation/generate-google-maps-api-key/

I also have similar issues with the Google Maps Widget. I followed your new updated docs on how to create the API key and it seemed to work. However, I checked my website a couple of hours later it was showing the error again. My error reads:
“Do you own this website ?
g.co/staticmaperror/billing”
I believe your “fix” does not work after at least a couple of hours later.

Did you notice that on your own website for Google Maps Widget that all your examples for your widget have errors (except yours says signature instead of billing like mine does)?

Morning,

Our account had an actual billing error. We fixed that. However, as I was fixing that I once more learned that nothing happens instantly ?? It took a good 30 minutes for Google to accept our changes. I see you waited for a few hours which should be enough but … Can you please post the site URL so we can have a look?

Actually, I generated a new API key again about 8 hours ago and this morning the map is still displayed and working. Now forgive me if this is common knowledge to you but when I was reading about this error and specifically the “billing” error, I read that Google recently changed their billing practices with using their static map API. I had read that previously there was a free 25,000 loads per day but now that is no longer available and there is now a set price per load up to 100,000 and other tiers beyond. I read that a billing account must be set up to avoid that error and to allow Google to bill you. I had not set up a billing account previously. Is that why this “billing” error comes back eventually although so far it seems to be holding for the last 8 hours?

Glad to hear you got it working!

Nothing is common knowledge when it comes to Google Maps after the recent change ?? Yes, Google said that you need a billing account set up to use the maps. That includes using the free monthly requests too so there might be people who don’t pay anything! But I have seen at least ten sites using keys with no billing profile set up, and it works. So the most honest answer I can give is – I don’t know ?? Safest bet would be to set the billing but set up a payment threshold, so you don’t pay anything.

The “billing” error eventually comes back. It took maybe a day and half or two days but I assume Google eventually figures out no billing account is set up. When you said that safest would be to set up a billing account, that won’t work if free is what I am after as there is no longer any free monthly requests given by Google. It used to be 25,000 loads per 24 hours but now they start charging from the first loading of the map. Also, I believe the Payment Threshold setting is actually for when that amount of accumulated charges is hit, then Google will charge the credit card so in the end there is no way to avoid paying Google at all when using this widget.

It is strange. The Google map shows up fine on my work computers. It error shows up or doesn’t show up depending on which DNS server I am using.

Can you post the URL so I can have a look? Or email us at [email protected] if you want to keep it private.

We haven’t paid Google anything since this whole change started. But I’ll double-check if we had any credits or anything like that.