# cablate/mcp-google-map [Health: Active]

**Category:** 🗺️ Location Services  
**Repository:** https://github.com/cablate/mcp-google-map  
**GitHub Stars:** 484  
**npm Downloads (last month):** 5513  
**Views:** 6  
**Installs:** 0  
**Upvotes:** 0  
**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/cablate-mcp-google-map

## Description
Google Maps MCP server with 8 tools (geocode, search, directions, elevation), stdio + StreamableHTTP transport, Agent Skill definitions, and standalone exec CLI mode.

## Tools
Capabilities this server exposes over MCP:

- **maps_search_nearby** — Find places near a location by type (restaurant, cafe, hotel, etc.). Supports filtering by radius, rating, and open status.
- **maps_search_places** — Free-text place search (e.g., "sushi restaurants in Tokyo"). Supports location bias, rating, open-now filters.
- **maps_place_details** — Get full details for a place by its place_id — reviews, phone, website, hours. Optional `maxPhotos` param returns photo URLs.
- **maps_geocode** — Convert an address or landmark name into GPS coordinates.
- **maps_reverse_geocode** — Convert GPS coordinates into a street address.
- **maps_distance_matrix** — Calculate travel distances and times between multiple origins and destinations. Driving mode supports `avoid_tolls` and `avoid_highways`.
- **maps_directions** — Get step-by-step navigation between two points with route details. Driving mode supports `avoid_tolls` and `avoid_highways`.
- **maps_elevation** — Get elevation (meters above sea level) for geographic coordinates.
- **maps_timezone** — Get timezone ID, name, UTC/DST offsets, and local time for coordinates.
- **maps_weather** — Get current weather conditions or forecast — temperature, humidity, wind, UV, precipitation.
- **maps_air_quality** — Get air quality index, pollutant concentrations, and health recommendations by demographic group.
- **maps_static_map** — Generate a map image with markers, paths, or routes — returned inline for the user to see directly.
- **maps_batch_geocode** — Geocode up to 50 addresses in one call — returns coordinates for each.
- **maps_search_along_route** — Search for places along a route between two points — ranked by minimal detour time.
- **maps_explore_area** — Explore what's around a location — searches multiple place types and gets details in one call.
- **maps_plan_route** — Plan an optimized multi-stop route — uses Routes API waypoint optimization (up to 25 stops) for efficient ordering. Driving mode supports `avoid_tolls` and `avoid_highways`.
- **maps_compare_places** — Compare places side-by-side — searches, gets details, and optionally calculates distances.
- **maps_local_rank_tracker** — Track a business's local search ranking across a geographic grid — like LocalFalcon. Supports up to 3 keywords for batch scanning. Returns rank at each point, top-3 competitors, and metrics (ARP, ATRP, SoLV).

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "mcp-google-map": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","@cablate/mcp-google-map"],
    "env": {
      "GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "",
      "GOOGLE_MAPS_ENABLED_TOOLS": ""
    }
  }
}
```

**Requires environment variables:** `GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY`, `GOOGLE_MAPS_ENABLED_TOOLS` — the values above are empty placeholders; fill in real credentials before running (see the repository for what each one is for).

## Documentation

## What cablate/mcp-google-map does

cablate/mcp-google-map exposes Google Maps Platform capabilities to AI agents through MCP, a standalone command-line interface, and three Agent Skills. Its catalog contains 18 read-only tools covering place discovery, location conversion, route planning, environmental context, map images, and local search visibility.

Place tools support free-text and nearby searches, place details, area exploration, side-by-side comparisons, and searches for stops along a route. Location and routing tools convert addresses and coordinates, calculate distance and travel time, return turn-by-turn routes, process batches of up to 50 addresses, and optimize routes with up to 25 stops. Additional tools retrieve elevation, timezone, weather, air quality, and static map images.

The local SEO tool scans a geographic grid for a business and up to three keywords, returning rankings, competitors, and metrics such as ARP, ATRP, and SoLV.

## How it works

The server uses a Google Maps Platform API key and can run as a local stdio process or as a self-hosted Streamable HTTP service at `/mcp`. Stdio clients start the process locally; HTTP deployments can serve shared, containerized, LAN, or remote sessions. Request headers can carry separate API keys for session isolation in multi-tenant HTTP setups.

Every CLI invocation is stateless and returns structured JSON on success. The CLI offers short command names such as `geocode`, `search-places`, and `directions`, while MCP clients receive the full tool names. Agent Skills provide workflow guidance for general map research, travel planning, and local SEO, and can call the CLI without starting an MCP server.

All tools are marked read-only and non-destructive. Google API requests may incur billing, and applications using Places reviews, photos, or generated summaries must follow Google’s attribution and storage requirements.

## Setup and configuration

Node.js 22 or newer and a Google Maps Platform API key are required. The Google Cloud project must have billing enabled, and each selected workflow needs its corresponding API enabled. Common place and route workflows use Places API (New), Routes API, and often Geocoding API.

For stdio, set `GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY` in the MCP client configuration and launch the package with `--stdio`. For HTTP, start the process with a host, port, and API key, then point the client at `/mcp`. The `GOOGLE_MAPS_ENABLED_TOOLS` variable accepts a comma-separated allowlist, which can reduce the tools exposed to an MCP client; omitting it or using `*` exposes the full catalog.

The `doctor` command checks the local Node.js, package, and API-key setup without making a live Google request. Adding `--live` performs billable checks against Geocoding, Places, and Routes.

## Tools and capabilities

- Search nearby places by type, radius, rating, and open status.
- Search places with free-text queries and location bias.
- Retrieve place details including reviews, contact information, hours, and optional photo URLs.
- Geocode addresses individually or in batches of up to 50, and reverse-geocode coordinates.
- Calculate distance matrices and detailed directions, including toll and highway avoidance for driving routes.
- Search along routes, compare places, explore multiple categories, and optimize routes with up to 25 stops.
- Retrieve elevation, timezone, current weather or forecasts, air quality, and inline static map images.
- Measure local rankings across a geographic grid, including competitors and visibility metrics.

## Limitations and notes

The tools provide data and planning inputs rather than guarantees about safety, accessibility, opening status, or ranking results. API availability and billing depend on the Google Cloud APIs enabled for the project. Static map output is returned as an image for the user to view directly. Applications that display Google Places reviews or photos must observe the applicable attribution and storage rules.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/cablate-mcp-google-map/readme_