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Plus Codes by Google VS WhatFreeWords

Compare Plus Codes by Google VS WhatFreeWords and see what are their differences

Plus Codes by Google logo Plus Codes by Google

Street addresses for places that don't have one 🗺️

WhatFreeWords logo WhatFreeWords

WhatFreeWords is a free and open-source, compatible implementation of the What3Words geocoding. See About to learn more about how it works.
  • Plus Codes by Google Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-05
  • WhatFreeWords Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-17

Plus Codes by Google features and specs

  • Accessibility
    Plus Codes are accessible to anyone with a smartphone or computer, making it easy to share locations without needing a postal address.
  • Universality
    They work globally and are not dependent on country-specific systems or infrastructure, ensuring a consistent addressing solution anywhere in the world.
  • Offline Functionality
    Plus Codes can be generated and used without an internet connection, which is beneficial in remote areas with limited network access.
  • Integration with Google Maps
    Since they are a Google initiative, Plus Codes are well-integrated into Google Maps, enhancing convenience for users within this ecosystem.
  • Simple Format
    The format of Plus Codes is simple and easy to remember compared to traditional GPS coordinates, facilitating easier communication of locations.

Possible disadvantages of Plus Codes by Google

  • Adoption Challenge
    The widespread adoption of Plus Codes can vary as users and organizations may prefer traditional addressing systems they are accustomed to.
  • Dependence on Digital Platforms
    While offline functionality exists, the use and awareness of Plus Codes heavily rely on digital platforms, which may exclude non-digital users.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Sharing precise locations using Plus Codes can raise privacy issues if users are not careful about who they share their codes with.
  • Integration Limitations
    Outside of Google applications, the integration of Plus Codes may be limited, which can restrict their functionality in other mapping or navigation services.
  • Learning Curve
    For users unfamiliar with digital location codes, learning how to generate and use Plus Codes may require effort and adjustment.

WhatFreeWords features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Plus Codes by Google and WhatFreeWords)
Maps
75 75%
25% 25
Geolocation
0 0%
100% 100
Web Mapping
74 74%
26% 26
Mapping And GIS
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Plus Codes by Google seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 8 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Plus Codes by Google mentions (8)

  • A Critical Analysis of the What3Words Geocoding Algorithm
    For more on this, and why I think we shouldn't advocate for W3W, see: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2019/03/why-bother-with-what-three-words/ for theoretical reasons and https://w3w.me.ss/ for some practical examples. https://plus.codes seems much better, but sadly it uses numbers instead of words, which are much harder for humans to remember ( https://xkcd.com/936/ ), so I don't think it will ever catch on. That's... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Houses having names instead of numbers.
    I wish https://plus.codes/ took off. The benefit compared to what 3 words is that you can use the closest city to give directions and cells next to each other share the bigger cell name. Source: over 2 years ago
  • SpaceX is live with T-Mobile announcement
    And an additional shoutout for https://plus.codes/ from Google. Source: over 2 years ago
  • r/Starlink Questions Thread - March 2022
    New to this so sorry if this is stupid. I've been trying to use https://plus.codes to try to check an address for availability at starlink. Whatever code I put in, it simply tells me afterwards "please enter an address or a plus code". That website seems to give me either a shorter or a longer plus code. Neither of them seems to make the starlink website happy. When I try putting in the address, it doesn't like... Source: about 3 years ago
  • Those of you who won the "get in on another cell" game- how did you systematically go about testing plus codes?
    Https://plus.codes/ is really helpful it allows you to select areas by plus code so you can do fine incrementing once you locate an active cell to locate it's edge. Source: over 3 years ago
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WhatFreeWords mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of WhatFreeWords yet. Tracking of WhatFreeWords recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Plus Codes by Google and WhatFreeWords, you can also consider the following products

what3words - Geocoding system for the simple communication of locations with a resolution of 3 m

Google Maps - Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

OpenStreetMap - OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license.

OSGeo - QGIS is a desktop geographic information system, or GIS.

Google Maps Go - Designed to run smoothly on devices with limited memory and on unreliable networks

Pataa - Pataa simplifies your long complex address into a unique short code that is easy to share & navigate. Mark landmarks & guide address with your recorded voice.