Geocode & Map for Google Sheets
Geocode & Map is a Google Sheets add-on. It turns a column of addresses into latitude and longitude, works out travel distances and times, finds each row's nearest site and puts your rows on a Google map, all without leaving your spreadsheet.
What it does
Geocode addresses
Pick your address column and press Geocode. You get latitude and longitude, plus the matched address, postcode, town, region, country and how exact each match is. It handles thousands of rows, shows progress, and skips rows already done.
Travel distance and time
Distance and journey time between two columns of addresses or coordinates, by car, on foot, by bike or by public transport, in kilometres or miles.
Nearest site
Match every row to its nearest store, depot or office, with the straight-line distance. You can also add a "distance from" column for any one place.
Maps
Put your rows on a Google map, coloured by category, and insert it into the sheet. For an interactive map, import the sheet into Google My Maps.
Formulas
=LATLONG(A2), =REVERSE_GEOCODE(lat, lng), =STRAIGHT_DISTANCE(…), =TRAVEL_DISTANCE(from, to) and =TRAVEL_TIME(from, to), for quick lookups in any cell.
Free US and UK geocoders
US street addresses through the US Census Bureau geocoder, and UK postcodes through postcodes.io. Neither uses Google's daily allowance.
How to use it
- Install Geocode & Map from the Google Workspace Marketplace, then open any spreadsheet.
- Go to Extensions → Geocode & Map → Open Geocode & Map. The sidebar opens beside your sheet.
- Choose your address column and press Geocode. Latitude, Longitude and the matched address appear as new columns. Then use the Travel, Nearest and Map tabs.
Pricing
Free
- Geocode 250 rows a day
- 25 journeys per run, 100 a day
- Nearest site for the first 100 rows
- Maps of up to 25 points
- All formulas, within the same daily limits
Pro
- Geocode as many rows a day as Google allows: 1,000 on personal Google accounts, 10,000 on Google Workspace accounts
- Use your own Google Maps API key for bigger jobs
- 500 journeys per run, with no daily limit from us
- Nearest site for every row
- Maps of up to 100 points, coloured by category
- One licence works on up to 3 Google accounts
Payments are handled by our payment provider, which acts as the seller of record and adds VAT or sales tax where it applies. Your licence key arrives by email: paste it into the add-on's Pro tab. You can cancel any time from the link in your receipt. If Pro isn't right for you, email us within 14 days of a payment for a full refund.
Permissions and your data
When you first open it, Google asks you to allow three things. Here is what each one is for:
| Google's wording | Why Geocode & Map needs it |
|---|---|
| See, edit, create and delete only the specific Google Sheets spreadsheets that you use with this app | To read the columns you choose (addresses, coordinates, names) and write the results back. It works only in the spreadsheet where you open it. It can't see your other files. |
| Display and run third-party web content in prompts and sidebars inside Google applications | To show the sidebar and the map window. |
| Connect to an external service | To send addresses to the geocoder you choose (US Census Bureau or postcodes.io; Google lookups use Google's built-in service), to use your own Google API key if you add one, and to check your Pro licence key with our payment provider. |
We run no server and never see your spreadsheets. Settings and your licence key are kept in your own Google account, and you can delete them from the Pro tab. The details are in the privacy policy.
Help
Some addresses say "Not found"
Add the town and postcode, or a country, to the address, then run Geocode again with "Skip rows that already have coordinates" ticked. The Match quality column shows how precise each result is: exact address, street (estimated), centre of area, approximate or postcode centre.
It stopped with a "daily limit" message
Google limits how many lookups each account can make per day: 1,000 on personal accounts and 10,000 on Google Workspace accounts. The free plan also stops at 250 rows a day. Press Geocode again tomorrow and it carries on where it stopped. For bigger jobs, Pro lets you add your own Google Maps API key. For US and UK addresses, the US Census and UK postcode geocoders don't use Google's allowance at all.
Which geocoder should I use?
Google works worldwide and handles messy addresses best. US Census is free and accurate for full US street addresses. UK postcodes gives the centre of each postcode, which is good enough for most UK maps and distances.
The formulas show "Loading…" or an error
Each formula has 30 seconds to run, so for long lists use the sidebar, which is faster. Results are remembered for six hours, so re-running a formula doesn't use your allowance again.
How do I make an interactive map?
Open Google My Maps, create a map, choose Import and pick your spreadsheet. My Maps reads the Latitude and Longitude columns.
How do I cancel Pro, or move my licence?
Cancel from the Manage subscription link in the add-on's Pro tab, or from your receipt email. Pro keeps working until the end of the period you've paid for. To move a licence to another Google account, click Remove key from this account first, then paste the key in on the other account.
Where does the data come from?
Geocoding, directions and maps come from Google. US addresses come from the US Census Bureau geocoder (public domain). UK postcodes come from postcodes.io and contain OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and ONS data, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Still stuck?
Email support@squareworks.dev with a short description, and a screenshot if you can. We usually reply within two working days.