Mick Gill's Blog: Google Introduces New Limitations On Google Maps API, Is No Longer Free For All

"Users of Google Maps’ API will soon have to start paying for usage. The general price will be $4 per 1,000 map loads, but there are some allowances and ways to lower costs. A “map load” is counted when a user opens a page which contains the Maps API.
The number of times the user clicks on the map, uses the map or the exact usage of the map, doesn’t matter for pricing purposes."