Option one: a custom map in Google My Maps
Google My Maps builds a map with your own pins, colours and layers, and it is free. It is the quickest way to put a list of addresses on a map you can share with a link or embed.
- Open Google My Maps and create a new map.
- Choose Import on the first layer and upload a spreadsheet, or pick a Google Sheet. CSV, TSV, XLSX, KML, KMZ and GPX files are accepted.
- Tell My Maps which column holds the address, and which column to use as each pin's title.
- Style the pins by a column, such as a category, so different kinds of location get different colours.
- To put it on a website, make the map public, then use Embed on my site from the map's menu.
My Maps limits worth knowing first
As of 25 September 2026, Google's help pages set these limits. They are generous for a one-off map and tight for a live list of stores.
| Limit | What Google says |
|---|---|
| Rows per import | 2,000 rows in one imported file |
| Layers per map | 10 |
| File size | 5 MB for KML and KMZ, 40 MB for other files |
| Embedding | The map must be public to embed it on a website |
Where My Maps stops being enough
My Maps shows pins; it does not help a visitor find the nearest one. There is no search by town or postcode, no sorting by distance, no opening hours with an open or closed badge, and no filters beyond the layers. Updating it means editing the map or re-importing, so it tends to drift from your real list. For a handful of locations that is fine. For a network that changes, it is the reason people move to a locator.
Option two: Google Business Profiles for every location
If the goal is for each location to appear when someone searches Google or Google Maps, what you need is a Business Profile per location, not a custom map. Google groups them in a business group so several people can manage them together.
With 10 or more locations of the same business, Google lets you add them in bulk from a spreadsheet, with a store code for each one, and verify them in bulk. Bulk verification is not available to service-area businesses that hide their address.
Option three: a store locator on your own website
A store locator is the searchable version of a map with many pins, built for visitors who are already on your site. They type a town or postcode and get the nearest locations sorted by distance, with hours, directions and whatever details matter for your business.
Google offers a free starting point: Quick Builder in the Google Cloud console generates locator code from your locations, which you can export or deploy yourself. It is a code generator rather than a service, so updates, hosting and design changes are then yours to maintain.
A hosted locator does the same job without code to maintain. Handled Locator imports a spreadsheet or syncs a Google Sheet, draws the map on your own Google Maps or Mapbox key, and is added to any site with one embed. Plans start at $19 a month for up to 200 locations, with a 7-day trial that needs no card.
Which one to use
Pick by what the map is for, not by how many pins it has.
| You want | Use | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| A shareable map of many places, once | Google My Maps | Free |
| Each location found in Google and Google Maps search | Google Business Profile for each location | Free |
| Visitors on your site to find the nearest location | A store locator, coded yourself or hosted | Hosted plans or your own build, plus map usage past the free allowance |
Frequently asked questions
Is Google My Maps free?
Yes. It is free to create, share and embed a map. The limits are on size, such as 2,000 rows per imported file and 10 layers per map.
How many locations can I put on one Google My Map?
Google limits each imported file to 2,000 rows and each map to 10 layers. That is plenty for most one-off maps, but a large network is easier to keep current in a locator fed from a spreadsheet.
How do I make all my stores show up on Google Maps?
Give each location its own Google Business Profile. With 10 or more locations of one business, Google supports bulk upload from a spreadsheet and bulk verification, except for service-area businesses.
Can I embed a Google Map with multiple locations on my website?
Yes. A public My Maps map can be embedded as it is. If visitors need to search by town or postcode and see the nearest location, use a store locator instead.