We are in geo location business for 5 years and me personally 16 years in the web and software development.
Do you think servers that provide API information are free? Do you think that the databases and API services we use to provide you information are free? Do you think any company that has API services will provide information for free?
Whatever API service you look at, you have one specific number of lookups you can use. After that you have limitations. We have a number of free lookups and then a limit until the next day. If there were no limits, people would dragging the resources what we have to pay every month.
People who pay for a license get unlimited resources.
Some small parts of the plugin are locked without a license and are reasonably locked to prevent sudden problems with the functionality of the site when user reach limit.
As for Google Maps, we do not use or charge for Google services. We have provided our users with a script that allows them to place a Google Map on their site via shortcode.
For a user to use Google Maps, they must use the Google Map API key what can find in Google account.
In order for a user to use Google Maps, they must use the Google Map API key, which registers with Google and uses for free, or pay Google if it exceeds a API limit (that it has nothing to do with us).
Our plugin, in addition to all features, has the ability to automatically change the location of the map by user geo location by tracking the IP address. Every change of IP is a single lookup as it pulls in new information.
But you can always put a fixed map (with a well-defined location) on your site and it will work whether you use an unlimited license or not.
Also, if you think that programming a plugin like this is easy and someone will do it for free because they are bored, I suggest you take the matter into your own hands and make the plugin by yourself for your own purposes or ask some friend to do it for you. Be aware that you will need at least 2-3 months of work for 8-10 hours per day if you are professional developer + few testers + premium databases (what you need to pay yearly or monthly), etc. You will see how much cost.
Remember afterwards that you have to keep track of every update, every code change, implement those changes, change PHP versions, change API calls, and all other related things. We also have technical support what give to all our users.
When you look at all that needs to be done and cover the costs, if you think that $39 per year for the unlimited API access (for big websites) is a ripping off, you have no business experience.
