Geocoding

Forward geocoding takes a typed address and returns a latitude and longitude, often with a tidied-up version of the address and a measure of confidence. Reverse geocoding goes the other way: a phone's GPS position becomes a street address. Address autocomplete is a close relative that suggests matching addresses as someone types, which cuts typos in delivery details.

Google, Mapbox, HERE and others offer geocoding APIs billed per request after a free monthly allowance, and each provider's terms say whether, and for how long, results may be stored; permanent storage is sometimes a separate, pricier product. Nominatim geocodes with OpenStreetMap data, free at low volume or on your own server. Address quality varies a lot by country, so it is worth testing with real addresses from your own market.