Apple Business vs Google Business Profile (2026): which should you pick?
As of Oct 24, 2026, we pick Google Business Profile: it is first in our ranking of local SEO tools, and it grades higher too, 3.0 against 2.8.
Checked Oct 23, 2026 · graded Oct 23, 2026 by ToolGPA
Google Business Profile grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Apple Business
Free Apple portal for a business's place card on Apple Maps
Google Business Profile
Free listing that sets how a business shows on Google Maps and Search
Which one is for you
Pick Apple Business if
- Fits if you want your Apple Maps place card correct and complete
- Works for brands that want their name and logo in Apple Mail, Wallet and Tap to Pay
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need Google, Bing or Yelp too, as it covers Apple's apps only
- Watch out: Actions need Apple's approval, up to three working days, and show only on iOS or iPadOS 17.4 or later
- Watch out: features vary by country, and ads on Apple Maps are open only in the US and Canada
Pick Google Business Profile if
- Fits if you run a shop, restaurant or trade that serves customers in person
- Works for chains managing 10 or more locations in bulk or through the API
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're online only or list properties for rent or sale, as neither can have a profile
- Watch out: nothing can be edited until the profile is verified, and Google chooses how
- Skip it if you need Bing, Apple Maps or Yelp too, as those are claimed separately
- Tight if you want the Gemini connection, which works only for a personal account with one verified profile
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAApple BusinessGood | 3.0GPAGoogle Business ProfileVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to start, with place cards, showcases, Actions, insights and brand tools at no cost. The paid extras, iCloud storage and AppleCare+ for Business, are for the device side and not needed for Maps. | AFree outright for any eligible business you verify. Editing, reviews, posts, performance reports, bulk tools and the Business Profile APIs all cost nothing. |
| Free plan and trial | AEverything a business needs for its Apple Maps place card is free, with nothing to pay unless you want more iCloud storage or AppleCare+ for devices. | AEverything is free with a Google account, with no paid tier to run into. The limit is who qualifies, not a cap: only businesses that meet customers in person. |
| Features | CPlace cards with holiday hours and details, showcases, Actions such as Reserve or Order, insights against competitors and brand logos in Mail and Wallet. The gap: it covers Apple's apps only, with Google, Bing and Yelp claimed separately. | CProfile editing on Search and Maps, review replies, posts and offers, performance data, bulk locations and a Gemini connection. The gaps are in the listing: it covers Google only, with no rank tracking or other directories. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You claim each location and fill in its place card, and Actions need Apple's approval, which can take up to three working days. | CNo rating on record. A profile has to be verified before you can edit it, and Google picks the method: phone, text, email, video or mail. |
| Platforms and integrations | CA web portal that publishes only to Apple's own apps: Maps, Siri, Wallet and Mail. Actions show only on iOS or iPadOS 17.4 or later. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with no desktop app. It links to Google Analytics, Google Ads, Merchant Center, Gemini and WhatsApp, and the Business Profile APIs are free. |
| Best for | your place card on Apple Maps | a free listing on Google Search and Maps |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Apple Business and Google Business Profile. How we grade
Price against what you get
Apple Business has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Google Business Profile has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Google Business Profile scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other local SEO tools on the chart, none scores higher than Apple Business for less, and none scores higher than Google Business Profile for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Google Business Profile also covers review collection.
At a glance
| Apple Business | Google Business Profile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free to start: place card customization on Apple Maps, showcases, Actions, insights and brand tools, with device management and 5GB of iCloud storage per user. | Free with a Google account for any eligible business you verify: profile editing on Search and Maps, reviews, posts, performance data, bulk tools and the API. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Apple | |
| Price read from | business.apple.com | business.google.com |
| Checked | Oct 23, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Apple Business
- It covers Apple Maps and other Apple apps only; Google, Bing and Yelp listings are claimed separately.
- Actions need Apple's approval, which can take up to three working days, and show only on iOS or iPadOS 17.4 or later.
- Feature availability varies by country, and ads on Apple Maps are open only to businesses in the US and Canada.
- The paid extras, iCloud storage from $0.99 per user a month and AppleCare+ for Business from $6.99 a month, are for the device side and not needed for Maps.
Google Business Profile
- Only businesses that meet customers face to face qualify; online-only businesses and properties for rent or sale cannot have a profile.
- A profile must be verified before it can be edited or shows performance data, and Google chooses the method: phone, text, email, video or mail.
- It covers Google Search and Maps only; listings on Bing, Apple Maps and Yelp are claimed and managed separately.
- The Gemini connection works only with a personal account that manages a single verified profile, and chat by WhatsApp or text is limited to select regions.
Key features
Apple Business
- Place cards
- Set the name, category, hours including holiday hours, phone, website, photos, logo and details such as payment types, Wi-Fi and parking for each physical location.
- Showcases
- Publish seasonal items, offers or events on a location's place card, with a call-to-action button that links to the business's app or website.
- Actions
- Add buttons such as Menu, Reserve, Order or Tickets to a place card, created in the portal or through the brands API and approved by Apple first.
- Insights
- See how customers search for the business, how they interact with its place card, showcases and Actions, and how it compares with competitors.
- Brand identity across Apple apps
- Register a brand, including online-only businesses, and show its name and logo in Maps, Wallet, Siri, Branded Mail and Tap to Pay on iPhone.
- Ads on Apple Maps
- Paid ads that place a business in Apple Maps search results, with buttons to call or get directions, sold separately in the US and Canada only.
Google Business Profile
- Profile on Search and Maps
- Set hours, phone, website, booking and social links, and a street address, service area or place marker, and add photos, videos, products, services or a menu.
- Reviews
- Read and reply to customer reviews from the profile, and report reviews that break Google's policies, including review extortion scams.
- Posts and offers
- Publish updates, offers and events with photos, video and an action button; they show in the Updates or From the owner section of the profile.
- Performance report
- Views, the searches people used, calls, website clicks, direction requests, messages and bookings over a chosen date range, downloadable for several profiles at once.
- Bulk locations and API
- Businesses with 10 or more locations can upload them by spreadsheet and request bulk verification; the Business Profile APIs manage listings and reviews at scale.
- Gemini connection
- Connected to the Gemini web app, it can update hours and links, draft review replies and posts, summarize reviews and report performance and search keywords.
Plans
Apple Business
Apple Business$0
Locations and place cards on Apple Maps, showcases, Actions, insights and brand identity, plus built-in device management and 5GB of storage per user.
Google Business Profile
Free$0
Profile on Search and Maps, review replies, posts and offers, performance reports, bulk location management and the Business Profile APIs.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Apple Business or Google Business Profile?
As of Oct 23, 2026, both Apple Business and Google Business Profile are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Apple Business or Google Business Profile?
As of Oct 23, 2026, both Apple Business and Google Business Profile have a free plan.
Which platforms do Apple Business and Google Business Profile run on?
As of Oct 23, 2026, only Google Business Profile lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.