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The Apple Business Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Apple Business in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Apple Business

The Insider’s Guide

Free Apple portal for a business's place card on Apple Maps

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among local SEO tools, read from Apple Business’s own pages.

Made by Apple · checked Oct 23, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.8GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Apple Business’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Apple Business’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 23, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.8

GPA, above 58 of the 61 other local SEO tools we grade

Apple Business is Apple's free portal for businesses, which now brings together what were Apple Business Connect, Apple Business Manager and Apple Business Essentials. For local search, it lets a business claim its locations and edit the place card shown in Apple Maps, Siri and other Apple apps, add photos, promotions and action buttons, and see how customers find it. The same account also covers device management, work email and branding in Mail and Wallet.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Apple Business, taken from its own pages and our grades.

You claim each location and fill in its place card, and Actions need Apple's approval, which can take up to three working days.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for your place card on Apple Maps

    It covers Apple's apps only, Actions wait on Apple's approval, and features vary by country.

  2. 2

    It is free

    Apple Business has no paid plan at all. 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.

  3. 3

    It runs on Web

    Web.

  4. 4

    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.

  5. 5

    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.

  6. 6

    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.

  7. 7

    A 2.8 GPA, above 58 of 61

    That is against the other local SEO tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    Apple Business is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

Apple Business at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
Web
Made by
Apple
Category
Local SEO Tools
Our grade
2.8 GPA, good

The report card

Best for your place card on Apple Maps

Apple Business is Apple's free portal for the place card a business shows in Apple Maps, Siri and other Apple apps: hours, photos, offers, action buttons and insights, plus device management on the same account. It covers Apple's apps only, Actions wait on Apple's approval, and features vary by country.

ToolGPA report cardApple BusinessGraded Oct 23, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAFree 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.
Free plan and trialAEverything 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.
FeaturesCPlace 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.
Ease of useCNo 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.
Platforms and integrationsCA 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.
Grade point averageGood, out of 4.02.8

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Apple Business is for

  • 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

Who it is not for

  • 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

Good to know

Good for

  • Local businesses that want their Apple Maps place card correct and complete
  • Brands that want their logo shown in Apple Mail, Wallet and payments
  • Companies already using Apple Business to manage their Apple devices

Worth knowing

  • 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.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

Apple Business is free to use.

Free to start, with place cards, showcases, Actions, insights and brand tools at no cost.
From our grade for value for money

  • 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.

The 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.

Read from business.apple.com on Oct 23, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

1

Place it runs: Web

Free Apple portal for a business's place card on Apple Maps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: reports, local listings.

The gap: it covers Apple's apps only, with Google, Bing and Yelp claimed separately.
From our grade for features
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.

Where it runs

  • Web

What it works with

  • Apple Maps
  • Siri
  • Apple Wallet
  • Apple Mail
  • Apple Ads

Apple Business is made by Apple.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

58/61

Other local SEO tools it is graded above

Apple Business's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 58 of the 61 other local SEO tools we grade, and level with 1.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 59 of 61) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 0).

Apple Business has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 62 local SEO tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Apple Business’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 56 of 61
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 59 of 61
  • CFeaturesAbove 2 of 61
  • CEase of useAbove 1 of 61
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 61

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 51 local SEO tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Apple Business is the marked dot.

C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$1$5$20$50$200$500$2kMore for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessApple BusinessWhitesparkBrightLocalLocalo

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

Apple Business is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 58 of the 61 other local SEO tools we grade.

What you could make

  • Reports: an app builder makes this well.

What you could not

  • Listings sent to dozens of directories and map apps, which takes an agreement with each.
  • It plugs into other products, Apple Maps, Siri and Apple Wallet among them.
  • Hooks into the device itself: Siri.

What this rests on. Apple Business’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Google Business Profile, Bing Places for Business, Yelp for Business, Yext and BrightLocal

The 5 tools Apple Business is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

12

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Apple Business free?

Yes. Apple Business is free to use.

How much does Apple Business cost?

Apple Business lists one plan. Apple Business: $0.

What platforms does Apple Business work on?

Apple Business is available on Web.

Does Apple Business have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Apple Business is listed for Web.

Does Apple Business have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Apple Business is listed for Web.

Is Apple Business open source?

Apple Business is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.

What does Apple Business integrate with?

Apple Business's listing names Apple Maps, Siri, Apple Wallet, Apple Mail and Apple Ads.

Who makes Apple Business?

Apple Business is made by Apple.

What are the alternatives to Apple Business?

The closest alternatives to Apple Business in our directory are Google Business Profile, Bing Places for Business, Yelp for Business, Yext and BrightLocal.

How does Apple Business compare with other local SEO tools?

Apple Business's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 58 of the 61 other local SEO tools we grade, and level with 1.

Is Apple Business good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Apple Business A for value for money. Apple Business has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of Apple Business?

Apple Business is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Apple Business’s own pages on Oct 23, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 23, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Apple's own pages on 23 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices change, so check business.apple.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Apple Business: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 23, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/apple-business-connect

Know someone choosing between local SEO tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/apple-business-connect/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded local SEO tools after Apple Business, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

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Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Apple Business’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Apple Business is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices and plans change: check business.apple.com before you buy.