Rates
Pricing you can read before you call
We keep your map current. A setup fee once, then yearly care that is included in every plan. Your places live in a spreadsheet you own. These are published starting prices. Larger projects are quoted before work begins.
| What is included | SeasonalUp to 40 places, 1 map | RecommendedYear-RoundUp to 120 places | Full-ServiceUp to 3 maps or routes, up to 300 places, up to 2 languages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup, once | starting at$1,200 | starting at$1,800 | from$3,500 |
| Per year (care is included) | $900/yr | $2,400/yr | from$4,800/yr |
| Places on the map | Up to 40, 1 map | Up to 120 | Up to 300, up to 3 maps or routes |
| Your places in a spreadsheet you own | Included | Included | Included |
| Hosting, and embed on your own website | Included | Included | Included |
| Works on phones and tablets | Included | Included | Included |
| Photos, hours and route order | — | Included | Included |
| Several maps or routes | — | — | Up to 3 |
| More than one language | — | — | Up to 2 |
| Changes | Two refreshes a year (spring, before the season, and fall), up to 20 changes each | Send changes any time: up to 10 a month, done within 3 business days | Up to 20 a month, done within 2 business days |
| Listing check | A yearly check that each place is still open | A full sweep every quarter | A monthly sweep |
| Events | — | A seasonal events layer | Two event or festival maps a year |
| Sponsor pins | — | — | Included |
| Print-ready PDF | One a year, with QR code | Two a year | Two a year |
| Quarterly report: referrals to businesses, openings and closings, updates made, views and clicks | — | Included | Included |
| Yearly accessibility check | — | Included | Included |
Founding clients (the first five organizations). The prices above are list prices. Founding clients get 50% off setup, and Year-Round Care at $1,800 a year locked for three years (Seasonal Care stays $900 a year, locked for three years), in exchange for letting us show their map publicly as an example.
Care is part of every plan, not an extra. The map is a service we run: hosting, refreshes, listing checks and support by email with a reply within one business day. Edit your spreadsheet yourself any time if you like, or send us changes with the Send a change form.
$900 / yr and upWhat counts as a change: one edit to one place, such as new hours, a new photo, a corrected address, or adding or removing a place. The turnaround time starts once we have everything we need to make the change, and confirmed it with you if anything is unclear. Changes beyond your plan are $150 per batch of 10.
What is in the quarterly report: a short summary for your board, referrals to your businesses (taps on Directions or Website), businesses that opened or closed, every update we made, broken links fixed, map views over time and the most-opened places. Each business can get its own numbers on request. Reports show views and clicks on the map, not visitor counts or sales. See a sample report.
The yearly accessibility check means we test the map with a keyboard and automated accessibility tools, and review it against the WCAG 2.1 AA checklist. Setup is paid when we start, and your first year of care is invoiced when the map goes live. After that, care is invoiced yearly on that anniversary. Cards accepted. A W-9 and a contract are available on request. Reports show views and clicks on the map, not visitor counts or sales. Larger scope than a plan lists is quoted. Extra changes beyond any plan are $150 per batch of 10.
What you pay, and when.
- A setup fee once, then annual care. Care is included in every plan.
- The setup fee is paid in full when we start.
- Your first year of care is invoiced when the map goes live, so your year starts the day visitors can use it. Then annual invoices follow on that anniversary. Cards accepted. It renews each year unless you tell us 60 days before.
- Start small, move up later. Move from Seasonal Care to Year-Round Care within your first 12 months and the setup fee you paid counts in full toward the new one, so you pay only the difference. Care already paid for that year is credited day for day.
- Pay ahead and save. Pay 2 years ahead for 10% off the annual fee, or 3 years for 15% off.
- Price increases are capped at 5% a year.
- Founding clients. The first five organizations on Front Porch Maps get 50% off setup and a locked annual fee for three years (Year-Round Care at $1,800 a year, Seasonal Care at $900 a year), in exchange for letting us show their map publicly as an example.
- The preview is free. You see your own places on a map before paying anything.
- A W-9 and a contract are available on request.
If you need a little more.
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Event or festival map | $500, then $250 a year to refresh it for the next year |
| Extra language | $300 a year |
| Extra changes beyond your plan | $150 per batch of 10 |
| Sponsor pins | $300 setup (included in Full-Service Care) |
What is yours, and what happens if you stop.
Your places live in a spreadsheet you own (a Google Sheet, or Excel or CSV if your organization cannot use Google). Export it any time, including if you leave.
| What | Who owns it | If you stop |
|---|---|---|
| Your data | You. It is your spreadsheet. | It stays yours. Export it any time. |
| Print-ready PDFs we deliver | You. They are yours to keep. | Keep using them. |
| The interactive map (software, design, hosting) | A service we run for you while your plan is active. | The map stays up for a 30-day grace period, then is replaced by a simple list of your places (or a link to your site). Come back within 12 months and there is no new setup fee. |
Every map shows the month its places were last checked. Need a change right now? Use the Send a change form.
Which plan fits?
| If you have… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Places that change a few times a year, like a barn quilt trail or scenic byway | Seasonal Care |
| Downtown directories, wine trails and visitor bureaus where hours and businesses change often | Year-Round Care |
| Up to 3 maps or routes, events and sponsors, or a second language | Full-Service Care (we confirm a fixed price after a short email chat; larger scope is quoted) |
Why not a free map tool?
Google My Maps is free, and it can work well if a staff member or volunteer has time to keep it current. Making the map is the easy part. Keeping it right, year after year, is the work you hand to us.
| Do it yourself (for example, Google My Maps) | Front Porch Maps | |
|---|---|---|
| Who keeps it current | Your staff or volunteers, when they have time | We do, on a schedule your plan spells out |
| Closed businesses and broken links | Fixed when someone notices | We check every listing, fix what we can and flag what needs your call |
| Changes from business owners | Emails to your office, entered by hand | A change form; we check it and make the update |
| What visitors get | Pins and the tool's standard layout | Category filters, search, a list view and Directions, in your colors, built to WCAG 2.1 AA |
| Something to show your board | Nothing built in | A quarterly report of what changed, plus map views and clicks (sample) |
| Printed map | A separate design job | Print-ready PDFs with a QR code, from the same list |
| Your data | Lives inside the tool | A spreadsheet you own, exportable any time |
| Cost | Free, plus staff time | From $1,200 setup and $900 a year |
Questions
How does the free preview work?
Tell us who you are and send a link to your current map, PDF or list of places. Within 3 business days we send you a private preview built from your own places. There is no payment and no commitment, and you do not need to clean anything up first.
What does it cost?
A setup fee once, then yearly care. Seasonal Care is $1,200 to set up and $900 a year. Year-Round Care is $1,800 and $2,400 a year. Full-Service Care starts at $3,500 and $4,800 a year. Every price, limit and add-on is on our pricing page; there are no hidden fees.
Why is there a yearly fee and not just a one-time price?
Because a map is only useful while it is accurate. Businesses open and close, hours change, events come and go, links break. The yearly fee pays for hosting and for us to keep the map current, so your staff do not have to.
Who owns the data?
You do. Your places live in a spreadsheet you own: a Google Sheet, or Excel or CSV if your organization cannot use Google. You can export it any time, including if you leave. The print-ready PDFs we deliver are yours to keep. The interactive map itself is a service we run for you while your plan is active.
What happens if we stop paying?
The map stays up for a 30-day grace period. After that it is replaced by a simple list of your places, or a link to your site, so visitors are never left with a broken page. Your spreadsheet and PDFs stay yours. Come back within 12 months and there is no new setup fee.
Can we pay with a grant?
Often, yes. Many grants can pay the setup fee and your care for the grant period in one payment. Check your grant's rules on prepaying services; we are happy to provide a quote or scope description for your application. If your funder requires you to own the finished map outright, ask us: we can quote a one-time purchase.
Will it work on our existing website?
Almost certainly. We host the map and you add it to a page with one line of embed code, the same way you would add a video. WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly and plain HTML sites all work. We can also set it up at its own address, such as map.yourtown.org.
Is the map accessible?
We aim to build every map to WCAG 2.1 level AA: it works with a keyboard, has a list view that carries the same information as the map, uses strong contrast and clear focus, and never relies on color alone. We test with a keyboard and automated accessibility tools, and review each map against the WCAG 2.1 AA checklist. Year-Round Care and Full-Service Care include a yearly accessibility check with written notes.
Do you provide a W-9, a contract and invoices for our records?
Yes. We provide a W-9, a one-page statement of work (scope, deliverables, timeline, review rounds and how the map is accepted), a short written agreement, and itemized invoices. We can invoice against your purchase order and fill in standard vendor forms.
See all questions and answers, including paperwork, grants and data ownership →
The free preview
See your own places on a map, free.
Send us a link to your current map. We will send back a private preview within 3 business days. No payment, no commitment.
or write to [email protected]