The Mapbox Search Box API for location search is now generally available to all Mapbox users. Since its initial launch, Search Box has attracted thousands of developers seeking a cost-effective, intuitive, and migration-friendly solution with the additional benefit of extensive location data coverage in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Built for developers to deliver powerful search with ease

At Mapbox, developers have always been our core focus, and we're committed to continuously improving data quality and creating innovative products to address real customer challenges. Recognizing the need for a cost-effective, easy-to-implement, and reliable point-of-interest (POI) search service for mapping applications, we are launching the Search Box API into General Availability.

Since its Public Preview release last year, Search Box API has doubled its POI (Points of Interest) data coverage and is now powered by a newly-launched data platform that enables near real-time updates for data corrections, ensuring users find the most accurate and up-to-date locations. New search features have also been added, including brand and category suggestions, better intent detection for more precise search results, and popularity-based ranking for POIs. With the added features, Mapbox Search Box makes location exploration effortless. Developers can easily explore these enhancements using the interactive API Developer playground.

Current Search Box API users are automatically upgraded to our new generation data platform and search engine that adds new capabilities and improvements implemented over the past 12 months. Improvements include enhancements to our location data accuracy, more frequent and faster data updates, increased coverage in addresses and POI, and an updated search engine to support more search use cases with better accuracy.

Additionally, Mapbox offers routable points, an alternative set of coordinates that are optimized for navigation. Powered by Mapbox’s first-party telemetry and machine learning, Routable Points ensure that drivers arrive at the right location – and not just the closest road to their destination. For example, Routable Points will guide drivers to a house’s main street (instead of the closer back alley) and the front of a big box store or strip mall (instead of the loading dock in the back).

How Search Box drives business outcomes

The Search Box API is built to empower developers and businesses to build location search experiences and fuel powerful applications with its all-in-one location search for addresses, places, and points of interest (POI). With over 375 million addresses and 170 million POIs globally, the API improves navigation for connected vehicles and companion apps used by Toyota, General Motors, ANWB, and Straightaway for drivers and deliveries.

With an intuitive interface and extensive database, the Search Box API can provide seamless and accurate location search experiences to users. ANWB, the Royal Dutch Touring Club, selected Mapbox to enhance their Onderweg driver app, providing hyper-local trip planning for their 5 million members. By integrating Mapbox Navigation SDK and the Search Box API, they created a unified on-the-road concierge experience, which incorporates BYOD (Bring Your Own Data) capability, real-time traffic data, and customized map styles directly into their app.

"The Mapbox Search Box API helped us to improve the search feature in the ANWB Onderweg driver app. Now our members can search all of Mapbox data for place names, addresses, and points of interest to prepare their route, and at the same time we can add our own custom data to further enhance the driver experience."

- Franklin Snellink, Software Engineer, ANWB

Tailored search, cost optimization, and painless migration

The Search Box API offers flexibility when creating search applications via customizable API features that empower developers to tailor search to their unique needs. Plus, developers can optimize their costs without sacrificing quality. Many Mapbox customers, including Curb and Parkbee, have successfully switched from the other providers, experiencing faster load times, improved responsiveness, and enhanced customization, leading to a more efficient and cost-effective user experience.

We've designed our APIs to make service migration a painless process. Here's how we make it easy for developers to migrate their search features to Search Box API:

• Designed for developers, by developers: Mapbox Search JS, among other intuitive features, empowers developers to build interactive search experiences. 
• Comprehensive documentation: Step-by-step guidance with our comprehensive documentation ensures a smooth and efficient migration.
• Expert support at your fingertips: our premium technical support is on hand to answer customers’ questions and guide them through the process.

With Mapbox Search Box, not only are developers accessing the same quality of services when compared to other search providers, but they are also getting greater flexibility, customization, and cost-efficiency.    

Enhance location searches: choosing between Geocoding API and Search Box API

Mapbox Geocoding API specializes in address searches, while the Search Box API offers a broader scope. In addition to addresses, it provides results for POIs, categories, and brands, along with features like Search Along a Route. If customers seek POIs like restaurants, gas stations, and landmarks, Search Box API is the ideal solution. 

2024 roadmap prioritizes data, use cases, and control

Mapbox continues to listen to developers and innovate based on feedback. The 2024 roadmap is full of exciting features that will make search even better. We have three primary focus areas: improving data quality and coverage, supporting more search use cases for end users, and innovating how developers manage and control their search data. 

Streamline location search and empower business' success with Mapbox Search Box. Try our interactive developer playground or schedule a demo today to see how we can tailor Search Box to your specific needs.