Google’s new ‘Address Maker’ app will let communities create functional addresses quickly

Google introduced Plus Codes back in 2018 as an open-source version of typical street addresses, and now the company is ramping up that effort to make it useful to local communities that lack that structure. This will come in the form of a new app, “Address Maker,” which Google will make available for free.

Address Maker is designed to let communities that lack typical street address infrastructure create Plus Codes that can be used as a permanent address that works in Google Maps and with the platform’s APIs. Google says that Plus Codes will make it easier for these under-addressed communities to apply for jobs, get mail delivered properly, maintain businesses, and more.

With our new free Address Maker app, these organizations can now use our open-source system called Plus Codes to create unique, functioning addresses at scale, right from an Android app.

Previously, creating addresses for an entire town or village could take years. Address Maker shortens this time to as little as a few weeks — helping under-addressed communities get on the map quickly, while also reducing costs. Address Maker allows organizations to easily assign addresses and add missing roads, all while making sure they work seamlessly in Google Maps and Maps APIs.

Google says that communities in The Gambia, US, India, Kenya, and South Africa are already using Address Maker, and that communities that could benefit from the technology can reach out to Google for more information.