Baidu Map (Baidu Maps) is the map and navigation service of Baidu, China’s leading search engine. It started as a map display and now covers route planning, real-time traffic and local services. For a foreign company it matters twice: customers find your locations in it, and its open platform lets you replace Google Maps on a China website.
What Baidu Maps offers its users
Maps and positioning
Baidu Maps shows detailed maps of China, from city streets to rivers and villages, and maps of many other countries. It locates the user and lets them share or save places.
Route planning and traffic
- Routes for driving, public transportation, walking and cycling, with several options compared by time and distance.
- Real-time traffic on city roads, so drivers can avoid congestion.
- Voice navigation with distance, time and turn-by-turn guidance.
Local search and services
Baidu Maps holds a large base of points of interest (restaurants, hotels, malls, attractions) with ratings, prices and reviews. Users can filter them and book some services, such as hotels, without leaving the app.
Lane-level, 3D, panorama and AR views
Lane-level navigation guides drivers at complex junctions, 3D maps show buildings, panoramic street views show the destination before you go, and AR navigation adds directions to the camera view in some areas.
Why Baidu Maps matters for your visibility in China
Baidu Maps is tied to Baidu search: map results with reviews and prices appear on Baidu’s results page, as our guide to SEO on Baidu shows. A store, office or showroom with a correct listing is easier to find for Chinese customers searching on Baidu. Baidu also sells location-based promotion, such as map markers and location ads.
How to integrate Baidu Maps into a website or app
Google Maps does not work reliably in mainland China, which is why localizing a website for China usually means replacing it with a Chinese map. The Baidu Maps Open Platform offers a JavaScript API for websites, Android and iOS SDKs, and web service APIs for search, geocoding and routing. Its business offer also includes location data and analytics.
A global location service extends maps, search, positioning, routing and geocoding outside China, for companies whose users travel.
Getting an API key, step by step
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Create a Baidu account with a user name, a mobile number and a verification code.
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Register as a developer on the open platform: name, mobile number, employer and email.
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Verify the company, either by uploading a work badge, business card or business license, or by a transfer from the company’s bank account.
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Describe your industry and use case, then accept the platform’s terms.
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Wait for the review. Once approved, you create the key and integrate it into your website or app.
These forms are in Chinese and expect Chinese company details. Our website development in China includes this setup when a site needs a map.
How Baidu Maps differs from Amap, Tencent Map and Tianditu
Amap is the Alibaba group’s navigation app and platform. Tencent Map is the map of WeChat and its Mini Programs. Tianditu is the official map of the Chinese state. Baidu Maps stands out through its link with Baidu search and local results, which makes it the natural choice when your Baidu visibility matters.
How QPSoftware can help
A map that loads in China, shows the right address and links to your Baidu listing is a small feature with a direct effect on store visits and leads. Our Shanghai team picks the right map provider, handles the developer account and builds the integration as part of our custom website development for brands in China.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baidu Maps available in English?
Baidu Maps provides multi-language support, including English, for users who travel or live in China. The open platform, its developer registration and most of its documentation are in Chinese, so a company that integrates the API usually needs a Chinese speaker or a local partner to set up the account.
Can I use Google Maps on a website for China?
Google Maps and other Google services do not load reliably in mainland China, so a map embedded from Google often shows as a blank area for Chinese visitors. The usual solution is to use a Chinese provider such as Baidu Maps, Amap or Tencent Map on the China version of the site, or to replace the map with a static image and the address.
Do I need a Chinese company to get a Baidu Maps API key?
The developer registration asks for a mobile number that can receive a verification code, an employer, and a company verification based on documents or a corporate bank transfer. These steps are designed for Chinese businesses. A foreign company without a Chinese entity should check the current terms with the platform or work through a local partner.