The Best Free Geosheets Alternative for Google Sheets

If you are searching for a Geosheets alternative because the old add-on stopped working, use InstaMaps. Replace GEO_GEOCODE with =GEOCODE(A2) to get coordinates, and replace GEO_MAP with =INSTAMAP(A2:B50) to generate live, shareable maps directly inside your spreadsheets.

This guide is for spreadsheet users, sales teams, and researchers who lost their workflows when Geosheets was shut down. By the end of this article, you will have your location data processing again, with exact formulas to migrate your old sheets without losing functionality.

What You Need to Replace Geosheets

Geosheets (which relied on functions like GEO_MAP and GEO_GEOCODE) was officially delisted around 2020 after Google tightened its OAuth verification process. This left roughly 42,000 installations without support and caused existing formulas to return errors.

To get your location data working again, you only need two things: your existing Google Sheet containing the addresses or coordinates, and the free InstaMaps add-on. InstaMaps is built specifically for Google Sheets, meaning you do not need to learn a new platform or export your data to external GIS software.

You can install InstaMaps from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Once installed, you can access its features via a sidebar (Extensions > InstaMaps > Formulas) that inserts formulas into your sheet without requiring you to memorise the exact syntax.

Step 1: Migrate GEO_GEOCODE to =GEOCODE()

When Geosheets broke, any cell relying on GEO_GEOCODE stopped returning data. To fix this, replace your old function with InstaMaps' =GEOCODE(). If cell A2 contains '10 Downing Street, London', typing =GEOCODE(A2) will instantly return the latitude and longitude (51.5034, -0.1276) directly in the cell.

If you have a large list of properties, you can process them efficiently. By typing =GEOCODE(A2:A50), the formula will automatically populate the corresponding cells with the correct coordinates. This prevents you from having to drag the formula down manually across hundreds of rows.

If you only have coordinates and need the physical address, the =REVERSE_GEOCODE() function works in exactly the same way. Typing =REVERSE_GEOCODE(B2) translates latitude and longitude data back into a standard postal address.

Step 2: Migrate GEO_DISTANCE to =DISTANCE()

Geosheets users frequently relied on GEO_DISTANCE to calculate travel routes or straight-line distances between two points. InstaMaps handles this requirement with the =DISTANCE() function.

To use it, simply provide two cell references containing your locations. For example, if cell A2 is your starting warehouse and cell B2 is a customer's address, typing =DISTANCE(A2, B2) will return the driving distance between them in miles or kilometres.

If your workflow requires driving directions rather than just a numerical value, you can use =ROUTE_LINK(A2, B2). This generates a clickable link using Google Maps' official URL scheme (supporting a maximum of 11 stops) which is helpful for sending direct routes to delivery drivers or field representatives.

Step 3: Migrate GEO_MAP to =INSTAMAP()

The biggest loss for former Geosheets users was the ability to visualise spreadsheet data on a map. While GEO_MAP is no longer available, =INSTAMAP() creates a live, hosted, shareable map URL based on your selected data range.

Select the range of data you want to plot, ensuring you include your headers, and type =INSTAMAP(A2:C50). The cell will output a URL. Clicking this link opens a clean, interactive web map in your browser.

Because the map is live, any edits you make to your underlying Google Sheet-such as adding a new address, changing a status, or deleting a row-will instantly reflect on the hosted map without needing to refresh or generate a new link.

Worked Example: Mapping a 200-Home Delivery Route

Let us look at a practical scenario. Imagine you manage logistics for a local service business covering a 200-home farm area, split among 5 delivery crews. You have a spreadsheet with columns for Customer Name (Column A), Address (Column B), and raw GPS Coordinates (Column C).

First, run =REVERSE_GEOCODE(C2:C201) to verify that the raw coordinates in your sheet accurately match the correct postal addresses. Next, you need to measure the distance from your depot (cell B2) to the first 47 stops of the day. You can use =DISTANCE($B$2, B3:B49) to calculate the mileage.

Finally, to distribute the workload visually, generate a master link using =INSTAMAP(A2:C201). This plots all 200 homes on a single interactive map. You can share this URL with your 5 crews so they can view their assigned territories on their mobile devices without requiring edit access to your private spreadsheet.

1. Run =REVERSE_GEOCODE() to verify coordinate data.

2. Calculate routing distances using =DISTANCE().

3. Plot all active stops with =INSTAMAP().

4. Share the resulting web link directly with field crews.

Limits and Honest Alternatives

No tool is perfect for every use case, and transparency is important. InstaMaps offers a free tier of 100 lookups per day, which increases to 1,000 lookups per day with a free email unlock. This covers the vast majority of standard spreadsheet tasks.

However, if you need to process 100,000 rows of data in a single batch, or require complex spatial joins (like drawing custom polygons), a paid desktop GIS tool might be better suited for your needs.

For the majority of former Geosheets users who just need to use =GEOCODE(), =REVERSE_GEOCODE(), =DISTANCE(), and build live maps inside Google Sheets, InstaMaps provides these features entirely for free. You can review our templates at get-instamaps.com/templates to see exactly how these formulas interact before you begin.

Common Questions