Not all geolocation vendors are created equal. Here's why.

If you're building location-aware features like curbside pickup, delivery tracking, or address validation, your geolocation platform matters. A lot.

But many teams treat vendors like interchangeable parts. Same features. Same APIs. Same results.

They're not.

Under the hood, the differences between platforms can shape your app's performance, your roadmap velocity, and even your bottom line. Let's walk through what really separates modern geolocation platforms, and why more teams are choosing Radar when accuracy, scale, and developer experience matter.

1. Accuracy and precision are not the same

Plenty of platforms claim “high accuracy,” but still trigger geofences 50 to 100 meters off. That might fly for city-wide alerts, not for drive-thru pickup or retail entrances.

Radar delivers 5-meter accuracy in real-world conditions. That translates to:

• Arrival detection that actually works, without false positives.
• Geofencing that triggers at the door, not across the parking lot.
• Location events your team can trust.

If you're building in-person experiences, accuracy isn't just a nice-to-have. It's essential.

2. Developer experience makes or breaks momentum

When deadlines are tight, you can't afford to wrestle with a clunky API or dig through sparse docs. You need location infrastructure that just works.

Radar is built with dev teams in mind. Here's what that looks like:

• API-first design with clean, consistent endpoints.
• Open-source SDKs for iOS, Android, and web.
• Straightforward docs, sample apps, and quickstart guides.
• Real-time logs and dashboards for fast debugging.
• A product that improves constantly, with frequent SDK releases and developer-requested features.

Most teams integrate Radar in a single sprint. In other words, you're shipping location features faster, and spending less time chasing down edge cases.

Need help? Our support team includes engineers who have worked with companies operating at scale.

3. Predictable pricing, built for scale

Some vendors charge by map tiles. Others by geofence volume. And some just get expensive when usage spikes.

Radar keeps things simple: transparent, usage-based pricing, with volume discounts as you grow.

• No surprise bills.
• No penalties for growth.
• No artificial scale limits.

We process over 1 billion API calls daily, and our customers scale with confidence, not caveats.

4. Trusted by top enterprises

Radar powers location infrastructure for companies where performance, reliability, and scale are non-negotiable.

Panera Bread uses Radar to detect drive‑thru and curbside arrivals, improving prep timing and reducing wait times. Plus, Radar's Trips feature gives back‑of‑house teams insights into customer arrival times, helping to increase kitchen efficiency and reduce food waste.

DICK'S Sporting Goods drives in‑store app engagement with geofencing. When DICK'S detects a customer has opened their app within a store, the app's Store Mode lets customers scan barcodes for product information, customer reviews, and store-specific navigation.

T-Mobile delivers geo‑targeted offers through its loyalty program. Radar's Geofencing platform allows T-Mobile Tuesdays to customize offers by region, increasing offer relevancy and customer happiness.

PGA TOUR uses Radar to enhance fan experiences and location‑based engagement during events. With Radar's geofencing SDK, they deployed over 18,000 geofences across courses and regions in just 16 days, driving a 71 percent increase in location‑based app notification open rates, and an 8 percent open rate on ticket upgrade alerts.

Inspire Brands uses Radar to streamline arrival detection across multiple brands. They also power modern, branded store locators with Radar Maps Platform, providing a faster, more polished experience across web and mobile while cutting Google Maps costs.

These teams trust Radar because the platform delivers at scale.

5. One platform. Less complexity.

Why juggle five vendors when one platform can handle it all?

Radar is a full-stack location platform with everything you need:

• Geofencing SDKs. Detect arrivals, visits, or compliance events.
• Maps and store locators. Build beautiful, performant maps and cut Google Maps costs.
• Address autocomplete and validation. Improve checkout conversion and reduce failed deliveries.
• Geocoding and reverse geocoding. Translate coordinates and addresses for real-time tracking.
• Routing and distance APIs. Power accurate ETAs and dispatch logic.
  

It's all from one provider, with one integration and one pricing model. Cleaner codebase. Fewer vendors to manage. Better outcomes.

The bottom line

Choosing the wrong geolocation vendor means more than just a bumpy integration. It means:

• Missed arrivals and inaccurate triggers.
• Long onboarding cycles.
• Surprise pricing and scaling issues.
• Frustrated users and missed KPIs.

Radar gives you a modern, reliable alternative. A platform built for accuracy, performance, and the people who build with it.

Explore the Radar docs to see how it works, or talk to our team to learn why more product and engineering teams are making the switch.