Instruct your team to install the free what3words app so they can find, share and save exact locations easily and efficiently.
It’s free and easy to start using what3words to locate jobs, customers and assets
App setup (basic)
Integration setup (recommended)
It’s free to start using what3words directly in your existing systems with one of our easy-install GIS plugins.
Get started for free with our GIS plugins
Need a custom solution?
FAQs
Why do I need what3words when I have Google Maps?
Google Maps is a tool for navigation, public transport and for looking up POIs. what3words has a very different function – it’s an easy way to communicate exact locations, whether that’s spoken over the phone or into a car voice navigation system, or typed into a taxi app or a website checkout page.
If you’re given a what3words location, you can open it in the what3words app, then tap ‘Navigate’ and select ‘Google Maps’ to open the exact location in Google Maps and get directions.
What are the benefits of what3words addresses?
They’re easy to communicate
what3words addresses are easy to remember and to say over the phone or radio. They’re also quicker and easier to type than a regular street address. They’re designed for speech recognition technology, making them easy to input correctly into voice-enabled devices or vehicles.
You get the correct location every time
Every 3m square in the world has been given a what3words address. The system is fixed and will never change, so what3words can be used reliably offline, without a data connection. Every what3words address is unique, and built-in error prevention helps users to spot and correct any input mistakes.
They’re in your language
what3words addresses have the same simple format worldwide and can be used in over 40 languages to date. This means you can explore Tokyo using addresses in English, for example. A what3words address can be switched instantly into any supported language and even looked up in one language then shared in another.
They’re easy to integrate into existing technology
what3words addresses convert to GPS coordinates, providing a human-friendly way to give accurate location information to systems and platforms, from e-commerce checkouts and navigation apps to emergency command and control systems.
How does what3words make money?
what3words is free for anyone to use via our app and online map. We make money by charging some businesses that benefit commercially from using our products. For example, what3words built into Mercedes-Benz’s cars improves the customer experience for its drivers.
You can read more details in this article by our Chief Commercial Officer, Clare Jones.