/ Plugin Category

/ Content Management

/ Document Management & Downloads

/ ACF: Google Map Extended

ACF: Google Map Extended

By CodeFish

Content Management / Document Management & Downloads

Reviewed by Abdul Hameid

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

ACF: Google Map Extended Review - In-Depth Analysis

Enhance ACF with a Google Map field that saves center and zoom level. Disable scroll zooming and show location coordinates. Ideal for developers.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.76/10

User Rating

3.3/5 (based on 6+ reviews)

Active Installations

800+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin creates a new field for Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) extending the functionality of the built-in Google Map field with several handy features.

It saves the map center, allowing you to center your maps wherever you want and save that place as the map center. This is useful if you want your front-end map to show a specific place in the center of the map, not necessarily the location marker.

The plugin also saves the zoom level and can disable map zooming with the scroll wheel, which can be annoying when scrolling the post in the admin area. Additionally, it shows location coordinates, making it easy to get any place's location coordinates by setting a marker using a user-friendly map interface.

The plugin is compatible with the data format of the Google Map field coming with ACF. It saves all maps shown on a page in a global array, which is a bonus for programmers. The plugin utilizes the Google Maps API version 3 without requiring an API key, operating under the restrictions of the free Google Maps API, which is sufficient for most websites.

This ACF field type is compatible with ACF 4 and ACF 5 (PRO version), as well as the Google Map field coming with ACF 4/5.

The plugin is available in multiple translations, including French, German, Dutch, Russian, and Ukrainian, with a POT file available for easy translation into other languages.

Comparing to Alternatives

ACF: Google Map Extended offers enhanced functionality over the default ACF Google Map field, but there are several other plugins available that provide mapping features with different approaches and capabilities.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Adds zoom and center coordinates to ACF Google Map field data.
Maintains compatibility with default ACF Google Map field data structure.
Provides more control over map display within ACF fields.
Free to use with no paid version required.
Simple integration for users familiar with ACF.

Weaknesses

Lacks official updates to support new Google Maps API requirements.
JavaScript errors reported affecting media uploads and permalink changes.
No pro version or premium support available.
Limited features compared to some alternatives with more frequent updates.

User Sentiment Analysis

User reviews are mixed with half of the ratings at 5 stars praising its functionality, but a significant portion (33%) giving 1-star ratings citing issues with API updates and functionality.

Positive highlights

"Does what it say" - ThemeChimps
"Fantastic plugin that adds much-needed functionality to the ACF Google Maps Field" - Kevin Hoffman
"Great plugin. Your solution is so much better." - WPO+
"Adds zoom and center coordinates saving exactly as expected." - Kevin Hoffman

Common complaints

Plugin needs update to support new Google Maps API requirements.
Plugin currently not working due to Google Maps API changes.
JavaScript errors causing issues with media uploads and permalink changes.

Weaknesses

Lack of recent updates to address API changes.
Reported JavaScript errors affecting site functionality.
No official support or pro version to resolve issues quickly.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Developers and site builders who need enhanced Google Map fields within ACF and are comfortable managing API keys and potential troubleshooting.

Not ideal for

Users who require a plugin with active support, regular updates, and guaranteed compatibility with the latest Google Maps API changes.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes extended Google Map field features such as saving zoom level and center coordinates, enhancing the default ACF Google Map field.

Final Verdict

ACF: Google Map Extended enhances the default ACF Google Map field by adding useful features like zoom and center coordinates, and it is appreciated by users who need these capabilities. However, the plugin suffers from a lack of recent updates, leading to compatibility issues with the current Google Maps API and reported JavaScript errors that affect site functionality.

While it remains a valuable tool for developers familiar with ACF, those seeking a more reliable and actively maintained solution may want to consider alternative plugins. The absence of a pro version or official support limits its appeal for users needing guaranteed stability and ongoing improvements.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free ACF: Google Map Extended plugin.

ACF

Google Map

Custom Field

Screenshots

FAQ

A. This plugin mimics the behavior of the Google Map field coming with the woderful Advanced Custom Fields plugin made by Elliot Condon.
Make sure you read the documentation for the original field first.
In order to benefit from the extended functionality set the field type to Google Map Extended, when you create a new custom field with ACF.
If you do everything correctly, you will see a togglable ‘Map data’ label below your map when editting a post/page with your custom fields.

To get the map data in the front-end code, simply request the field value with ACF API call and you will get the latitude, longitude, address, map center and map zoom.

<?php   $values = get_field('*****FIELD_NAME*****');   $lat = $values['lat'];   $lng = $values['lng'];   $address = $values['address'];   $map_center_lat = $values['center_lat'];   $map_center_lng = $values['center_lng'];   $map_zoom = $values['zoom']; ?>