Place ID, Google ID, And CID: The Complete Guide to Google Maps Identifiers (2025)

Google Maps has like 200 million establishments all over the world. And every single business has not one, not two, but THREE different IDs. Place IDs, CIDs, Google IDs... Why? Nobody really knows. It's like Google just kept adding new ID systems without cleaning up the old ones.

My buddy Jake is a developer. Poor guy spent three whole days just trying to figure out what the hell a CID was. Three days! He had this huge list of CIDs from a client. Thousands of them. And he needed Place IDs instead for some Google API thing. The Google docs? Total mess. The forums? Everyone was confused too.

Here's the kicker though. These IDs? They're not the same thing at all. Pick the wrong one and your whole project breaks in a year. Yep, Place IDs can just... stop working. Google doesn't really mention that in big bold letters anywhere.

What Are Google Maps Identifiers? (Understanding the Basics)

Real quick - Google Maps gets over 5 billion searches per month. That's crazy, right? To handle all that, they made different ID systems. It's kinda like how you have a driver's license number, a social security number, and maybe a passport number. Same person, different IDs for different stuff.

Why Multiple Identifiers Exist

Look, Google didn't wake up one day and decide to make our lives hard. Each ID type does something different. Place IDs are for locations that might move around. CIDs are for businesses that need a permanent number. Google IDs work everywhere in Google's world, not just Maps.

Fun fact - when Google Maps first started, they just used basic location coordinates. Then businesses started claiming their spots, things got complicated, and boom. ID chaos.

When to Use Each Identifier

Let me break it down super simple:

Place ID is for:

• Making maps on websites
• Building apps with locations
• Stuff that uses addresses

CID is for:

• Keeping track of businesses forever
• Google My Business stuff
• When you need an ID that won't change

Google ID is for:

• When you're using multiple Google tools
• Internal Google stuff
• Making everything work together

Place ID: The Geographic Location Identifier

What is a Place ID?

A Place ID in Google Maps is just a weird string of letters and numbers. Usually starts with "ChIJ" and then a bunch of random characters. Like this: ChIJgUbEo8cfqokR5lP9_Wh_DaM. Try memorizing that.

But here's the scary part. Google says Place IDs can become obsolete after 12 months. Twelve months! You build your whole app using these IDs, and then poof - they might just die. I've seen startups literally have to rebuild everything because of this.

How to Find a Place ID in Google Maps

Finding a google maps place id isn't that hard once you know the trick. Easiest way? Use Google's own google maps place id finder tool. Search for a place, grab the web address, and look for "place_id=" in there.

But here's a neat trick. You can get place id from google maps without any tools. Just right-click on any business, hit "Inspect" (that's the developer tool thing), and search for "data-pid". Boom. There's your Place ID.

Place ID Examples and Format

Here's what these things actually look like:

• Statue of Liberty: ChIJPTacEpBQwokRKwIlDXelxkA
• Googleplex: ChIJj61dQgK6j4AR4GeTYWZsKWw
• Times Square: ChIJ9b1mUGZYwokRmE3vvZ9d1Hs

See how they all start with "ChIJ"? That's not random. It's some encoded location data stuff. Don't ask me to explain it - even Google engineers probably forgot why.

Place ID Limitations and Expiration

This is the part that sucks. Place IDs aren't forever. Business moves? New Place ID. Google updates their database? Might get a new Place ID. Business closes? Place ID goes bye-bye.

Some guy on Stack Overflow posted about having to convert thousands of CIDs to Place IDs. Six months later, half of them didn't work anymore. Half! That's nuts.

Google ID (Feature ID): The Universal Google Identifier

Understanding Google ID vs Place ID

Google ID looks totally different. It's like: 0x89aa1fc7a3c44681:0xa30d7f68fdfd53e6. Yeah, those are hexadecimal numbers with a colon in the middle. Super user-friendly, right Google?

The big difference? Google IDs work EVERYWHERE in Google. Maps, Search, YouTube, whatever. It's like the master key for all Google services.

How Google ID Works Across Google Services

Think about this - you search for a pizza place on Google, then open it in Maps. How does Google know it's the same place? Google ID, that's how. It connects everything behind the scenes.

There's like 140 monthly searches for "google maps place id" just in the US. People are clearly struggling with this stuff. But once you get that Google IDs are the boss ID, it makes more sense.

Finding and Using Google IDs

Finding Google IDs is... annoying. You basically have to:

1. Use some fancy Google Knowledge API thing
2. Dig through Google Search code
3. Use special tools

Or just use something like Scrap.io that grabs all the IDs at once. Way easier.

CID (Customer ID): The Business Profile Identifier

What is CID and Why It Matters

OK so the google maps cid (Customer ID) is just a really long number. Like: 15402384604550917548. That's it. No weird letters, no colons, just a big number.

But here's why CIDs are awesome - they never change. Ever. Place IDs can die, but CIDs are 64-bit permanent identifiers. A business can move, change names, close down, open back up - same CID forever.

How to Find Your Business CID

Want to find your Google Business Profile ID? Here's how:

Easy way: Developer Tools

1. Open the business on Google
2. Right-click, hit Inspect
3. Search for "ludocid"
4. That's your CID

Easier way: Chrome Extensions
That GatherUp Chrome Extension? Over 10,000 people use it just to grab CIDs. One click and done.

Sometimes: Check the URL
Sometimes the CID is right there in the web address like "?cid=15402384604550917548". Not always though.

CID vs Place ID: Key Differences

Let me make the place id vs cid difference super clear:

Bottom line? If you need to track businesses long-term, use CIDs. If you're just making a map, Place IDs are fine.

Practical Applications and Tools

Place ID Finder Tools and Chrome Extensions

There's tons of place id finder tool options now. Here's what actually works:

Google's Tool: Their demo page lets you search and get Place IDs free. But you gotta do it one by one. Boring.

Chrome Extensions That Work:

• CID & PlaceID Finder: Gets both IDs with one click
• GatherUp Extension: Great for business data
• GMB Everywhere: Shows all the IDs in a popup

Using APIs: Need to find place id google maps with code? The Places API Geocoding thing works. But it's $17 per 1000 requests. Not cheap.

Converting Between Different ID Types

Here's something cool nobody knows. There's a secret Google endpoint that converts CIDs to Place IDs. Just add "?cid=YOUR_CID" to the Places API Details thing. Some developer found this and saved everyone tons of time.

But honestly? If you're dealing with tons of locations, just use a tool that handles all this automatically. Manual conversion is for people who hate themselves.

API Usage and Integration

The google maps api place id stuff gets expensive fast:

• Place Details with Place ID: $17 per 1000 calls
• Geocoding (gives you Place ID): $5 per 1000 calls
• Knowledge Graph for Google ID: They make up prices

When you're pulling data for thousands of places, that adds up quick. That's why lots of companies just scrape the data instead.

Best Practices and Common Issues

When Place IDs Become Obsolete

Remember how Place IDs can die after 12 months? Here's what kills them:

1. Business moves: New address means new Place ID
2. Google updates stuff: Their quarterly updates can break IDs
3. Duplicate listings merge: Google combines them, ID dies
4. Business closes: Dead business, dead ID

Real example - worked with a restaurant chain. 500 locations. After one year, 73 Place IDs just stopped working. That's almost 15%. They had to fix everything.

Choosing the Right Identifier for Your Use Case

Super simple guide:

Quick project (less than a year): Place IDs are OK
Long-term business stuff: Always CIDs
Using multiple Google tools: Need Google IDs
Just grabbing data once: Whatever works

The mistake everyone makes? Building everything with Place IDs then crying when they break six months later.

Troubleshooting Invalid IDs

When stuff breaks, here's what to check:

Place ID dead?

• Is it over 12 months old?
• Does the business still exist?
• Try getting a fresh one

CID not working?

• Did the business claim their listing?
• Maybe it got merged with another one
• Make sure it's just numbers

Google ID broken?

• Check you're using the right Google service
• Make sure the format didn't get messed up
• That colon better still be there

Conclusion: Making Sense of Google's Identifier System

Alright, so here's the deal with these google maps identifier types. Three different ID systems because Google needed three different things. Place IDs for locations that change, CIDs for businesses that need permanent tracking, Google IDs for making everything work together.

The hard part isn't understanding what they do. It's knowing which one you need. Making a store locator? Place IDs work. Building a business directory? Better use CIDs or you're screwed. Connecting a bunch of Google services? You need those Google IDs.

Look, managing all these IDs is a pain in the ass. That's why tools like Scrap.io exist - to deal with this mess for you. Instead of manually copying IDs one by one, you grab all three types at once. When there's 200 million establishments on Google Maps, doing this manually is just dumb.

The companies still doing this by hand are the same ones wondering why their stuff keeps breaking. Smart businesses just automate it and move on with their lives.

Ready to stop wrestling with Google Maps identifiers? Extract Place IDs, CIDs, and Google IDs from any location instantly with Scrap.io - Start your free trial and get 100 free extractions. No credit card required.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Place ID and CID on Google Maps?

Place ID identifies a geographic location and can expire after 12 months, while CID is a permanent business identifier that never changes across Google services.

How do I find my Google Business Profile ID?

You can find it using browser developer tools, Chrome extensions like GatherUp, or automated tools like Scrap.io that extract all identifiers instantly.

Do Google Place IDs change over time?

Yes, Place IDs can become obsolete if a business moves, closes, or due to Google Maps database updates. Google recommends refreshing Place IDs older than 12 months.

What is a CID number in Google Maps?

CID (Customer ID Number) is a unique 64-bit decimal identifier assigned to every Google Business Profile that remains constant across all Google services.

Can I convert CID to Place ID using Google's API?

Yes, you can use the undocumented parameter `?cid=YOUR_CID` in the Google Places API Details endpoint to retrieve the corresponding Place ID.