# Places
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/places/documentation/index.md

Tip: Need access to real data? Request access and enjoy **up to 10,000 API calls** during the first 28 days with our **Free Trial Access**. [Get Started →](https://developer.mastercard.com/places/documentation/index.md#free-trial-access)

## Overview {#overview}

Places is Mastercard's comprehensive global point-of-interest dataset, delivering the most accurate and current snapshot of merchant locations accepting Mastercard, both in brick-and-mortar stores and eCommerce. Places is a Mastercard data service that enriches raw location, merchant, and transaction inputs with standardized, high-quality place attributes---helping organizations better understand where transactions happen and what those locations represent.

Places API helps organizations discover, verify, and enrich merchant and business location data using Mastercard's comprehensive global point-of-interest dataset. Powered by anonymized transaction data from the Mastercard payments network, proprietary data cleansing, and best-in-class third-party location sources, Places delivers accurate merchant attributes, location intelligence, and business insights. Organizations use Places to improve merchant discovery, enrich customer experiences, support site selection and market analysis, identify nearby businesses, and build location-aware products with confidence. As a point-of-interest dataset, Places is a market leader due to:

* **Freshness** - Mastercard observes store's open/closure/change faster than other data sources
* **Completeness** - Mastercard is one of the few truly global directories of merchants for both brick \& mortar and ecommerce
* **Accuracy** - With decades of experience managing merchant data quality, overall dataset accuracy is unmatched

## Who It Is For {#who-it-is-for}

Places is designed for organizations that rely on accurate location intelligence and merchant context to power their products and decisions:

* **Fintechs**: Enhance transaction clarity, categorization, and user experience in financial apps
* **Mapping and Navigation Platforms**: Improve place accuracy, verification, deduplication, and geospatial intelligence
* **Processors and Transaction Enrichment Platforms**: Standardize and enrich merchant data for downstream analytics
* **Loyalty \& Rewards Programs**: Deliver more relevant, location-aware offers and experiences
* **Issuers**: Bolster digital banking experiences by providing cardholders cleaner merchant names, and building experience (personal financial management tools, maps, loyalty) grounded in accurate merchant location data
* **Consumer-Packaged Goods**: Identify and qualify businesses and leads using verified place attributes
* **Expense Management Platforms**: Standardize and enrich merchant data to enhance experience and execute rules
* **Site Analytics and Location Intelligence**: Analyze footfall trends, trade areas, and commercial activity
* **Payment Facilitators/Point-of-Sales Technology**: Identify and qualify businesses and leads using verified place attributes
* **Data Aggregators**: Enrich existing merchant location dataset with attributes derived from payments activity
* **Real Estate Planning**: Incorporate insights from ever-changing merchant environment in real estate decisions
* **Marketing and Advertising Agencies**: Enhance pipeline and optimize lead generation by enriching prospect queues with extensive attributes and contact information, as well as rapidly incorporating recently opened merchants
* **Merchants**: Understand the landscape around brick and mortar location, including nearby openings and closures

<br />

### Common Use Cases {#common-use-cases}

* Find nearby businesses and points of interest
* Enrich merchant and location records with verified attributes
* Improve merchant discovery and store locator applications
* Support site selection and market intelligence decisions
* Enhance digital banking and customer experiences with richer merchant data

<br />

For more details, visit the [Mastercard Places Product Page](https://developer.mastercard.com/places/product/places/index.md) to explore more on the key features, advanced use cases, and delivery options.

## How it Works {#how-it-works}

The Places Search feature allows you to fetch a list of locations based on specific criteria you provide. A common
application of this feature is performing a "near me" search within a consumer application. For example, by inputting a
user's latitude and longitude, Places can generate a list of the ten nearest department stores that accept contactless payments.

To learn more, explore [API Reference](https://developer.mastercard.com/places/documentation/api-reference/index.md).
Diagram placesOverview Note: For transaction enrichment use case Mastercard offers [Merchant Identifier API](https://developer.mastercard.com/merchant-identifier/documentation/) which can be used to enrich transaction statements via transaction descriptors, card acceptor ids, merchant descriptors

## How Places Integrates {#how-places-integrates}

Places is built for simple, scalable integration into existing data pipelines and applications:

* API-first architecture using REST
* Secure authentication via OAuth 1.0a
* Core interaction model:
  * Submit input data (e.g., merchant name, address, coordinates)
  * Receive enriched Places attributes (standardized name, category, geolocation, metadata)
* Two primary endpoints supporting lookup and enrichment workflows
* Sandbox environment available for testing and evaluation
* Production access enabled through a [Freemium 28-day trial](https://developer.mastercard.com/places/documentation/index.md#3-steps-to-access-your-sandbox), allowing teams to validate value before scaling

<br />

Integration at a glance

|        Detail        |                                                                 Description                                                                  |
|----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Authentication       | OAuth 1.0a                                                                                                                                   |
| Transaction security | The transport between client applications and Mastercard is secured using [TLS/SSL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_Layer_Security), |
| Sandbox URL          | <https://sandbox.api.mastercard.com/location-intelligence/places-locator>                                                                    |
| Production URL       | <https://api.mastercard.com/location-intelligence/places-locator>                                                                            |
| Data Type            | JSON request and response bodies                                                                                                             |
| Data Refresh         | Data refreshes weekly                                                                                                                        |

## Free Trial Access {#free-trial-access}

## 3 steps to access your sandbox {#3-steps-to-access-your-sandbox}

Set up your account and **start testing** the API immediately.
![Create developer account using company email](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/places/uploads/free-trail/step-company-email.png)
STEP 1

#### Create developer account {#create-developer-account}

Use your **company email** to create a developer account.
![Select the Merchant Identifier API from available options](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/places/uploads/free-trail/step-create-project.png)
STEP 2

#### Create new project {#create-new-project}

Select the **Places API** from the list of available options.
![Sandbox base URL for Test API](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/places/uploads/free-trail/step-start-testing.png)
STEP 3

#### Start testing right away {#start-testing-right-away}

Get **immediate access** to the workspace for API sandbox.

## 3 steps to trial with real world data. {#3-steps-to-trial-with-real-world-data}

Use our **Free Trial Access** for 28 days to explore and evaluate our API with up to 10,000 free calls with no upfront commitment required.
![Request Production Access button](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/places/uploads/free-trail/step-request-access.png)
STEP 1

#### Request access {#request-access}

Directly from the workspace created in the previous steps.
![Digital Signature input field](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/places/uploads/free-trail/step-sign-terms.png)
STEP 2

#### Sign terms \& conditions {#sign-terms--conditions}

Agree to **Mastercard's** terms \& conditions for **free trial access**.
![Production base URL after access granted](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/places/uploads/free-trail/step-real-data.png)
STEP 3

#### Start using real data {#start-using-real-data}

**Immediate access** for previously verified companies. Up to 5-day verification period for new customers of Mastercard.

To access the trial create a **new project** in your dashboard:
Project Dashboard

## Next Steps {#next-steps}

* Make your first Places API call in minutes with step-by-step [Quick Start Guide](https://developer.mastercard.com/places/documentation/quick-start-guide/index.md)
* Learn about authentication, environments, security requirements, and making API requests on [API Basics](https://developer.mastercard.com/places/documentation/api-basics/index.md)
* Explore Places API endpoints, request parameters, response schema, and code examples on [API Reference Page](https://developer.mastercard.com/places/documentation/api-reference/index.md)
* Find answers to common questions on [Support](https://developer.mastercard.com/places/documentation/support/index.md)