Google has discontinued the Google Earth Plus version which cost $20/year. This move is not surprising because there were only two primary features in the Plus version not already in the free version: GPS support, and limited spreadsheet input support. Both of these capabilities are possible to do with the free version of Google Earth with other tools (free and/or for moderate one-time costs). And, Google states in the announcement that they will be including GPS features in the free version of Google Earth in a future update. Also, for those currently paying the $20/year subscription to GE Plus, Google is offering a deeply discounted subscription to GE Pro for $99 (instead of the regular $400 price). Google is also offering a two-month free trial of GE Pro. Here is a saved view of the web page comparing the different GE versions (including Plus). via OgleEarth.
Here are some links to tools you can use to get the Plus features with the free Google Earth:
- BatchGeoCode – import spreadhsheet data to generate KML locations – FREE
- Spreadsheet Mapper 2.0 – Google’s own spreadsheet mapping tool – FREE
- Excel to KML Utility – Another free spreadsheet to KML tool by Bill Clark – FREE
- GooPs – A very nice package for supporting GPS with Google Earth – FREE, PLUS and PRO versions
- GPS Tracking with Free Google Earth – Recent release of a tool by Valery Hronusov – FREE
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.
Did you notice that Ed Parsons, a Google employee, posted a note that promotes the GeoServer as on-par with Google’s own Google Earth Enterprise server (http://www.edparsons.com/2008/12/looking-for-a-google-earth-server/). I wonder if that isn’t a foreshadowing of that product’s removal from the marketplace.
It would make a lot of sense for Google to cut this product from their offering too, since they’re not really in the hardware and services business, and they don’t have much of a sales support staff to service the product.
parsnip was never a company man, sacked from the ordnance survey for speaking out of line, so I wouldn’t read too much into that one 😉 very few people keen to employ him except for google who give him a junior sales job in the gb
I did a google search to read about the possible upgrades to google earth and read google plus was no longer available. now when I click my icon for google earth I get google plus and am asked for a login…..help, how do I get back to Google Earth?
I have a new computer and I am a subscriber to google-plus till Jan,what can I use till then since Plus is no longer available???
Uh, you’re forgetting the most important feature of Google Earth Plus — priority bandwidth. At least that was the main reason I was paying for it.
This is an example of going overboard with free features. I think entrepreneurs these days get suckered-in by generation-X/Y sick sense of entitlement to everything being free.
That’s right, heaven-forbid you should have to open your wallet for anybody or anything.
…douche-bags