Solo developer build-log on AI coding limits and mapping API costs
A Product Hunt launch comment for a solo-built iOS compass app shares that most LLMs struggled to implement a reliable compass, that Google Maps' Places API pricing ($30 per 1,000 requests) was too expensive and was replaced with Mapbox at roughly 100x lower cost, and that Cursor outperformed Copilot on larger multi-file edits. A retrospective build-log rather than a focused problem report, though it surfaces a real mapping-API cost pain point for small indie apps.
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Problem descriptions, scores, analysis, and solution blueprints may be updated as new community data becomes available.