Maps · alternatives
Alternatives to Google Maps Platform
23 maps tools sit alongside Google Maps Platform in this directory. Below is what separates each from Google Maps Platform on the figures we hold, price, model, tier count and rating, and a direct comparison for every one.
- Alternatives listed
- 23
- With a free tier
- 14
- Cheaper to start
- 4
- Google Maps Platform starts at
- Free, then $100/month
Why people look past Google Maps Platform
Only what the record supports. Each point below is a figure on the Google Maps Platform entry measured against the tools listed beside it.
Cost climbs steeply across the tiers
Google Maps Platform publishes 4 tiers, from $100/month up to On request. Teams that outgrow the entry plan can find the next rung a large step, the Google Maps Platform pricing page breaks each one down.
What each alternative does differently
Ordered by the aggregated rating on each catalogue entry. Differences are drawn from price, pricing model, tier count and rating, the fields the category listing carries. For a feature-level difference, follow the head-to-head link on each card: those pages read both full records.
Location data platform for mobile and web applications
- Starts $100 a month cheaper, at Free.
Location data and technology company that provides mapping and location services to businesses globally
- Starts $100 a month cheaper, at Free.
Web mapping and navigation application developed by Apple Inc
- Sold on a freemium model rather than subscription.
Leading open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps, used by millions of developers worldwide
Priced and rated the same as Google Maps Platform on the figures we hold. The difference, if there is one, is in the feature records.
Serverless Python for geospatial: write a UDF, get a map tile endpoint and an HTTP API
- Starts $80 a month cheaper, at $20/month.
- Sold on a Per month by compute tier model rather than subscription.
Long-running open source geospatial analysis engine for raster, vector and terrain processing
- Sold on a Open source, no licence fee model rather than subscription.
- 1 tier to Google Maps Platform's 4.
Every Google Maps Platform alternative at a glance
A dash means the catalogue entry carries no figure, not that the answer is nothing.
| Tool | Entry price | Model | Tiers | Head to head |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps Platform (this page) | Free, then $100/month | Subscription | 4 | |
| MapboxLocation data platform for mobile and web applications | Free | - | - | vs Google Maps Platform |
| HERE TechnologiesLocation data and technology company that provides mapping and location services to businesses globally | Free | - | - | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Apple MapsWeb mapping and navigation application developed by Apple Inc | Free | Freemium | - | vs Google Maps Platform |
| LeafletLeading open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps, used by millions of developers worldwide | Free | - | - | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Fused | Free, then $20/month | Per month by compute tier | 4 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| GRASS GIS | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Cesium ion | Free, then $149/month | Per month by storage, streaming and gigapixels | 4 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Felt | Free | Quote | 3 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Potree | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Emlid Studio | Free | Free of charge, no licence fee | 1 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Atlas.co | Free, then $23/month | Per user per month | 4 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Lonboard | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| SAGA GIS | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Ride with GPS | Free | Freemium, per user per month | 3 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| ArcGIS Survey123 | On request | Per user per year by ArcGIS user type | 3 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Foursquare Spatial Studio | On request | Quote | 1 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Correlator3D | $295/month | One-time purchase | 5 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Leica Infinity | On request | Quote | 2 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Global Mapper | $700/one-time | One-time purchase | 4 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| onX Maps | On request | Separate per-product subscriptions, per user per year | 4 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Geographic Calculator | On request | Quote | 3 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| Agisoft Metashape | $179/one-time | One-time purchase | 3 | vs Google Maps Platform |
| ArcGIS Field Maps | On request | Included with an ArcGIS user type licence | 3 | vs Google Maps Platform |
Ratings are aggregated from third-party sources and imported with each catalogue entry; Softwr hosts no reviews of these products. How each figure is used is set out on the Google Maps Platform badges page.
Cheaper ways to solve the same problem
Free to start (14)
These publish a tier that costs nothing, so they can be evaluated before any money changes hands.
- Mapbox , Free
- HERE Technologies , Free
- Apple Maps , Free
- Leaflet , Free
- Fused , Free, then $20/month
- GRASS GIS , Free
- Cesium ion , Free, then $149/month
- Felt , Free
Cheaper than Google Maps Platform (4)
Entry price under Google Maps Platform's $100/month. The record does not say what unit that price is charged in, so confirm per-seat versus flat rate before comparing budgets.
- Mapbox , Free
- HERE Technologies , Free
- Fused , Free, then $20/month
- Atlas.co , Free, then $23/month
What you would be giving up
Google Maps Platform is most often brought in for embedding dynamic maps, street view and photorealistic 3d tiles in an application, route computation, navigation and fleet route optimisation, geocoding, place autocomplete and address validation, environmental data including weather, solar, air quality and pollen, geospatial analytics through earth engine. Anything replacing it has to cover the ones you actually depend on, and a cheaper tool that misses one of them is not cheaper.
Two things this page cannot settle. It compares on price, model, tier count and rating, because those are the fields the category listing carries, feature-level differences need both full records, which is what the head-to-head pages load. And the ratings are third-party aggregates imported with each entry rather than reviews written here, so a 0.2 difference between two tools is noise rather than a finding.
If Google Maps Platform is broadly right and the question is cost, the Google Maps Platform pricing breakdown covers every tier and what each one adds. If you want the whole field rather than a shortlist, the Maps category lists everything the directory holds, and best maps tools ranks them.
Google Maps Platform runs on web. Platform coverage is not carried on the category listing for the alternatives, so it is one more thing to check on each head-to-head page rather than here.
Questions about Google Maps Platform alternatives
- What are the main alternatives to Google Maps Platform?
- 23 other maps tools are listed in this directory, led by Mapbox, HERE Technologies, Apple Maps, Leaflet. They are ordered by the aggregated rating on each catalogue entry, not by any Softwr ranking.
- What is the best free alternative to Google Maps Platform?
- 14 of the alternatives listed here can be used without paying: Mapbox, HERE Technologies, Apple Maps, Leaflet, Fused.
- Is there a cheaper alternative to Google Maps Platform?
- Yes. 4 of the alternatives below start under Google Maps Platform's $100/month: Mapbox at Free, HERE Technologies at Free, Fused at Free, then $20/month, Atlas.co at Free, then $23/month.
- Why do people look for an alternative to Google Maps Platform?
- On the figures on record, one thing stands out: cost climbs steeply across the tiers. Each is set out with the numbers behind it above.
- What would I give up by switching from Google Maps Platform?
- Google Maps Platform is most often brought in for embedding dynamic maps, street view and photorealistic 3d tiles in an application, route computation, navigation and fleet route optimisation, geocoding, place autocomplete and address validation, environmental data including weather, solar, air quality and pollen, geospatial analytics through earth engine. Anything you replace it with has to cover the ones you actually rely on, the side-by-side comparisons linked from each alternative below put the two feature records against each other.
- Is there an open-source alternative to Google Maps Platform?
- None of the maps tools listed here are recorded as open source. That is what the licence field on each entry says, and the field is not always filled in, so it is worth checking directly for any tool you are serious about.
- How were these Google Maps Platform alternatives chosen?
- They are the tools filed in the same category, Maps, ordered by the aggregated rating on each entry. There is no editorial shortlist, and nothing on this page is paid: no sponsored placement runs on alternatives pages and the order cannot be bought. Softwr has not used these products.
- Where can I compare Google Maps Platform against one of these directly?
- Every alternative below has a side-by-side page against Google Maps Platform covering price, platforms, features and what each one is used for. Those pages read the full record for both products rather than the summary shown here.
- Does this list cover every maps tool?
- No. It covers what this directory holds in the Maps category, 23 tools beside Google Maps Platform. The category page lists the rest of the catalogue as it grows.