Maps · alternatives
Alternatives to LocationIQ
23 maps tools sit alongside LocationIQ in this directory. Below is what separates each from LocationIQ 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
- LocationIQ starts at
- Free, then $45/month
Why people look past LocationIQ
Only what the record supports. Each point below is a figure on the LocationIQ entry measured against the tools listed beside it.
Cost climbs steeply across the tiers
LocationIQ publishes 6 tiers, from Free up to $950/month. Teams that outgrow the entry plan can find the next rung a large step, the LocationIQ 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 $45 a month cheaper, at Free.
Comprehensive set of APIs and SDKs that allow developers to embed Google
- Starts $55 a month dearer, at $100/month.
- 4 tiers to LocationIQ's 6.
Location data and technology company that provides mapping and location services to businesses globally
- Starts $45 a month cheaper, at Free.
Serverless Python for geospatial: write a UDF, get a map tile endpoint and an HTTP API
- Starts $25 a month cheaper, at $20/month.
- Sold on a Per month by compute tier model rather than subscription.
- 4 tiers to LocationIQ's 6.
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 LocationIQ's 6.
Hosted 3D geospatial tiling and streaming, metered by storage, streaming and gigapixels
- Starts $104 a month dearer, at $149/month.
- Sold on a Per month by storage, streaming and gigapixels model rather than subscription.
- 4 tiers to LocationIQ's 6.
Every LocationIQ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LocationIQ (this page) | Free, then $45/month | Subscription | 6 | |
| MapboxCompetitive mapping API platform with strong visualization capabilities and reverse geocoding | Free | - | - | vs LocationIQ |
| Google Maps PlatformLeading maps API with comprehensive geolocation services, though significantly more expensive at scale | Free, then $100/month | Subscription | 4 | vs LocationIQ |
| HERE TechnologiesEnterprise-grade mapping and location services with voice-powered navigation | Free | - | - | vs LocationIQ |
| Fused | Free, then $20/month | Per month by compute tier | 4 | vs LocationIQ |
| GRASS GIS | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs LocationIQ |
| Cesium ion | Free, then $149/month | Per month by storage, streaming and gigapixels | 4 | vs LocationIQ |
| Google Maps | Free | Free consumer app, funded by Google's advertising business | 1 | vs LocationIQ |
| Felt | Free | Quote | 3 | vs LocationIQ |
| Potree | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs LocationIQ |
| Emlid Studio | Free | Free of charge, no licence fee | 1 | vs LocationIQ |
| Atlas.co | Free, then $23/month | Per user per month | 4 | vs LocationIQ |
| Lonboard | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs LocationIQ |
| SAGA GIS | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs LocationIQ |
| Ride with GPS | Free | Freemium, per user per month | 3 | vs LocationIQ |
| ArcGIS Survey123 | On request | Per user per year by ArcGIS user type | 3 | vs LocationIQ |
| Foursquare Spatial Studio | On request | Quote | 1 | vs LocationIQ |
| Correlator3D | $295/month | One-time purchase | 5 | vs LocationIQ |
| Leica Infinity | On request | Quote | 2 | vs LocationIQ |
| Global Mapper | $700/one-time | One-time purchase | 4 | vs LocationIQ |
| onX Maps | On request | Separate per-product subscriptions, per user per year | 4 | vs LocationIQ |
| Geographic Calculator | On request | Quote | 3 | vs LocationIQ |
| Agisoft Metashape | $179/one-time | One-time purchase | 3 | vs LocationIQ |
| ArcGIS Field Maps | On request | Included with an ArcGIS user type licence | 3 | vs LocationIQ |
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 LocationIQ 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
- Google Maps Platform , Free, then $100/month
- HERE Technologies , Free
- Fused , Free, then $20/month
- GRASS GIS , Free
- Cesium ion , Free, then $149/month
- Google Maps , Free
- Felt , Free
Cheaper than LocationIQ (4)
Entry price under LocationIQ's $45/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
LocationIQ is most often brought in for geocoding and reverse geocoding addresses at scale, store locators and address autofill in web and mobile apps, asset and vehicle tracking with route optimisation, serving static and dynamic map tiles, distance matrix and route planning. 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 LocationIQ is broadly right and the question is cost, the LocationIQ 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.
LocationIQ runs on api. 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 LocationIQ alternatives
- What are the main alternatives to LocationIQ?
- 23 other maps tools are listed in this directory, led by Mapbox, Google Maps Platform, HERE Technologies, Fused. They are ordered by the aggregated rating on each catalogue entry, not by any Softwr ranking.
- What is the best free alternative to LocationIQ?
- 14 of the alternatives listed here can be used without paying: Mapbox, Google Maps Platform, HERE Technologies, Fused, GRASS GIS.
- Is there a cheaper alternative to LocationIQ?
- Yes. 4 of the alternatives below start under LocationIQ's $45/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 LocationIQ?
- 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 LocationIQ?
- LocationIQ is most often brought in for geocoding and reverse geocoding addresses at scale, store locators and address autofill in web and mobile apps, asset and vehicle tracking with route optimisation, serving static and dynamic map tiles, distance matrix and route planning. 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 LocationIQ?
- 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 LocationIQ 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 LocationIQ against one of these directly?
- Every alternative below has a side-by-side page against LocationIQ 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 LocationIQ. The category page lists the rest of the catalogue as it grows.