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Maps · head to head

Bing Maps vs Nominatim

Bing Maps logo

Bing Maps

Maps

Web mapping services with street maps, aerial imagery, and APIs for developers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nominatim logo

Nominatim

Maps

Open-source geocoding tool for OpenStreetMap data, providing address search and reverse geocoding capabilities

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bing Maps bing Maps for Enterprise is deprecated and will be retired by 6/30/2025 for free accounts and 6/30/2028 for enterprise accounts; Nominatim the public API allows an absolute maximum of 1 request per second
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bing Maps and Nominatim actually diverge.

Attributes where Bing Maps and Nominatim differ
AttributeBing MapsNominatim

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (freemium), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bing Maps

Nothing recorded that Nominatim does not also cover.

Only in Nominatim

Nothing recorded that Bing Maps does not also cover.

Both cover

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bing Maps

  • Driving directions and turn-by-turn navigation guidancenot Nominatim
  • Real-time traffic monitoring and road condition updatesnot Nominatim
  • Commuter route planning with live traffic intelligencenot Nominatim

Nominatim

  • Geocoding and reverse geocoding servicesnot Bing Maps
  • Address lookup and location searchnot Bing Maps
  • OpenStreetMap-based geolocation datanot Bing Maps

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bing Maps

  • Bing Maps for Enterprise is deprecated and will be retired by 6/30/2025 for free accounts and 6/30/2028 for enterprise accounts
  • All implementations must migrate to Azure Maps to avoid service disruption

Nominatim

  • The public API allows an absolute maximum of 1 request per second
  • Bulk geocoding must run in a single thread and cannot be distributed across machines
  • Scripts running longer than a day or on a schedule are limited to 4 requests per minute
  • Autocomplete search against the public API is explicitly prohibited
  • Systematic queries such as grid based reverse lookups and complete data downloads are prohibited
  • Reselling geocoding results or acting as an API intermediary is prohibited
  • Every request must send a valid HTTP Referer or User-Agent identifying the application, and default library headers are rejected
  • Results must be cached client side, and repeated identical queries can lead to blocking
  • Attribution to OpenStreetMap under ODbL must be displayed

Pricing, plan by plan

Bing Maps

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bing Maps review.

Nominatim

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Nominatim review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bing Maps if

Nothing in the data separates Bing Maps from Nominatim on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Bing Maps review

Choose Nominatim if

Nothing in the data separates Nominatim from Bing Maps on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Nominatim review

Questions people ask

Is Bing Maps or Nominatim better?
Neither clearly leads. Bing Maps starts at On request and Nominatim at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bing Maps or Nominatim?
Bing Maps starts at On request and Nominatim at On request.
Does Bing Maps or Nominatim run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Bing Maps best used for?
Bing Maps is most often used for driving directions and turn-by-turn navigation guidance, real-time traffic monitoring and road condition updates, commuter route planning with live traffic intelligence. Of those, driving directions and turn-by-turn navigation guidance and real-time traffic monitoring and road condition updates are not what Nominatim is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bing Maps: What happened to Bing Maps for Enterprise?

Bing Maps for Enterprise is deprecated and will be retired. Free account customers can continue using the service until 6/30/2025, while enterprise account customers can continue until 6/30/2028. Microsoft recommends migrating implementations to Azure Maps to avoid service disruptions.

Source
Nominatim: Is Nominatim free?

Nominatim is open source software built on OpenStreetMap data. It appears to be free to use, though commercial usage may require separate licensing or terms. Check the project repository or contact support for clarity on licensing.

Source
Bing Maps: When will Bing Maps for Enterprise be discontinued?

Bing Maps for Enterprise retires 6/30/2025 for free accounts and 6/30/2028 for enterprise accounts. All implementations using Bing Maps for Enterprise REST APIs and SDKs must be updated to use Azure Maps before the retirement dates.

Source
Nominatim: What is Nominatim's pricing model?

Nominatim does not publish a standard pricing model on its website. As open source software, it is available for free, but commercial or large-scale deployments may require reviewing their licensing terms or contacting project maintainers.

Source
Bing Maps: What should I use instead of Bing Maps?

Microsoft is transitioning customers to Azure Maps, which provides consumption-based pricing with volume-based discounts and pay-only-for-what-you-use cost structure. Azure Maps offers all mapping features without throttling.

Source
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