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Maps · head to head

Felt vs OpenStreetMap

Felt logo

Felt

Maps

Collaborative browser mapping with a free non-commercial tier and annual-only paid contracts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenStreetMap logo

OpenStreetMap

Maps

Collaborative project to create a free editable geographic database of the world

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Felt felt publishes no prices for Professional or Enterprise, so buyers cannot compare against ArcGIS Online or QGIS with hosting without entering a sales process; OpenStreetMap data accuracy varies dramatically by geographic region depending on volunteer coverage
  • They diverge on capability: Felt covers Real-time collaboration, OpenStreetMap covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Felt and OpenStreetMap actually diverge.

Attributes where Felt and OpenStreetMap differ
AttributeFeltOpenStreetMap
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API
FoundedUnknown2004

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Felt

  • Real-time collaboration
  • Drag and drop data
  • Unlimited viewers
  • Field app with offline support
  • Dashboards
  • Live cloud sources
  • API and SDK

Only in OpenStreetMap

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

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

Felt

  • An environmental consultancy that needs a client to view and comment on survey results without installing GIS softwarenot OpenStreetMap
  • A utility field crew collecting asset condition offline and syncing to the same map the office is looking atnot OpenStreetMap
  • A planning department sharing a proposal map with the public where the viewer count is unpredictable and viewer seats would be uncostednot OpenStreetMap
  • A team of analysts who each hold data in different formats and want one map assembled in an afternoon rather than a weeknot OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap

  • Supplying map data to websites, mobile apps and hardware devicesnot Felt
  • Community mapping of roads, trails, cafes and railway stationsnot Felt
  • Projects that need open map data and can meet the attribution requirementnot Felt
  • Building on map data where a share-alike licence is acceptablenot Felt

Where each one falls short

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

Felt

  • Felt publishes no prices for Professional or Enterprise, so buyers cannot compare against ArcGIS Online or QGIS with hosting without entering a sales process
  • Paid tiers are annual contract only with no monthly option, which excludes consultancies that need a tool for a single short engagement and forces them to the free non-commercial tier they are not licensed to use for client work
  • The API, JavaScript SDK and live warehouse connections are enterprise-only, so a mid-sized team that wants programmatic access has to buy the top tier rather than pay for one capability
  • Analytical depth is limited: there is no meaningful geoprocessing, topology checking or model building, so Felt sits beside a real GIS rather than replacing one
  • The Professional tier caps data processing at 25 GB a month and map views at 100,000 a month, which are easy to exceed with raster imagery or a public-facing map, and the overage terms are not published either

OpenStreetMap

  • Data accuracy varies dramatically by geographic region depending on volunteer coverage
  • No minimum quality standards enforced, making data prone to errors and inconsistencies
  • Data completeness gaps, especially for minor roads and remote areas
  • Bias toward well-mapped regions with high volunteer activity
  • Positional accuracy concerns with only 70-76% of roads within 5-10 meter tolerance
  • Tag criteria not well-defined leading to logical consistency issues

Pricing, plan by plan

Felt

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Free forever for non-commercial mapping
    • Map creation, upload and sharing
    • Not licensed for commercial use
  • Professional$undefined/year
    • 10 full-access seats with unlimited viewers
    • 25 GB of data processing per month
    • 100,000 map views per month
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Live cloud sources including Postgres, Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks and S3
    • REST API and JavaScript SDK
    • AI features

OpenStreetMap

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the OpenStreetMap review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Felt if

  • You need real-time collaboration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want drag and drop data.
Felt review

Choose OpenStreetMap if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want user interface.
OpenStreetMap review

Questions people ask

Is Felt or OpenStreetMap better?
Neither clearly leads. Felt starts at Free and OpenStreetMap at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Felt or OpenStreetMap?
Felt starts at Free and OpenStreetMap at Free.
Does Felt or OpenStreetMap run on more platforms?
Felt runs on Web, iOS, Android. OpenStreetMap runs on Web, API.
Can I use Felt for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Felt best used for?
Felt is most often used for an environmental consultancy that needs a client to view and comment on survey results without installing gis software, a utility field crew collecting asset condition offline and syncing to the same map the office is looking at, a planning department sharing a proposal map with the public where the viewer count is unpredictable and viewer seats would be uncosted, a team of analysts who each hold data in different formats and want one map assembled in an afternoon rather than a week. Of those, an environmental consultancy that needs a client to view and comment on survey results without installing gis software and a utility field crew collecting asset condition offline and syncing to the same map the office is looking at are not what OpenStreetMap is typically brought in for.
What can Felt do that OpenStreetMap cannot?
Felt covers Real-time collaboration, Drag and drop data, Unlimited viewers, Field app with offline support. OpenStreetMap covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Felt: What does Felt cost?

Felt does not publish prices for Professional or Enterprise. Personal is free but licensed for non-commercial use only.

OpenStreetMap: Is OpenStreetMap free to use?

Yes, OpenStreetMap is completely free and open-source under the Open Data Commons license. You can download and use map data for any purpose.

Source
Felt: Can I pay monthly?

No. Paid plans are annual contracts. There is a 7 day trial of Professional.

OpenStreetMap: How accurate is OpenStreetMap?

OpenStreetMap accuracy varies by region. In well-mapped areas like developed countries, accuracy is generally high. Only 76% of OSM roads aligned within 10 meters of reference roads, with 70% within 5 meters.

Source
Felt: Do viewers cost anything?

No. Viewer access is unlimited on the paid plans, which is the main reason organisations with large map audiences choose it.

Felt: Is there a nonprofit discount?

Yes, 30 per cent for verified United States nonprofits, and free access for verified students and classrooms.

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