Maps · head to head
Fused vs MapTiler
Fused
Maps
Serverless Python for geospatial: write a UDF, get a map tile endpoint and an HTTP API
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
MapTiler
Maps
Map hosting, styling, and APIs for developers with beautiful pre-built map styles
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Fused the price steps are brutal: $20 to $200 to $2,000 a month with no intermediate tier, so a two-person team that outgrows Starter faces a tenfold increase for what is often a modest capacity gap.; MapTiler the free tier is restricted to testing, personal or non commercial use and forces a MapTiler logo on the map
- They diverge on capability: Fused covers User defined functions, MapTiler covers Core Functionality.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Fused and MapTiler actually diverge.
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 Fused
- User defined functions
- Instant tile endpoints
- HTTP API
- Caching
- Workbench
- Data stack connectors
- Public UDF catalogue
- Local execution
Only in MapTiler
- Core Functionality
- User Interface
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Fused
- A data team that wants to publish a dynamic layer computed from a large Parquet dataset without standing up and operating a tile servernot MapTiler
- An analyst prototyping against Overture, Sentinel or Census data who needs a working map in an afternoon rather than a data engineering ticketnot MapTiler
- An application that needs a geospatial computation exposed as an HTTP endpoint, where the alternative is a container, a queue and an on-call rotanot MapTiler
- A consultancy delivering an interactive constraint or suitability map to a client, computed live from source data rather than pre-baked into static tilesnot MapTiler
MapTiler
- Web and mobile mapping applicationsnot Fused
- Vector tile and raster map hostingnot Fused
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Fused
- The price steps are brutal: $20 to $200 to $2,000 a month with no intermediate tier, so a two-person team that outgrows Starter faces a tenfold increase for what is often a modest capacity gap.
- Published tiers do not state the actual compute, storage or request allowances, so the only way to know whether $200 covers your workload is to run it and find out.
- Fused is at pre-seed stage with a small team, and putting a customer-facing map behind a startup’s serverless platform is a continuity risk that a procurement review will flag.
- It is Python-only and assumes competence with cloud-native geospatial formats; there is no path for an analyst who works in a desktop GIS and not in code.
- Serverless execution means cold starts and per-tile latency on uncached views, so a first load of a heavy UDF over a wide area is noticeably slower than a pre-rendered tile set.
MapTiler
- The free tier is restricted to testing, personal or non commercial use and forces a MapTiler logo on the map
- Free is capped at 5,000 map sessions, 1,000 search sessions and 100,000 API requests a month
- Free storage is 5 GB but limited to a single file
- The Flex plan at $30 a month bills overage at $2.50 per 1,000 sessions and $0.15 per 1,000 API requests
- Soft usage limits that prevent surprise overage bills are a Custom plan feature, so cheaper plans can run up charges
- A 99.9% SLA requires the prepaid Custom contract
Pricing, plan by plan
Fused
Free- FreeFree
- Workbench access
- AI assistant
- Local UDF runs
- Starter$20/month
- Secrets management
- Higher compute limits
- Office hours support
- Developer$200/month
- Dedicated jobs
- GitHub integration
- Expanded compute, storage and AI token allowance
- Professional$2000/month
- Team collaboration
- Dedicated training
- Substantially increased usage limits
MapTiler
Free- FreeFree
- 5 GB storage
- 1 file maximum
- 5,000 monthly sessions
- Flex$30/monthly
- 10 GB storage
- 25,000 monthly sessions
- 500,000 monthly API requests
- Custom$null/prepaid
- Custom storage and monthly sessions
- Custom API request limits
- 99.9 percent SLA
Which should you pick?
Choose Fused if
- You need user defined functions.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Linux, macOS, Windows.
- You also want instant tile endpoints.
Choose MapTiler if
- You need core functionality.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want user interface.
Questions people ask
- Is Fused or MapTiler better?
- Neither clearly leads. Fused starts at Free and MapTiler at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Fused or MapTiler?
- Fused starts at Free and MapTiler at Free.
- Does Fused or MapTiler run on more platforms?
- Fused runs on Web, Linux, macOS, Windows. MapTiler runs on Web.
- Can I use Fused for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Fused best used for?
- Fused is most often used for a data team that wants to publish a dynamic layer computed from a large parquet dataset without standing up and operating a tile server, an analyst prototyping against overture, sentinel or census data who needs a working map in an afternoon rather than a data engineering ticket, an application that needs a geospatial computation exposed as an http endpoint, where the alternative is a container, a queue and an on-call rota, a consultancy delivering an interactive constraint or suitability map to a client, computed live from source data rather than pre-baked into static tiles. Of those, a data team that wants to publish a dynamic layer computed from a large parquet dataset without standing up and operating a tile server and an analyst prototyping against overture, sentinel or census data who needs a working map in an afternoon rather than a data engineering ticket are not what MapTiler is typically brought in for.
- What can Fused do that MapTiler cannot?
- Fused covers User defined functions, Instant tile endpoints, HTTP API, Caching. MapTiler covers Core Functionality, User Interface.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Fused: What does Fused actually give me?
A Python function becomes a map tile endpoint and an HTTP API on managed infrastructure, with caching, without you running a server.
MapTiler: What happens if I exceed my session or API request limits on the Flex plan?
On the Flex plan, overage charges apply when you exceed limits. Sessions cost $2.50 per 1,000 over the monthly limit of 25,000. API requests cost $0.15 per 1,000 over the 500,000 monthly limit. Additional storage of 100 GB costs $20 per month.
SourceFused: How much does it cost?
Free, then $20, $200 and $2,000 per month for Starter, Developer and Professional. Usage allowances are not itemised publicly.
MapTiler: Can I use the Free plan for commercial projects?
No, the Free plan is restricted to testing, personal, or non-commercial use only. Commercial use is only permitted on the Flex plan ($30/month) or Custom plans with prepaid volume contracts.
SourceFused: Can I run UDFs locally?
Yes, through the Python SDK, which is how most development is done before deploying.
MapTiler: What is the difference between Flex and Custom plans?
The Flex plan costs $30 per month with preset limits and pay-as-you-go overages. Custom plans are negotiated per customer for high-traffic use cases and include 99.9 percent SLA, team account support, and prepaid volume contracts. All prices are in USD excluding VAT.
SourceFused: Does it replace PostGIS or BigQuery?
No. It reads from them. Fused is the compute and serving layer, not the store.
Fused: Is it a mature company?
No. It is a small pre-seed San Francisco company. The technology is real; the vendor risk is real too.
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