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Maps · head to head

Fused vs PositionStack

Fused logo

Fused

Maps

Serverless Python for geospatial: write a UDF, get a map tile endpoint and an HTTP API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PositionStack logo

PositionStack

Maps

Free, developer-friendly geocoding API for forward and reverse geocoding with global coverage

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fused has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; PositionStack the free plan allows only 100 requests per month
  • They diverge on capability: Fused covers User defined functions, PositionStack covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fused and PositionStack actually diverge.

Attributes where Fused and PositionStack differ
AttributeFusedPositionStack
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer month by compute tierUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, macOS, WindowsWeb

Identical on both: 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 PositionStack

  • 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 PositionStack
  • An analyst prototyping against Overture, Sentinel or Census data who needs a working map in an afternoon rather than a data engineering ticketnot PositionStack
  • 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 PositionStack
  • A consultancy delivering an interactive constraint or suitability map to a client, computed live from source data rather than pre-baked into static tilesnot PositionStack

PositionStack

  • Forward geocoding addresses to coordinates via REST APInot Fused
  • Reverse geocoding coordinates to addressesnot Fused
  • Batch geocoding location data in a backend servicenot 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.

PositionStack

  • The free plan allows only 100 requests per month
  • The free plan is a personal licence, so commercial use requires a paid plan
  • The free plan is rate limited, with an extended rate limit only from the Basic plan up
  • Requests beyond the monthly quota are billed as overage, at $0.0003996 per request on Basic
  • The lowest advertised rates require annual prepayment
  • Enterprise volumes are priced by quote with no published rate

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

PositionStack

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the PositionStack review.

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.
Fused review

Choose PositionStack if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You also want user interface.
PositionStack review

Questions people ask

Is Fused or PositionStack better?
Neither clearly leads. Fused starts at Free and PositionStack at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fused or PositionStack?
Fused has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fused and On request for PositionStack.
Does Fused or PositionStack run on more platforms?
Fused runs on Web, Linux, macOS, Windows. PositionStack runs on Web.
Can I use Fused for free?
Yes. Fused has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PositionStack starts at On request.
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 PositionStack is typically brought in for.
What can Fused do that PositionStack cannot?
Fused covers User defined functions, Instant tile endpoints, HTTP API, Caching. PositionStack 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.

PositionStack: What annual billing discount does Positionstack offer?

Annual billing provides up to 15% discount compared to monthly billing total. For example, Basic annual is $8.99/month vs $9.99/month monthly, and Professional annual is $43.99/month vs $49.99/month monthly. Source: https://positionstack.com/pricing

Source
Fused: 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.

PositionStack: How do Positionstack overage notifications work?

Positionstack sends alerts at 75%, 90%, and 100% of your monthly request allowance. Overages are calculated at month-end and charged according to each tier's per-request rate (e.g., Business tier: $0.00013332/request). Source: https://positionstack.com/pricing

Source
Fused: Can I run UDFs locally?

Yes, through the Python SDK, which is how most development is done before deploying.

PositionStack: What payment methods does Positionstack accept?

Positionstack accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Diner's Club for monthly billing. Enterprise customers may arrange bank transfers for their custom agreements. Source: https://positionstack.com/pricing

Source
Fused: Does it replace PostGIS or BigQuery?

No. It reads from them. Fused is the compute and serving layer, not the store.

PositionStack: Can I downgrade or cancel my Positionstack plan?

Downgrades take effect at your billing cycle end. Cancellations require contacting customer service. Uptime guarantee is 99.9% average over 12 months. Source: https://positionstack.com/pricing

Source
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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