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Maps · head to head

GraphHopper vs Potree

GraphHopper logo

GraphHopper

Maps

Open-source routing engine for road networks, providing fast route calculations, turn-by-turn navigation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Potree logo

Potree

Maps

Open source WebGL viewer for publishing very large point clouds in a browser

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Potree has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GraphHopper the free plan is non commercial use only; Potree there is no vendor, no support contract and no service level, so anything you build on Potree is your organisation’s responsibility to maintain when a browser update breaks rendering.
  • They diverge on capability: GraphHopper covers Core Functionality, Potree covers Octree streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GraphHopper and Potree actually diverge.

Attributes where GraphHopper and Potree differ
AttributeGraphHopperPotree
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux

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 GraphHopper

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

Only in Potree

  • Octree streaming
  • Large dataset rendering
  • Measurement tools
  • Clipping and profiles
  • Annotations
  • Attribute colouring
  • PotreeDesktop
  • Self-hosting

What people use each for

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

GraphHopper

  • Routing, distance matrix and route optimisation over an APInot Potree
  • Map matching GPS traces and generating isochronesnot Potree

Potree

  • A drone survey firm delivering a point cloud to a client who has no desktop software, by publishing a browser viewer link instead of a 40 GB LAZ filenot GraphHopper
  • A heritage or archaeology project publishing a scanned site for public access without paying per-gigabyte hosting to a commercial platformnot GraphHopper
  • An engineering consultancy embedding a point cloud viewer inside its own client portal without licensing a commercial web viewernot GraphHopper
  • A university or research group that needs measurement and profiling in a shareable viewer for a dataset too large to emailnot GraphHopper

Where each one falls short

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

GraphHopper

  • The free plan is non commercial use only
  • Free allows 500 credits a day, 5 locations per request and a single vehicle
  • Request complexity is capped per plan, at 30 locations and 2 vehicles on Basic at 69 EUR a month, rising to 200 locations and 20 vehicles on Premium at 479 EUR
  • Isochrone range is limited by plan, at 15 minutes on Basic and 30 on Premium
  • Credits are a daily allowance, so a busy day cannot draw on a quiet one

Potree

  • There is no vendor, no support contract and no service level, so anything you build on Potree is your organisation’s responsibility to maintain when a browser update breaks rendering.
  • Conversion is a separate manual step with PotreeConverter, and building an automated publishing pipeline around it is engineering work the project does not provide.
  • Rendering quality and performance depend on the client machine and WebGL support, so a client on a locked-down corporate laptop with poor graphics may see a viewer that stutters or fails outright.
  • A WebGPU rewrite, Potree-Next, is in progress and is not a drop-in upgrade, so current integrations face an eventual migration with no vendor to manage it.
  • There is no access control, user management or audit layer; anyone with the URL sees the data unless you build authentication around the static files yourself, which is a real problem for confidential sites.

Pricing, plan by plan

GraphHopper

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the GraphHopper review.

Potree

Free
  • PotreeFree
    • BSD-style open source licence
    • Unlimited datasets and viewers
    • Self-hosted on any static web server

Which should you pick?

Choose GraphHopper if

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

Choose Potree if

  • You need octree streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want large dataset rendering.
Potree review

Questions people ask

Is GraphHopper or Potree better?
Neither clearly leads. GraphHopper starts at On request and Potree at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GraphHopper or Potree?
Potree has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for GraphHopper and Free for Potree.
Does GraphHopper or Potree run on more platforms?
GraphHopper runs on Web. Potree runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Potree for free?
Yes. Potree has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GraphHopper starts at On request.
What is GraphHopper best used for?
GraphHopper is most often used for routing, distance matrix and route optimisation over an api, map matching gps traces and generating isochrones. Of those, routing, distance matrix and route optimisation over an api and map matching gps traces and generating isochrones are not what Potree is typically brought in for.
What can GraphHopper do that Potree cannot?
GraphHopper covers Core Functionality, User Interface. Potree covers Octree streaming, Large dataset rendering, Measurement tools, Clipping and profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GraphHopper: Is the free plan actually usable for production?

No. The free tier is limited to non-commercial use only and includes 500 daily credits. To use GraphHopper in production, you need a paid plan starting at 69 euros per month.

Source
Potree: Does Potree cost anything?

No. It is open source and free. You supply the hosting, which for a static viewer is inexpensive.

GraphHopper: What happens if I exceed my daily credit limit?

The page does not specify. Each tier has a daily credit limit (500 for free, 5,000 for Basic, 15,000 for Standard, 50,000 for Premium), but no overage policy is documented.

Source
Potree: Is there commercial support?

No. There is no vendor and no support contract. Support is GitHub issues and the community.

GraphHopper: Does GraphHopper offer a trial period?

No. There is no trial period. You can start with the free plan to test, but commercial use requires a paid subscription.

Source
Potree: Who maintains it?

It originated at TU Wien and is maintained principally by Markus Schütz, with community contributions.

GraphHopper: How much does the Premium plan cost and what do I get?

Premium is 479 euros per month and includes 50,000 daily credits, up to 200 locations per request, up to 20 vehicles, email and phone support, and access to all APIs including routing and optimization.

Source
Potree: Can it handle very large clouds?

Yes, hundreds of millions of points, because PotreeConverter builds a multi-resolution octree that streams only what is visible.

GraphHopper: Is there a discount if I link back to GraphHopper?

Yes. A 20% discount is available with proper attribution. The page also mentions a 99.5% uptime SLA on paid plans only.

Source
Potree: Is my data private?

Only if you make it so. Potree serves static files with no built-in authentication, so access control is entirely your responsibility.

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