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Maps · head to head

GraphHopper vs SAGA GIS

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
SAGA GIS logo

SAGA GIS

Maps

Open source terrain and geoscientific analysis with no vendor and no support contract available

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SAGA GIS 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; SAGA GIS there is no commercial support contract available from anyone, so a procurement process that requires a named supplier with a service level cannot be satisfied and the organisation carries the whole operational risk itself
  • They diverge on capability: GraphHopper covers Core Functionality, SAGA GIS covers Terrain morphometry.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GraphHopper and SAGA GIS actually diverge.

Attributes where GraphHopper and SAGA GIS differ
AttributeGraphHopperSAGA GIS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWindows, Linux, macOS

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 SAGA GIS

  • Terrain morphometry
  • Hydrological modelling
  • Geostatistics
  • Image analysis
  • Module library
  • QGIS integration
  • Python and R bindings

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 SAGA GIS
  • Map matching GPS traces and generating isochronesnot SAGA GIS

SAGA GIS

  • A hydrologist deriving catchment boundaries and flow networks from a national elevation model at a resolution commercial tools slow down onnot GraphHopper
  • A soil science team producing interpolated property surfaces with documented geostatistical methods for a peer-reviewed papernot GraphHopper
  • A government environmental analyst who needs a terrain index that no commercial GIS implements and does not want to write it from scratchnot GraphHopper
  • A QGIS user who has hit the limits of the native toolbox and needs the SAGA algorithms already exposed in the processing frameworknot 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

SAGA GIS

  • There is no commercial support contract available from anyone, so a procurement process that requires a named supplier with a service level cannot be satisfied and the organisation carries the whole operational risk itself
  • The project explicitly states that everyone working on it has another job and that answers may take a while, which means an urgent production failure has no escalation path
  • The interface is dated and inconsistent across modules, and cartographic output is poor, so most users treat it as an analysis engine and produce maps somewhere else
  • Documentation for many of the several hundred modules is a parameter list without explanation of method or expected input, so choosing the right algorithm often requires reading the source or a published paper
  • Development is concentrated in a small group, which creates real key-person risk: a change in the circumstances of a handful of maintainers would slow or stop releases, and there is no organisation obliged to continue them

Pricing, plan by plan

GraphHopper

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the GraphHopper review.

SAGA GIS

Free
  • SAGA GISFree
    • GNU General Public Licence
    • No licence fee and no usage limits
    • No commercial support contract exists

Which should you pick?

Choose GraphHopper if

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

Choose SAGA GIS if

  • You need terrain morphometry.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS.
  • You also want hydrological modelling.
SAGA GIS review

Questions people ask

Is GraphHopper or SAGA GIS better?
Neither clearly leads. GraphHopper starts at On request and SAGA GIS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GraphHopper or SAGA GIS?
SAGA GIS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for GraphHopper and Free for SAGA GIS.
Does GraphHopper or SAGA GIS run on more platforms?
GraphHopper runs on Web. SAGA GIS runs on Windows, Linux, macOS.
Can I use SAGA GIS for free?
Yes. SAGA GIS 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 SAGA GIS is typically brought in for.
What can GraphHopper do that SAGA GIS cannot?
GraphHopper covers Core Functionality, User Interface. SAGA GIS covers Terrain morphometry, Hydrological modelling, Geostatistics, Image analysis.

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
SAGA GIS: Who maintains SAGA GIS?

A small international developer community, originating from physical geography departments at the universities of Göttingen and Hamburg. It is hosted on SourceForge and releases continue in the 9.x line.

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
SAGA GIS: Can I buy support?

No. There is no vendor and no commercial support contract. The project itself states there is no hotline and no guaranteed support.

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
SAGA GIS: Do I need SAGA if I already run QGIS?

Often not, because many SAGA algorithms are available through the QGIS processing toolbox. Install SAGA directly when you need modules QGIS does not expose or want to script them independently.

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
SAGA GIS: What licence is it under?

The GNU General Public Licence, so you can modify and redistribute it under the same terms.

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
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