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Maps & Navigation · head to head

HERE Technologies vs Nominatim

HERE Technologies logo

HERE Technologies

Maps & Navigation

Location data and technology company that provides mapping and location services to businesses globally

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nominatim logo

Nominatim

Maps & Navigation

Open-source geocoding tool for OpenStreetMap data, providing address search and reverse geocoding capabilities

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HERE Technologies has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HERE Technologies pricing is complex and unpredictable, with additional fees for common functionalities creating surprise costs at scale; Nominatim the public API allows an absolute maximum of 1 request per second

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HERE Technologies and Nominatim actually diverge.

Attributes where HERE Technologies and Nominatim differ
AttributeHERE TechnologiesNominatim
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Cross-platformWeb
Founded1985Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps & Navigation).

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 HERE Technologies

Nothing recorded that Nominatim does not also cover.

Only in Nominatim

Nothing recorded that HERE Technologies does not also cover.

Both cover

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

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

HERE Technologies

  • Map data for automated and assisted drivingnot Nominatim
  • Connected driving, including hazard alerts and road surface analysisnot Nominatim
  • Supply chain planning and logistics digital twinsnot Nominatim
  • Geocoding, search and map rendering through hosted location servicesnot Nominatim
  • Fleet tour planning and routing across 200 countriesnot Nominatim

Nominatim

  • Geocoding addresses to coordinates from OpenStreetMap datanot HERE Technologies
  • Reverse geocoding coordinates to a place namenot HERE Technologies
  • Self hosting a geocoder over an OSM extractnot HERE Technologies

Where each one falls short

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

HERE Technologies

  • Pricing is complex and unpredictable, with additional fees for common functionalities creating surprise costs at scale
  • Lack of transparency in cost projections makes budgeting and forecasting difficult
  • Requires separate API keys and subscriptions for different feature categories, complicating integration
  • Customer support quality and responsiveness is inconsistent compared to competitors like Google Maps

Nominatim

  • The public API allows an absolute maximum of 1 request per second
  • Bulk geocoding must run in a single thread and cannot be distributed across machines
  • Scripts running longer than a day or on a schedule are limited to 4 requests per minute
  • Autocomplete search against the public API is explicitly prohibited
  • Systematic queries such as grid based reverse lookups and complete data downloads are prohibited
  • Reselling geocoding results or acting as an API intermediary is prohibited
  • Every request must send a valid HTTP Referer or User-Agent identifying the application, and default library headers are rejected
  • Results must be cached client side, and repeated identical queries can lead to blocking
  • Attribution to OpenStreetMap under ODbL must be displayed

Pricing, plan by plan

HERE Technologies

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the HERE Technologies review.

Nominatim

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Nominatim review.

Which should you pick?

Choose HERE Technologies if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Cross-platform.
HERE Technologies review

Choose Nominatim if

Nothing in the data separates Nominatim from HERE Technologies on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Nominatim review

Questions people ask

Is HERE Technologies or Nominatim better?
Neither clearly leads. HERE Technologies starts at Free and Nominatim at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HERE Technologies or Nominatim?
HERE Technologies has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HERE Technologies and On request for Nominatim.
Does HERE Technologies or Nominatim run on more platforms?
HERE Technologies runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cross-platform. Nominatim runs on Web.
Can I use HERE Technologies for free?
Yes. HERE Technologies has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nominatim starts at On request.
What is HERE Technologies best used for?
HERE Technologies is most often used for map data for automated and assisted driving, connected driving, including hazard alerts and road surface analysis, supply chain planning and logistics digital twins, geocoding, search and map rendering through hosted location services. Of those, map data for automated and assisted driving and connected driving, including hazard alerts and road surface analysis are not what Nominatim is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HERE Technologies: What does HERE Technologies provide?

HERE Technologies provides a comprehensive location platform including digital maps, routing and navigation APIs, geocoding, search, traffic, positioning, and telematics services for automotive, logistics, and enterprise applications.

Source
HERE Technologies: Does HERE offer a free tier?

Yes. HERE provides a free tier with 30,000 map requests per month, 5,000 routing transactions, and 30,000 geocoding transactions. Usage beyond these limits is charged on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Source
HERE Technologies: What SDKs and APIs does HERE offer?

HERE provides REST APIs for maps, routing, geocoding, and search, plus SDKs for Android, iOS, Flutter, and JavaScript. The HERE SDK enables turn-by-turn navigation and location services for mobile and web applications.

Source
HERE Technologies: Is HERE's pricing transparent?

No. HERE uses a complex transaction-based pricing model with separate costs for different API categories. The pricing structure lacks transparency, making it difficult for customers to forecast costs at scale.

Source
HERE Technologies: How has HERE's pricing changed?

HERE moved to a simplified transaction-based pricing model with free monthly allowances for common APIs. Users pay per transaction beyond the free tier, though the structure has been criticized for complexity and lack of cost transparency.

Source
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