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Maps · head to head

HERE Technologies vs onX Maps

HERE Technologies logo

HERE Technologies

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
onX Maps logo

onX Maps

Maps

Land ownership and offline navigation apps sold as separate subscriptions per activity: Hunt, Offroad, Backcountry

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; onX Maps hunt, Offroad and Backcountry are entirely separate subscriptions, so a user needing more than one activity pays for more than one product with no combined bundle discount.
  • They diverge on capability: HERE Technologies covers Core Functionality, onX Maps covers Land ownership boundaries.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HERE Technologies and onX Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where HERE Technologies and onX Maps differ
AttributeHERE TechnologiesonX Maps
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownSeparate per-product subscriptions, per user per year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Cross-platformiOS, Android, Web
Founded1985Unknown

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 HERE Technologies

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

Only in onX Maps

  • Land ownership boundaries
  • Offline maps
  • Waypoint and track marking
  • Elite tier private land data
  • 3D terrain view
  • Weather overlay

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 onX Maps
  • Connected driving, including hazard alerts and road surface analysisnot onX Maps
  • Supply chain planning and logistics digital twinsnot onX Maps
  • Geocoding, search and map rendering through hosted location servicesnot onX Maps
  • Fleet tour planning and routing across 200 countriesnot onX Maps

onX Maps

  • A hunter who needs to know exact private and public land boundaries before crossing onto a propertynot HERE Technologies
  • An off-road driver planning a trail route with land ownership and access datanot HERE Technologies
  • A backcountry skier or hiker wanting offline terrain maps without cell signalnot HERE Technologies
  • Someone who does two or more of these activities and needs to budget for two or three separate subscriptionsnot 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

onX Maps

  • Hunt, Offroad and Backcountry are entirely separate subscriptions, so a user needing more than one activity pays for more than one product with no combined bundle discount.
  • Elite-tier pricing at roughly $99.99 a year per product is expensive if a buyer only occasionally needs the private land ownership data it adds.
  • The apps are US and Canada focused, with more limited usefulness for international travel compared to a global mapping product.
  • Land ownership data, while extensive, can lag real-world changes in property boundaries in fast-changing areas.
  • It is not a general-purpose hiking or trail-review app in the way AllTrails or Gaia GPS are, so casual hikers without a land-boundary need may find the focus narrower than expected.

Pricing, plan by plan

HERE Technologies

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the HERE Technologies review.

onX Maps

On request
  • onX Hunt Elite$99.99/year
    • Nationwide private land ownership data
    • Recent satellite imagery
    • Offline maps
  • onX Offroad Premium$34.99/year
    • Trail and land ownership maps for off-road use
    • Offline maps
  • onX Offroad Elite$99.99/year
    • Everything in Premium plus nationwide land ownership and recent imagery
  • onX Backcountry$29.99/year
    • Backcountry ski and hike focused maps
    • Offline maps
    • Avalanche and terrain data

Which should you pick?

Choose HERE Technologies if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Cross-platform.
  • You also want user interface.
HERE Technologies review

Choose onX Maps if

  • You need land ownership boundaries.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline maps.
onX Maps review

Questions people ask

Is HERE Technologies or onX Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. HERE Technologies starts at Free and onX Maps at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HERE Technologies or onX Maps?
HERE Technologies has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HERE Technologies and On request for onX Maps.
Does HERE Technologies or onX Maps run on more platforms?
HERE Technologies runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cross-platform. onX Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use HERE Technologies for free?
Yes. HERE Technologies has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. onX Maps 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 onX Maps is typically brought in for.
What can HERE Technologies do that onX Maps cannot?
HERE Technologies covers Core Functionality, User Interface. onX Maps covers Land ownership boundaries, Offline maps, Waypoint and track marking, Elite tier private land data.

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
onX Maps: Can I use one onX subscription for both hunting and off-roading?

No, onX Hunt, onX Offroad and onX Backcountry are separate apps with separate subscriptions.

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
onX Maps: What does the Elite tier add?

Elite tiers add nationwide private land ownership data, more recent satellite imagery and partner discounts on top of the base Premium tier.

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
onX Maps: Does onX work outside the US?

Coverage is strongest in the US and Canada; usefulness elsewhere is limited.

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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