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Maps · head to head

Kepler.gl vs Potree

Kepler.gl logo

Kepler.gl

Maps

Powerful open-source geospatial analysis tool for large-scale datasets, enabling beautiful data visualizations without coding

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: Kepler.gl kepler.gl is a free open source library with no vendor-sold edition; confirmed by the absence of any App Store, marketplace or G-Cloud listing, support is limited to community GitHub issues rather than a purchased SLA.; 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: Kepler.gl 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 Kepler.gl and Potree actually diverge.

Attributes where Kepler.gl and Potree differ
AttributeKepler.glPotree
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 Kepler.gl

  • 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.

Kepler.gl

No use cases recorded yet. See the Kepler.gl review.

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 Kepler.gl
  • A heritage or archaeology project publishing a scanned site for public access without paying per-gigabyte hosting to a commercial platformnot Kepler.gl
  • An engineering consultancy embedding a point cloud viewer inside its own client portal without licensing a commercial web viewernot Kepler.gl
  • A university or research group that needs measurement and profiling in a shareable viewer for a dataset too large to emailnot Kepler.gl

Where each one falls short

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

Kepler.gl

  • Kepler.gl is a free open source library with no vendor-sold edition; confirmed by the absence of any App Store, marketplace or G-Cloud listing, support is limited to community GitHub issues rather than a purchased SLA.

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

Kepler.gl

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Kepler.gl 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 Kepler.gl if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You also want user interface.
Kepler.gl 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 Kepler.gl or Potree better?
Neither clearly leads. Kepler.gl 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, Kepler.gl or Potree?
Potree has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Kepler.gl and Free for Potree.
Does Kepler.gl or Potree run on more platforms?
Kepler.gl 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. Kepler.gl starts at On request.
What can Kepler.gl do that Potree cannot?
Kepler.gl covers Core Functionality, User Interface. Potree covers Octree streaming, Large dataset rendering, Measurement tools, Clipping and profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Potree: Does Potree cost anything?

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

Potree: Is there commercial support?

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

Potree: Who maintains it?

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

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.

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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