Software · head to head
Leaflet vs deck.gl
Leaflet
Software
Leading open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps, used by millions of developers worldwide
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
deck.gl
Software
WebGL-powered framework for visual exploratory data analysis of large datasets, developed by
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Leaflet has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Leaflet 2D only with no support for 3D features, tilt, or rotation; deck.gl deck.gl is a code library with no vendor-sold plan, no marketplace or app store listing, and no SLA; buyers get community GitHub support only, not a purchasable enterprise tier.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Leaflet and deck.gl actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Leaflet
Nothing recorded that deck.gl does not also cover.
Only in deck.gl
Nothing recorded that Leaflet 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.
Leaflet
- Embedding interactive maps in a web pagenot deck.gl
- Mobile-friendly map interfaces across desktop and mobile browsersnot deck.gl
- Mapping where bundle size matters, at roughly 42 KB of JavaScriptnot deck.gl
- Extending a basic map with plugins rather than adopting a full platformnot deck.gl
deck.gl
- GPU-accelerated visualisation of large geospatial datasets in the browsernot Leaflet
- Composing map overlays from reusable layersnot Leaflet
- Adding data layers on top of Google Maps or Mapbox basemapsnot Leaflet
- High-precision plotting using 64-bit GPU computationnot Leaflet
- Use from React or plain JavaScriptnot Leaflet
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Leaflet
- 2D only with no support for 3D features, tilt, or rotation
- Performance degrades when rendering large datasets of complex vector geometries without optimization
- Limited dynamic styling support; style is fixed on the server when using raster tiles
- Lacks native support for WMS features; requires plugins like Leaflet.WMS and complex feature identification is cumbersome
- Requires external tile service for map imagery; does not provide map tiles natively
deck.gl
- deck.gl is a code library with no vendor-sold plan, no marketplace or app store listing, and no SLA; buyers get community GitHub support only, not a purchasable enterprise tier.
Pricing, plan by plan
Leaflet
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Leaflet review.
deck.gl
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the deck.gl review.
Which should you pick?
Choose deck.gl if
Nothing in the data separates deck.gl from Leaflet on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Leaflet or deck.gl better?
- Neither clearly leads. Leaflet starts at Free and deck.gl at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Leaflet or deck.gl?
- Leaflet has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Leaflet and On request for deck.gl.
- Does Leaflet or deck.gl run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Leaflet for free?
- Yes. Leaflet has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. deck.gl starts at On request.
- What is Leaflet best used for?
- Leaflet is most often used for embedding interactive maps in a web page, mobile-friendly map interfaces across desktop and mobile browsers, mapping where bundle size matters, at roughly 42 kb of javascript, extending a basic map with plugins rather than adopting a full platform. Of those, embedding interactive maps in a web page and mobile-friendly map interfaces across desktop and mobile browsers are not what deck.gl is typically brought in for.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Leaflet: Is Leaflet free and open source?
Yes. Leaflet is open-source JavaScript library licensed for free use. Over 400 plugins add capabilities like marker clustering, heatmaps, drawing tools, geocoding, and routing.
SourceLeaflet: How do I include Leaflet in my project via CDN?
Leaflet is available on multiple free CDNs including unpkg, cdnjs, and jsDelivr. Include the CSS stylesheet from https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.css and JavaScript from https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.js in your HTML head.
SourceLeaflet: What mapping services does Leaflet support?
Leaflet integrates seamlessly with various mapping services including OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Bing, and other custom tile providers, allowing developers to choose the best base layer.
SourceLeaflet: What is the file size of Leaflet?
Leaflet weighs about 42 KB of JavaScript.
Source