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Maps & Navigation · head to head

LocationIQ vs CesiumJS

LocationIQ logo

LocationIQ

Maps & Navigation

Enterprise-grade location APIs at affordable prices

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CesiumJS logo

CesiumJS

Maps & Navigation

Open-source JavaScript library for creating 3D globes and 2D maps with support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CesiumJS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: LocationIQ smaller ecosystem of integrations compared to Google Maps; CesiumJS the free Community tier does not permit commercial use

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LocationIQ and CesiumJS actually diverge.

Attributes where LocationIQ and CesiumJS differ
AttributeLocationIQCesiumJS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAPIWeb

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 LocationIQ

Nothing recorded that CesiumJS does not also cover.

Only in CesiumJS

Nothing recorded that LocationIQ 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.

LocationIQ

  • Geocoding and reverse geocoding addresses at scalenot CesiumJS
  • Store locators and address autofill in web and mobile appsnot CesiumJS
  • Asset and vehicle tracking with route optimisationnot CesiumJS
  • Serving static and dynamic map tilesnot CesiumJS
  • Distance matrix and route planningnot CesiumJS

CesiumJS

  • Streaming 3D terrain, imagery and building data into web applicationsnot LocationIQ
  • Tiling and hosting large geospatial and reality capture datasetsnot LocationIQ

Where each one falls short

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

LocationIQ

  • Smaller ecosystem of integrations compared to Google Maps
  • Less documentation than industry-leading platforms
  • Less brand recognition than Google or Mapbox

CesiumJS

  • The free Community tier does not permit commercial use
  • The cheapest commercial plan is $149 a month for an individual and $524 for a team
  • Team accounts are capped at 5 members on both the Commercial and Premium plans
  • Three separate quotas apply at once, being storage, monthly streaming and monthly reality modelling gigapixels, and exceeding any one of them constrains the account
  • Streaming is capped at 15 GB a month on the free tier

Pricing, plan by plan

LocationIQ

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the LocationIQ review.

CesiumJS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CesiumJS review.

Which should you pick?

Choose LocationIQ if

  • You work on API.
LocationIQ review

Choose CesiumJS if

  • You want to start without paying.
CesiumJS review

Questions people ask

Is LocationIQ or CesiumJS better?
Neither clearly leads. LocationIQ starts at On request and CesiumJS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LocationIQ or CesiumJS?
CesiumJS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for LocationIQ and Free for CesiumJS.
Does LocationIQ or CesiumJS run on more platforms?
LocationIQ runs on API. CesiumJS runs on Web.
Can I use CesiumJS for free?
Yes. CesiumJS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LocationIQ starts at On request.
What is LocationIQ best used for?
LocationIQ is most often used for geocoding and reverse geocoding addresses at scale, store locators and address autofill in web and mobile apps, asset and vehicle tracking with route optimisation, serving static and dynamic map tiles. Of those, geocoding and reverse geocoding addresses at scale and store locators and address autofill in web and mobile apps are not what CesiumJS is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

LocationIQ: How much cheaper is LocationIQ than Google Maps?

At 100,000 requests per month, LocationIQ costs $49 whereas Google Maps charges $500 and Mapbox charges $75.

Source
LocationIQ: What is LocationIQ's free tier?

LocationIQ offers a free tier with 5,000 requests per day. Paid plans start at $49/month for the Geocoding Lite plan.

Source
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Related pages

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