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Maps · head to head

Lonboard vs MapQuest

Lonboard logo

Lonboard

Maps

Python map rendering in Jupyter that skips GeoJSON and moves millions of features without choking

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MapQuest logo

MapQuest

Maps

Free driving directions, live traffic updates, and road conditions for trip planning and navigation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lonboard has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lonboard it is a notebook visualisation library, not a mapping application, so there is no editing, no layout, no map export for print and no sharing beyond distributing the notebook or an HTML file; MapQuest subscription tiers cost more per transaction than the pay as you go rate at low volume, since $119 a month for 30,000 transactions is roughly $0.004 each against $0.0045 on demand
  • They diverge on capability: Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, MapQuest covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lonboard and MapQuest actually diverge.

Attributes where Lonboard and MapQuest differ
AttributeLonboardMapQuest
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb

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 Lonboard

  • GeoArrow binary transfer
  • GeoPandas input
  • deck.gl layers
  • Jupyter widget
  • Large dataset handling
  • Styling by attribute
  • Open source licence

Only in MapQuest

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

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

Lonboard

  • An analyst exploring a national road or parcel dataset in a notebook where pydeck or ipyleaflet becomes unusable at that sizenot MapQuest
  • A researcher publishing a reproducible analysis where the visualisation must run from the same script as the processingnot MapQuest
  • A data scientist joining spatial data to model outputs in pandas and needing to see the result immediately without exporting to a GISnot MapQuest
  • A team building an internal analysis pipeline on GeoParquet that wants rendering without a serialisation step in the middlenot MapQuest

MapQuest

  • Geocoding, routing and static maps over an APInot Lonboard
  • Adding directions and place search to an applicationnot Lonboard

Where each one falls short

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

Lonboard

  • It is a notebook visualisation library, not a mapping application, so there is no editing, no layout, no map export for print and no sharing beyond distributing the notebook or an HTML file
  • Maintenance sits with Development Seed as an open source side output of a consultancy, so roadmap priorities follow client projects and there is no support contract to buy
  • Layer coverage is a subset of deck.gl, so an analyst needing a less common layer type has to drop to pydeck or write JavaScript rather than staying in Python
  • It expects data already in GeoPandas or Arrow form, which means the performance benefit depends on the rest of your pipeline being Arrow-friendly; reading a large Shapefile is still the slow step
  • Rendering happens in the browser, so very large datasets are ultimately limited by the client machine's memory and GPU rather than by the server, and a laptop will still fail on data a workstation handles

MapQuest

  • Subscription tiers cost more per transaction than the pay as you go rate at low volume, since $119 a month for 30,000 transactions is roughly $0.004 each against $0.0045 on demand
  • The 50,000 free pay as you go transactions are described as available for a limited time rather than as a standing allowance
  • Plan allowances are monthly and do not carry over
  • Enterprise volume is custom priced

Pricing, plan by plan

Lonboard

Free
  • LonboardFree
    • Open source, no licence fee
    • No usage limits
    • Installed from PyPI or conda

MapQuest

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the MapQuest review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Lonboard if

  • You need geoarrow binary transfer.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want geopandas input.
Lonboard review

Choose MapQuest if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You also want user interface.
MapQuest review

Questions people ask

Is Lonboard or MapQuest better?
Neither clearly leads. Lonboard starts at Free and MapQuest at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lonboard or MapQuest?
Lonboard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lonboard and On request for MapQuest.
Does Lonboard or MapQuest run on more platforms?
Lonboard runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. MapQuest runs on Web.
Can I use Lonboard for free?
Yes. Lonboard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MapQuest starts at On request.
What is Lonboard best used for?
Lonboard is most often used for an analyst exploring a national road or parcel dataset in a notebook where pydeck or ipyleaflet becomes unusable at that size, a researcher publishing a reproducible analysis where the visualisation must run from the same script as the processing, a data scientist joining spatial data to model outputs in pandas and needing to see the result immediately without exporting to a gis, a team building an internal analysis pipeline on geoparquet that wants rendering without a serialisation step in the middle. Of those, an analyst exploring a national road or parcel dataset in a notebook where pydeck or ipyleaflet becomes unusable at that size and a researcher publishing a reproducible analysis where the visualisation must run from the same script as the processing are not what MapQuest is typically brought in for.
What can Lonboard do that MapQuest cannot?
Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, GeoPandas input, deck.gl layers, Jupyter widget. MapQuest covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lonboard: Why not just use pydeck?

pydeck serialises geometry to GeoJSON to reach the browser. Lonboard uses a binary GeoArrow pipeline, which is the reason it handles far larger datasets in the same notebook.

MapQuest: What is the cheapest way to use MapQuest APIs?

The MapQuestGO plan offers 50,000 free transactions for a limited time, then charges $0.0045 per transaction. Monthly subscription plans start at $119/month for 30,000 transactions.

Source
Lonboard: Who maintains it?

Development Seed, a geospatial engineering consultancy, as an open source project. There is no commercial support offering.

MapQuest: Can I cache or store geocoding results on a monthly MapQuest plan?

No. Storing or caching geocodes is not allowed on monthly plans. Only Enterprise accounts can store geocodes off-map with the Extended Rights Geocoding feature.

Source
Lonboard: Does it work outside Jupyter?

It is built as a Jupyter widget. Exporting to standalone HTML is possible, but the intended environment is a notebook.

MapQuest: What happens if I exceed my MapQuest monthly transaction limit?

The MapQuest pricing page does not specify overage charges. Users can modify their plan selection from their account dashboard at any time to scale up.

Source
Lonboard: Is it free for commercial use?

Yes, it is open source with no licence fee.

MapQuest: Can I change my MapQuest plan mid-cycle?

Yes. Users can modify their plan selection from their account dashboard at any time, making it easy to scale as needs evolve.

Source
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