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Maps · head to head

Lonboard vs MapTiler

Lonboard logo

Lonboard

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MapTiler logo

MapTiler

Maps

Map hosting, styling, and APIs for developers with beautiful pre-built map styles

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; MapTiler the free tier is restricted to testing, personal or non commercial use and forces a MapTiler logo on the map
  • They diverge on capability: Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, MapTiler covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lonboard and MapTiler actually diverge.

Attributes where Lonboard and MapTiler differ
AttributeLonboardMapTiler
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 MapTiler

  • 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 MapTiler
  • A researcher publishing a reproducible analysis where the visualisation must run from the same script as the processingnot MapTiler
  • A data scientist joining spatial data to model outputs in pandas and needing to see the result immediately without exporting to a GISnot MapTiler
  • A team building an internal analysis pipeline on GeoParquet that wants rendering without a serialisation step in the middlenot MapTiler

MapTiler

  • Web and mobile mapping applicationsnot Lonboard
  • Vector tile and raster map hostingnot 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

MapTiler

  • The free tier is restricted to testing, personal or non commercial use and forces a MapTiler logo on the map
  • Free is capped at 5,000 map sessions, 1,000 search sessions and 100,000 API requests a month
  • Free storage is 5 GB but limited to a single file
  • The Flex plan at $30 a month bills overage at $2.50 per 1,000 sessions and $0.15 per 1,000 API requests
  • Soft usage limits that prevent surprise overage bills are a Custom plan feature, so cheaper plans can run up charges
  • A 99.9% SLA requires the prepaid Custom contract

Pricing, plan by plan

Lonboard

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

MapTiler

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 GB storage
    • 1 file maximum
    • 5,000 monthly sessions
  • Flex$30/monthly
    • 10 GB storage
    • 25,000 monthly sessions
    • 500,000 monthly API requests
  • Custom$null/prepaid
    • Custom storage and monthly sessions
    • Custom API request limits
    • 99.9 percent SLA

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 MapTiler if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
MapTiler review

Questions people ask

Is Lonboard or MapTiler better?
Neither clearly leads. Lonboard starts at Free and MapTiler at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lonboard or MapTiler?
Lonboard starts at Free and MapTiler at Free.
Does Lonboard or MapTiler run on more platforms?
Lonboard runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. MapTiler runs on Web.
Can I use Lonboard for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 MapTiler is typically brought in for.
What can Lonboard do that MapTiler cannot?
Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, GeoPandas input, deck.gl layers, Jupyter widget. MapTiler 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.

MapTiler: What happens if I exceed my session or API request limits on the Flex plan?

On the Flex plan, overage charges apply when you exceed limits. Sessions cost $2.50 per 1,000 over the monthly limit of 25,000. API requests cost $0.15 per 1,000 over the 500,000 monthly limit. Additional storage of 100 GB costs $20 per month.

Source
Lonboard: Who maintains it?

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

MapTiler: Can I use the Free plan for commercial projects?

No, the Free plan is restricted to testing, personal, or non-commercial use only. Commercial use is only permitted on the Flex plan ($30/month) or Custom plans with prepaid volume contracts.

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.

MapTiler: What is the difference between Flex and Custom plans?

The Flex plan costs $30 per month with preset limits and pay-as-you-go overages. Custom plans are negotiated per customer for high-traffic use cases and include 99.9 percent SLA, team account support, and prepaid volume contracts. All prices are in USD excluding VAT.

Source
Lonboard: Is it free for commercial use?

Yes, it is open source with no licence fee.

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