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Maps · head to head

Lonboard vs PositionStack

Lonboard logo

Lonboard

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PositionStack logo

PositionStack

Maps

Free, developer-friendly geocoding API for forward and reverse geocoding with global coverage

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; PositionStack the free plan allows only 100 requests per month
  • They diverge on capability: Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, PositionStack covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lonboard and PositionStack actually diverge.

Attributes where Lonboard and PositionStack differ
AttributeLonboardPositionStack
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
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 PositionStack

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

PositionStack

  • Forward geocoding addresses to coordinates via REST APInot Lonboard
  • Reverse geocoding coordinates to addressesnot Lonboard
  • Batch geocoding location data in a backend servicenot 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

PositionStack

  • The free plan allows only 100 requests per month
  • The free plan is a personal licence, so commercial use requires a paid plan
  • The free plan is rate limited, with an extended rate limit only from the Basic plan up
  • Requests beyond the monthly quota are billed as overage, at $0.0003996 per request on Basic
  • The lowest advertised rates require annual prepayment
  • Enterprise volumes are priced by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Lonboard

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

PositionStack

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the PositionStack 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 PositionStack if

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

Questions people ask

Is Lonboard or PositionStack better?
Neither clearly leads. Lonboard starts at Free and PositionStack at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lonboard or PositionStack?
Lonboard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lonboard and On request for PositionStack.
Does Lonboard or PositionStack run on more platforms?
Lonboard runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. PositionStack runs on Web.
Can I use Lonboard for free?
Yes. Lonboard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PositionStack 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 PositionStack is typically brought in for.
What can Lonboard do that PositionStack cannot?
Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, GeoPandas input, deck.gl layers, Jupyter widget. PositionStack 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.

PositionStack: What annual billing discount does Positionstack offer?

Annual billing provides up to 15% discount compared to monthly billing total. For example, Basic annual is $8.99/month vs $9.99/month monthly, and Professional annual is $43.99/month vs $49.99/month monthly. Source: https://positionstack.com/pricing

Source
Lonboard: Who maintains it?

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

PositionStack: How do Positionstack overage notifications work?

Positionstack sends alerts at 75%, 90%, and 100% of your monthly request allowance. Overages are calculated at month-end and charged according to each tier's per-request rate (e.g., Business tier: $0.00013332/request). Source: https://positionstack.com/pricing

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.

PositionStack: What payment methods does Positionstack accept?

Positionstack accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Diner's Club for monthly billing. Enterprise customers may arrange bank transfers for their custom agreements. Source: https://positionstack.com/pricing

Source
Lonboard: Is it free for commercial use?

Yes, it is open source with no licence fee.

PositionStack: Can I downgrade or cancel my Positionstack plan?

Downgrades take effect at your billing cycle end. Cancellations require contacting customer service. Uptime guarantee is 99.9% average over 12 months. Source: https://positionstack.com/pricing

Source
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