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Maps · head to head

Lonboard vs Quartix

Lonboard logo

Lonboard

Maps

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Quartix logo

Quartix

Fleet Management

Deliberately narrow vehicle tracking from a listed UK vendor that publishes its prices

From
On request
Free plan
No
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; Quartix video telematics is not part of the core product, so any fleet that decides it needs camera evidence after an incident has to bring in a second vendor and a second subscription.
  • They diverge on capability: Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, Quartix covers Live tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lonboard and Quartix actually diverge.

Attributes where Lonboard and Quartix differ
AttributeLonboardQuartix
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer vehicle per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryMapsFleet Management

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Quartix

  • Live tracking
  • Driving style scoring
  • Timesheet reporting
  • Geofences
  • Driver identification
  • Published pricing

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

Quartix

  • A UK or French van fleet that wants tracking and timesheet evidence without a discovery call and a three-year commitmentnot Lonboard
  • A finance manager who needs to compare telematics costs on published numbers rather than negotiated quotesnot Lonboard
  • An operator disputing employee hours or customer claims about arrival times who needs a defensible site attendance recordnot Lonboard
  • A small fleet whose insurer offers a discount for driving style monitoring but who does not need cameras or compliance toolingnot 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

Quartix

  • Video telematics is not part of the core product, so any fleet that decides it needs camera evidence after an incident has to bring in a second vendor and a second subscription.
  • There is no maintenance, work order or parts management, so servicing schedules stay in whatever spreadsheet or garage system the fleet already runs.
  • US hours of service and wider DOT compliance are not the focus, which rules Quartix out for regulated interstate commercial operations.
  • The standard tracker is hardwired rather than a plug-in device, so installation means booking vehicles in, which adds cost and downtime that no-contract plug-in competitors avoid.
  • The API and integration list are short, so feeding tracking data into payroll, job costing or an ERP tends to mean scheduled exports rather than a supported connector.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lonboard

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

Quartix

On request
  • Quartix$undefined/month
    • List pricing published openly, with rates varying by contract length
    • Tracking hardware included in the subscription rather than bought separately
    • One-year terms available alongside longer discounted options

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 Quartix if

  • You need live tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want driving style scoring.
Quartix review

Questions people ask

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

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.

Quartix: Why is Quartix cheaper than the big platforms?

Because it does less. There is no camera ecosystem, no compliance suite and no marketplace to fund. If you only need tracking, you are not subsidising features you will not use.

Lonboard: Who maintains it?

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

Quartix: Do I have to sign for three years?

No. Shorter terms are offered, priced higher per month than the longer options. The rates are published, so the trade-off is visible before you talk to anyone.

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.

Quartix: Is the hardware mine?

The tracking unit is supplied as part of the subscription rather than sold to you. Check the return and replacement terms if you plan to leave or dispose of vehicles.

Lonboard: Is it free for commercial use?

Yes, it is open source with no licence fee.

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