Softwr

Maps · head to head

Lonboard vs Verizon Connect

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
Verizon Connect logo

Verizon Connect

Fleet Management

See clearly. Act quickly. Drive change.

From
$40/month
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; Verizon Connect no transparent pricing published; requires contacting sales representatives
  • They diverge on capability: Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, Verizon Connect covers Real-time GPS tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lonboard and Verizon Connect actually diverge.

Attributes where Lonboard and Verizon Connect differ
AttributeLonboardVerizon Connect
Starting priceFree$40/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryMapsFleet Management
FoundedUnknown2018

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 Verizon Connect

  • Real-time GPS tracking
  • Route optimization
  • Driver behavior monitoring
  • ELD/HOS compliance
  • IFTA reporting
  • Fuel management
  • Maintenance alerts
  • Dispatch management

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

Verizon Connect

  • Fleet visibilitynot Lonboard
  • Route optimizationnot Lonboard
  • Compliance managementnot Lonboard
  • Driver safetynot Lonboard
  • Cost reductionnot 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

Verizon Connect

  • No transparent pricing published; requires contacting sales representatives
  • No free trial or freemium option mentioned
  • No feature-specific or a la carte pricing breakdown
  • Vague ROI claims without implementation cost or timeline details

Pricing, plan by plan

Lonboard

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

Verizon Connect

$40/month
  • Reveal$40/month
    • GPS tracking
    • Trip history
    • Geofencing
  • Reveal Plus$60/month
    • Everything in Reveal
    • ELD compliance
    • IFTA reporting
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full platform access
    • Video telematics
    • Custom integrations

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 Verizon Connect if

  • You need real-time gps tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want route optimization.
Verizon Connect review

Questions people ask

Is Lonboard or Verizon Connect better?
Neither clearly leads. Lonboard starts at Free and Verizon Connect at $40/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lonboard or Verizon Connect?
Lonboard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lonboard and $40/month for Verizon Connect.
Does Lonboard or Verizon Connect run on more platforms?
Lonboard runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Verizon Connect runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Lonboard for free?
Yes. Lonboard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Verizon Connect starts at $40/month.
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 Verizon Connect is typically brought in for.
What can Lonboard do that Verizon Connect cannot?
Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, GeoPandas input, deck.gl layers, Jupyter widget. Verizon Connect covers Real-time GPS tracking, Route optimization, Driver behavior monitoring, ELD/HOS compliance.

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.

Verizon Connect: How much does Verizon Connect cost?

Verizon Connect does not publish pricing on its website. Contact sales at (866) 844-2235 or request a callback for a custom quote. Plans are tailored to Small Business, Mid Market (50+ vehicles), and Enterprise.

Source
Lonboard: Who maintains it?

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

Verizon Connect: Does Verizon Connect offer a free trial?

The website does not mention a free trial or freemium option. Contact sales directly to inquire about trial availability.

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.

Verizon Connect: What payment options are available?

Payment options and billing terms are not disclosed on the public website. Contact Verizon Connect sales to discuss custom payment arrangements for your organization's needs.

Source
Lonboard: Is it free for commercial use?

Yes, it is open source with no licence fee.

Share

Related pages

More on Lonboard

More on Verizon Connect

Keep looking

Other head to heads