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Maps · head to head

Lonboard vs Waze

Lonboard logo

Lonboard

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Waze logo

Waze

Maps

Community-driven GPS navigation app that uses real-time traffic data from its users

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; Waze no offline maps capability, requiring constant internet connectivity
  • They diverge on capability: Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, Waze covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lonboard and Waze actually diverge.

Attributes where Lonboard and Waze differ
AttributeLonboardWaze
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefree
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsiOS, Android, Web
FoundedUnknown2008

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 Waze

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

Waze

  • Real-time navigation and route planning with live traffic updatesnot Lonboard
  • Reporting hazards and roadway conditions to community driversnot Lonboard
  • Finding alternative routes to avoid congestion and accidentsnot Lonboard
  • Connecting with first responders and emergency servicesnot Lonboard
  • Community-driven mapping and road condition improvementsnot 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

Waze

  • No offline maps capability, requiring constant internet connectivity
  • Routing reliability declined with reports of longer routes and restricted road directions
  • Privacy concerns with location data collection and location-based ads after Google acquisition
  • Stability issues including crashes on CarPlay and slow loading times

Pricing, plan by plan

Lonboard

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

Waze

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Waze 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 Waze if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want user interface.
Waze review

Questions people ask

Is Lonboard or Waze better?
Neither clearly leads. Lonboard starts at Free and Waze at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lonboard or Waze?
Lonboard starts at Free and Waze at Free.
Does Lonboard or Waze run on more platforms?
Lonboard runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Waze runs on iOS, Android, 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 Waze is typically brought in for.
What can Lonboard do that Waze cannot?
Lonboard covers GeoArrow binary transfer, GeoPandas input, deck.gl layers, Jupyter widget. Waze 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.

Waze: Does Waze work offline?

No, Waze relies on real-time data and does not support offline maps, limiting usability when without internet connectivity.

Source
Lonboard: Who maintains it?

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

Waze: How does Waze handle my location data?

Since Google's 2013 acquisition, Waze shares location history with Google's ad network and serves location-based ads. This differs from privacy-focused alternatives like Apple Maps.

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.

Waze: What platforms can I use Waze on?

Waze is available on iOS and Android mobile apps, and via web through the Live Map feature accessible from any computer or tablet.

Source
Lonboard: Is it free for commercial use?

Yes, it is open source with no licence fee.

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