Softwr

Fleet Management · head to head

Lytx vs SW Maps

Lytx logo

Lytx

Fleet Management

Video telematics with human event review and a structured driver coaching programme

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
SW Maps logo

SW Maps

Maps

Free Android GIS data collector that pairs with external RTK GNSS receivers

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SW Maps has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lytx the driver-facing lens is the main deployment obstacle, and fleets have faced formal union objections, grievance procedures and driver resignations over interior cameras regardless of how the data is used.; SW Maps android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
  • They diverge on capability: Lytx covers Machine vision event detection, SW Maps covers Custom feature layers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lytx and SW Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where Lytx and SW Maps differ
AttributeLytxSW Maps
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidAndroid
CategoryFleet ManagementMaps

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 Lytx

  • Machine vision event detection
  • Reviewed events
  • Driver coaching workflow
  • Risk scoring
  • Continual recording option
  • Fleet tracking and compliance

Only in SW Maps

  • Custom feature layers
  • External GNSS support
  • Offline basemaps
  • Geospatial PDF layers
  • Vector import
  • Photo and media capture
  • Export formats
  • NTRIP client

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Lytx

  • A haulage or waste fleet with rising insurance premiums that needs defensible video evidence and a documented coaching programme to renegotiate covernot SW Maps
  • An operator facing repeated nuisance claims where exonerating footage settles disputes before they reach litigationnot SW Maps
  • A safety team that wants reviewed, filtered events rather than an alert stream its managers will stop reading within a fortnightnot SW Maps
  • A fleet already running Geotab or Samsara for telematics that wants a dedicated video safety layer on topnot SW Maps

SW Maps

  • An NGO or municipal utility mapping water points, pipe networks or road assets on a budget that cannot absorb per-user GIS subscriptionsnot Lytx
  • A survey team pairing a low-cost RTK receiver with Android tablets to collect centimetre-accurate attributed features without buying field software seatsnot Lytx
  • A university field course teaching GNSS data collection where every student needs the tool on their own devicenot Lytx
  • A consultant doing a one-off asset inventory who needs shapefile or GeoPackage output and does not want to start an annual subscription for a three-week jobnot Lytx

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Lytx

  • The driver-facing lens is the main deployment obstacle, and fleets have faced formal union objections, grievance procedures and driver resignations over interior cameras regardless of how the data is used.
  • Agreements are normally 36 months per device, so a fleet that shrinks or reassigns vehicles mid-term keeps paying for units it no longer runs, and the hardware has no resale value.
  • Human review introduces a delay between the event and the coachable clip, so it is not the tool for real-time intervention, and vendors offering instant in-cab alerts do that part better.
  • Core telematics such as maintenance, routing and asset tracking is thinner than on dedicated fleet platforms, so many customers run Lytx alongside another system and pay twice for GPS tracking.
  • The programme only pays back if managers hold coaching sessions consistently, which is a recurring labour cost the business case usually omits, and fleets that cannot staff it see no measurable change in incident rates.

SW Maps

  • Android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
  • There is no back end: no user management, no central project sync, no audit trail. Data lives on the device until someone exports it, and a lost tablet is lost data.
  • No commercial support contract exists, so an organisation with a compliance requirement for vendor support cannot use it for regulated work regardless of technical fit.
  • It is maintained by a small consultancy as a side product of its own project work, so the roadmap follows Softwel’s needs and a feature you depend on may never be prioritised.
  • Form logic is basic compared with dedicated survey platforms: no meaningful skip logic, validation or multi-user assignment, so complex questionnaires quickly outgrow it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lytx

On request
  • Lytx$undefined/year
    • Per vehicle per month, device and review service bundled
    • Terms are typically 36 months per installed device
    • Continual recording and extended retention priced as upgrades

SW Maps

Free
  • SW MapsFree
    • All features included
    • External RTK GNSS support
    • Unlimited layers and exports

Which should you pick?

Choose Lytx if

  • You need machine vision event detection.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want reviewed events.
Lytx review

Choose SW Maps if

  • You need custom feature layers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android.
  • You also want external gnss support.
SW Maps review

Questions people ask

Is Lytx or SW Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. Lytx starts at On request and SW Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lytx or SW Maps?
SW Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Lytx and Free for SW Maps.
Does Lytx or SW Maps run on more platforms?
Lytx runs on Web, iOS, Android. SW Maps runs on Android.
Can I use SW Maps for free?
Yes. SW Maps has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lytx starts at On request.
What is Lytx best used for?
Lytx is most often used for a haulage or waste fleet with rising insurance premiums that needs defensible video evidence and a documented coaching programme to renegotiate cover, an operator facing repeated nuisance claims where exonerating footage settles disputes before they reach litigation, a safety team that wants reviewed, filtered events rather than an alert stream its managers will stop reading within a fortnight, a fleet already running geotab or samsara for telematics that wants a dedicated video safety layer on top. Of those, a haulage or waste fleet with rising insurance premiums that needs defensible video evidence and a documented coaching programme to renegotiate cover and an operator facing repeated nuisance claims where exonerating footage settles disputes before they reach litigation are not what SW Maps is typically brought in for.
What can Lytx do that SW Maps cannot?
Lytx covers Machine vision event detection, Reviewed events, Driver coaching workflow, Risk scoring. SW Maps covers Custom feature layers, External GNSS support, Offline basemaps, Geospatial PDF layers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lytx: Can I run Lytx without a driver-facing camera?

Yes, road-facing only configurations are available and are what most fleets deploy first to reduce resistance. You lose distraction and seatbelt detection, which is a large part of the risk model.

SW Maps: Is SW Maps really free?

Yes. It is free with no advertising and no paid tier. There is no subscription and no feature paywall.

Lytx: Who watches the footage?

Flagged events go to Lytx reviewers, then to your safety managers. Continuous footage is not routinely watched; it is retained and pulled on request for incidents and claims.

SW Maps: Does it support RTK receivers?

Yes, over Bluetooth or USB serial, with NTRIP correction support, antenna height and per-point fix quality recording.

Lytx: Does it replace my telematics platform?

It can, but most large fleets keep their existing tracking platform and integrate Lytx for video and coaching. Budget for both if that is the plan.

SW Maps: Is there an iOS version?

No. Android only.

SW Maps: Who maintains it?

Softwel, an engineering consultancy in Kathmandu, Nepal, which built it for its own infrastructure projects.

SW Maps: Can we get support?

Not contractually. There is no commercial support agreement, which is the main reason organisations with compliance obligations choose a paid alternative.

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