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Maps · head to head

MAPS.ME vs Potree

MAPS.ME logo

MAPS.ME

Maps

Free, offline maps application based on OpenStreetMap data

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Potree logo

Potree

Maps

Open source WebGL viewer for publishing very large point clouds in a browser

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MAPS.ME mobile-only - no web or desktop navigation client; Potree there is no vendor, no support contract and no service level, so anything you build on Potree is your organisation’s responsibility to maintain when a browser update breaks rendering.
  • They diverge on capability: MAPS.ME covers Core Functionality, Potree covers Octree streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MAPS.ME and Potree actually diverge.

Attributes where MAPS.ME and Potree differ
AttributeMAPS.MEPotree
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux
Founded2011Unknown

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 MAPS.ME

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

Only in Potree

  • Octree streaming
  • Large dataset rendering
  • Measurement tools
  • Clipping and profiles
  • Annotations
  • Attribute colouring
  • PotreeDesktop
  • Self-hosting

What people use each for

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

MAPS.ME

  • Downloading offline maps for travel without connectivitynot Potree
  • Turn-by-turn driving, walking, and cycling navigation without datanot Potree
  • Finding points of interest and hiking trailsnot Potree
  • Following built-in travel guidesnot Potree
  • Hotel booking via Booking.com integrationnot Potree

Potree

  • A drone survey firm delivering a point cloud to a client who has no desktop software, by publishing a browser viewer link instead of a 40 GB LAZ filenot MAPS.ME
  • A heritage or archaeology project publishing a scanned site for public access without paying per-gigabyte hosting to a commercial platformnot MAPS.ME
  • An engineering consultancy embedding a point cloud viewer inside its own client portal without licensing a commercial web viewernot MAPS.ME
  • A university or research group that needs measurement and profiling in a shareable viewer for a dataset too large to emailnot MAPS.ME

Where each one falls short

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

MAPS.ME

  • Mobile-only - no web or desktop navigation client
  • Free tier limits offline map downloads and shows monetization prompts
  • No native Windows, macOS, or Linux app
  • Map data comes from the OpenStreetMap community rather than a commercial map provider

Potree

  • There is no vendor, no support contract and no service level, so anything you build on Potree is your organisation’s responsibility to maintain when a browser update breaks rendering.
  • Conversion is a separate manual step with PotreeConverter, and building an automated publishing pipeline around it is engineering work the project does not provide.
  • Rendering quality and performance depend on the client machine and WebGL support, so a client on a locked-down corporate laptop with poor graphics may see a viewer that stutters or fails outright.
  • A WebGPU rewrite, Potree-Next, is in progress and is not a drop-in upgrade, so current integrations face an eventual migration with no vendor to manage it.
  • There is no access control, user management or audit layer; anyone with the URL sees the data unless you build authentication around the static files yourself, which is a real problem for confidential sites.

Pricing, plan by plan

MAPS.ME

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the MAPS.ME review.

Potree

Free
  • PotreeFree
    • BSD-style open source licence
    • Unlimited datasets and viewers
    • Self-hosted on any static web server

Which should you pick?

Choose MAPS.ME if

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

Choose Potree if

  • You need octree streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want large dataset rendering.
Potree review

Questions people ask

Is MAPS.ME or Potree better?
Neither clearly leads. MAPS.ME starts at Free and Potree at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MAPS.ME or Potree?
MAPS.ME starts at Free and Potree at Free.
Does MAPS.ME or Potree run on more platforms?
MAPS.ME runs on iOS, Android. Potree runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use MAPS.ME for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is MAPS.ME best used for?
MAPS.ME is most often used for downloading offline maps for travel without connectivity, turn-by-turn driving, walking, and cycling navigation without data, finding points of interest and hiking trails, following built-in travel guides. Of those, downloading offline maps for travel without connectivity and turn-by-turn driving, walking, and cycling navigation without data are not what Potree is typically brought in for.
What can MAPS.ME do that Potree cannot?
MAPS.ME covers Core Functionality, User Interface. Potree covers Octree streaming, Large dataset rendering, Measurement tools, Clipping and profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MAPS.ME: Is MAPS.ME free to download and use?

MAPS.ME is available as a free download for both iOS via App Store and Android via Google Play. No pricing information is published on the MAPS.ME website, suggesting a free service model.

Source
Potree: Does Potree cost anything?

No. It is open source and free. You supply the hosting, which for a static viewer is inexpensive.

MAPS.ME: What features are included in MAPS.ME?

MAPS.ME is marketed as 'not just an app but a friend in all your adventures.' Full feature details require downloading the app from App Store or Google Play. Specific limitations or premium features are not disclosed on the website.

Source
Potree: Is there commercial support?

No. There is no vendor and no support contract. Support is GitHub issues and the community.

MAPS.ME: How does MAPS.ME make money if the app is free?

MAPS.ME does not publish pricing or monetization details on its website. The app is available free on both iOS and Android platforms, but the business model for generating revenue is not disclosed publicly.

Source
Potree: Who maintains it?

It originated at TU Wien and is maintained principally by Markus Schütz, with community contributions.

Potree: Can it handle very large clouds?

Yes, hundreds of millions of points, because PotreeConverter builds a multi-resolution octree that streams only what is visible.

Potree: Is my data private?

Only if you make it so. Potree serves static files with no built-in authentication, so access control is entirely your responsibility.

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