Maps & Navigation · head to head
Mapzen vs CARTO
Mapzen
Maps & Navigation
Mapzen was an open-source mapping platform that provided geocoding, routing, and map rendering services
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only CARTO has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Mapzen the vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 2 January 2018 priced its mobility APIs on a free tier plus overage model: Turn-by-Turn navigation free for the first 5,000 requests per month then 50 cents per additional 1,000 requests, and Isochrone and Optimized Route each free for the first 100 requests per month then $1.50 per additional 1,000 requests; Mapzen shut down as a project in 2018 shortly after this capture and this pricing no longer applies to any live service; CARTO no prices are published; the committed tiers are all quote-only
- They diverge on capability: Mapzen covers Core Functionality, CARTO covers Spatial Analysis.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mapzen and CARTO actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Mapzen
- Core Functionality
- User Interface
Only in CARTO
- Spatial Analysis
- Interactive Maps
- Data Observatory
- Workflows
- APIs
- Snowflake
- BigQuery
- PostgreSQL
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mapzen
No use cases recorded yet. See the Mapzen review.
CARTO
- Spatial analysis over data already in a cloud warehousenot Mapzen
- Building interactive maps and location dashboardsnot Mapzen
- Geocoding and routing through location data servicesnot Mapzen
- Site selection and territory planningnot Mapzen
- Self-hosted geospatial analytics for regulated environmentsnot Mapzen
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Mapzen
- The vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 2 January 2018 priced its mobility APIs on a free tier plus overage model: Turn-by-Turn navigation free for the first 5,000 requests per month then 50 cents per additional 1,000 requests, and Isochrone and Optimized Route each free for the first 100 requests per month then $1.50 per additional 1,000 requests; Mapzen shut down as a project in 2018 shortly after this capture and this pricing no longer applies to any live service
CARTO
- No prices are published; the committed tiers are all quote-only
- Metered on four separate axes: workflow runs, map loads, API calls and location data service operations
- API access and tokens are limited on pay-as-you-go and unlimited only from the Strategic tier
- Self-hosting is available on Enterprise and included only on the Custom tier
- The 14 day trial explicitly forbids production use
Pricing, plan by plan
Mapzen
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Mapzen review.
CARTO
Free- Professional$199/month
- Spatial Analysis
- Data Observatory
- Builder
Which should you pick?
Choose CARTO if
- You need spatial analysis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want interactive maps.
Questions people ask
- Is Mapzen or CARTO better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mapzen starts at On request and CARTO at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mapzen or CARTO?
- CARTO has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Mapzen and Free for CARTO.
- Does Mapzen or CARTO run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use CARTO for free?
- Yes. CARTO has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mapzen starts at On request.
- What can Mapzen do that CARTO cannot?
- Mapzen covers Core Functionality, User Interface. CARTO covers Spatial Analysis, Interactive Maps, Data Observatory, Workflows.