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Maps · head to head

Mapzen vs Potree

Mapzen logo

Mapzen

Maps

Mapzen was an open-source mapping platform that provided geocoding, routing, and map rendering services

From
On request
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

  • Only Potree has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mapzen no pricing information published on main product page describing services and features; 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: Mapzen 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 Mapzen and Potree actually diverge.

Attributes where Mapzen and Potree differ
AttributeMapzenPotree
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux

Identical on both: 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 Mapzen

  • 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.

Mapzen

  • Mapping platform with vector tiles and terrain datanot Potree
  • Search, routing, and navigation servicesnot 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 Mapzen
  • A heritage or archaeology project publishing a scanned site for public access without paying per-gigabyte hosting to a commercial platformnot Mapzen
  • An engineering consultancy embedding a point cloud viewer inside its own client portal without licensing a commercial web viewernot Mapzen
  • A university or research group that needs measurement and profiling in a shareable viewer for a dataset too large to emailnot Mapzen

Where each one falls short

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

Mapzen

  • No pricing information published on main product page describing services and features
  • No clear indication of whether Mapzen is still actively maintained or in legacy status
  • No published tier structure or usage limits visible to potential customers

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

Mapzen

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Mapzen 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 Mapzen if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You also want user interface.
Mapzen 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 Mapzen or Potree better?
Neither clearly leads. Mapzen starts at On request and Potree at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mapzen or Potree?
Potree has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Mapzen and Free for Potree.
Does Mapzen or Potree run on more platforms?
Mapzen runs on Web. Potree runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Potree for free?
Yes. Potree has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mapzen starts at On request.
What is Mapzen best used for?
Mapzen is most often used for mapping platform with vector tiles and terrain data, search, routing, and navigation services. Of those, mapping platform with vector tiles and terrain data and search, routing, and navigation services are not what Potree is typically brought in for.
What can Mapzen do that Potree cannot?
Mapzen covers Core Functionality, User Interface. Potree covers Octree streaming, Large dataset rendering, Measurement tools, Clipping and profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mapzen: What is Mapzen's pricing model for mapping and routing services?

Mapzen does not publish pricing information on its main website. The platform describes various services including map display, search, turn-by-turn navigation, routing (isochrone, map matching, optimized routes), and data products (vector tiles, terrain tiles, elevation data), but no cost details are disclosed.

Source
Potree: Does Potree cost anything?

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

Mapzen: What data products does Mapzen offer?

Mapzen offers vector tiles, terrain tiles, and elevation data products. Specific pricing for accessing these data products is not published on the website. Interested customers should contact Mapzen directly for commercial licensing information.

Source
Potree: Is there commercial support?

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

Mapzen: Does Mapzen provide turn-by-turn navigation and routing services?

Yes, Mapzen includes turn-by-turn navigation and routing services including isochrone, map matching, and optimized routes functionality. Pricing and API rate limits for these services are not disclosed on the main website.

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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