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Fleet Management · head to head

NexTraq vs Nominatim

NexTraq logo

NexTraq

Fleet Management

US small-fleet telematics now absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet

From
On request
Free plan
No
Nominatim logo

Nominatim

Maps

Open-source geocoding tool for OpenStreetMap data, providing address search and reverse geocoding capabilities

From
On request
Free plan
No

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: NexTraq the NexTraq brand has been absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet, so the product name, the account team and eventually the platform underneath you are all subject to a consolidation plan you have no say in.; Nominatim the public API allows an absolute maximum of 1 request per second
  • They diverge on capability: NexTraq covers Vehicle tracking, Nominatim covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NexTraq and Nominatim actually diverge.

Attributes where NexTraq and Nominatim differ
AttributeNexTraqNominatim
Pricing modelquotefreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryFleet ManagementMaps

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 NexTraq

  • Vehicle tracking
  • Hours of service
  • Fuel and idling reporting
  • Maintenance scheduling
  • Job dispatch
  • Driver scorecards

Only in Nominatim

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

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

NexTraq

  • A North American trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and ELD compliance from one mid-market vendornot Nominatim
  • An operator already buying Michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreementnot Nominatim
  • A fleet replacing an ageing tracking system that values an owner with a large corporate balance sheet over a venture-funded challengernot Nominatim
  • A distribution business needing straightforward fuel and idling reporting to justify a driver behaviour programmenot Nominatim

Nominatim

  • Geocoding and reverse geocoding servicesnot NexTraq
  • Address lookup and location searchnot NexTraq
  • OpenStreetMap-based geolocation datanot NexTraq

Where each one falls short

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

NexTraq

  • The NexTraq brand has been absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet, so the product name, the account team and eventually the platform underneath you are all subject to a consolidation plan you have no say in.
  • Michelin is merging three separately engineered telematics products, which historically means feature freezes on the older platforms and a migration that existing customers pay for in disruption rather than cash.
  • The feature set is mid-market and unexceptional, so it rarely wins a technical evaluation against Geotab or Samsara on capability alone.
  • Contracts bundle hardware into multi-year terms, so a fleet that shrinks or is acquired continues paying for devices, and early exit triggers hardware recovery costs.
  • The integration ecosystem is small and the API is not a selling point, so connecting telematics data to job costing or payroll usually means custom work or scheduled file exports.

Nominatim

  • The public API allows an absolute maximum of 1 request per second
  • Bulk geocoding must run in a single thread and cannot be distributed across machines
  • Scripts running longer than a day or on a schedule are limited to 4 requests per minute
  • Autocomplete search against the public API is explicitly prohibited
  • Systematic queries such as grid based reverse lookups and complete data downloads are prohibited
  • Reselling geocoding results or acting as an API intermediary is prohibited
  • Every request must send a valid HTTP Referer or User-Agent identifying the application, and default library headers are rejected
  • Results must be cached client side, and repeated identical queries can lead to blocking
  • Attribution to OpenStreetMap under ODbL must be displayed

Pricing, plan by plan

NexTraq

On request
  • NexTraq$undefined/year
    • Per vehicle subscription with hardware bundled into the term
    • Multi-year agreements are standard
    • ELD and dispatch modules priced as tiers

Nominatim

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Nominatim review.

Which should you pick?

Choose NexTraq if

  • You need vehicle tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want hours of service.

Choose Nominatim if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You also want user interface.

Questions people ask

Is NexTraq or Nominatim better?
Neither clearly leads. NexTraq starts at On request and Nominatim at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NexTraq or Nominatim?
NexTraq starts at On request and Nominatim at On request.
Does NexTraq or Nominatim run on more platforms?
NexTraq runs on Web, iOS, Android. Nominatim runs on Web.
What is NexTraq best used for?
NexTraq is most often used for a north american trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and eld compliance from one mid-market vendor, an operator already buying michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreement, a fleet replacing an ageing tracking system that values an owner with a large corporate balance sheet over a venture-funded challenger, a distribution business needing straightforward fuel and idling reporting to justify a driver behaviour programme. Of those, a north american trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and eld compliance from one mid-market vendor and an operator already buying michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreement are not what Nominatim is typically brought in for.
What can NexTraq do that Nominatim cannot?
NexTraq covers Vehicle tracking, Hours of service, Fuel and idling reporting, Maintenance scheduling. Nominatim covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NexTraq: Is NexTraq still a separate company?

No. Michelin bought it in 2017 and has folded it into Michelin Connected Fleet, together with Masternaut in Europe and Sascar in Brazil.

Nominatim: Is Nominatim free?

Nominatim is open source software built on OpenStreetMap data. It appears to be free to use, though commercial usage may require separate licensing or terms. Check the project repository or contact support for clarity on licensing.

Source
NexTraq: Will my NexTraq system be migrated to a different platform?

Assume so, eventually. Ask directly what the migration timetable is, what happens to historical data, and who bears the cost of re-fitting or re-configuring devices.

Nominatim: What is Nominatim's pricing model?

Nominatim does not publish a standard pricing model on its website. As open source software, it is available for free, but commercial or large-scale deployments may require reviewing their licensing terms or contacting project maintainers.

Source
NexTraq: Does buying Michelin tyres get me a better telematics price?

It is worth testing. The commercial logic of the acquisition is bundling vehicle services, and that is where discounting is most likely to be available.

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