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Maps & Navigation · head to head

Nominatim vs CesiumJS

Nominatim logo

Nominatim

Maps & Navigation

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CesiumJS logo

CesiumJS

Maps & Navigation

Open-source JavaScript library for creating 3D globes and 2D maps with support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CesiumJS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Nominatim the public API allows an absolute maximum of 1 request per second; CesiumJS the free Community tier does not permit commercial use

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nominatim and CesiumJS actually diverge.

Attributes where Nominatim and CesiumJS differ
AttributeNominatimCesiumJS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps & Navigation).

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 Nominatim

Nothing recorded that CesiumJS does not also cover.

Only in CesiumJS

Nothing recorded that Nominatim does not also cover.

Both cover

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

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

Nominatim

  • Geocoding addresses to coordinates from OpenStreetMap datanot CesiumJS
  • Reverse geocoding coordinates to a place namenot CesiumJS
  • Self hosting a geocoder over an OSM extractnot CesiumJS

CesiumJS

  • Streaming 3D terrain, imagery and building data into web applicationsnot Nominatim
  • Tiling and hosting large geospatial and reality capture datasetsnot Nominatim

Where each one falls short

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

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

CesiumJS

  • The free Community tier does not permit commercial use
  • The cheapest commercial plan is $149 a month for an individual and $524 for a team
  • Team accounts are capped at 5 members on both the Commercial and Premium plans
  • Three separate quotas apply at once, being storage, monthly streaming and monthly reality modelling gigapixels, and exceeding any one of them constrains the account
  • Streaming is capped at 15 GB a month on the free tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Nominatim

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Nominatim review.

CesiumJS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CesiumJS review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Nominatim if

Nothing in the data separates Nominatim from CesiumJS on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Nominatim review

Choose CesiumJS if

  • You want to start without paying.
CesiumJS review

Questions people ask

Is Nominatim or CesiumJS better?
Neither clearly leads. Nominatim starts at On request and CesiumJS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nominatim or CesiumJS?
CesiumJS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Nominatim and Free for CesiumJS.
Does Nominatim or CesiumJS run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use CesiumJS for free?
Yes. CesiumJS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nominatim starts at On request.
What is Nominatim best used for?
Nominatim is most often used for geocoding addresses to coordinates from openstreetmap data, reverse geocoding coordinates to a place name, self hosting a geocoder over an osm extract. Of those, geocoding addresses to coordinates from openstreetmap data and reverse geocoding coordinates to a place name are not what CesiumJS is typically brought in for.
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