Is Nominatim or OsmAnd better?

Neither clearly leads. Nominatim starts at On request and OsmAnd at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Nominatim or OsmAnd?

OsmAnd has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Nominatim and Free for OsmAnd.

Does Nominatim or OsmAnd run on more platforms?

Nominatim runs on Web. OsmAnd runs on iOS, Android, Desktop Editor, Huawei AppGallery.

Can I use OsmAnd for free?

Yes. OsmAnd 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 and reverse geocoding services, address lookup and location search, openstreetmap-based geolocation data. Of those, geocoding and reverse geocoding services and address lookup and location search are not what OsmAnd is typically brought in for.

Maps · head to head

Nominatim vs OsmAnd

Nominatim

Maps

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

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

OsmAnd

Maps

Open-source map and navigation application based on OpenStreetMap data

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only OsmAnd 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; OsmAnd free version limited to only 7 map downloads at once, restricting users who need multiple regional maps
Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nominatim and OsmAnd actually diverge.

Attributes where Nominatim and OsmAnd differ
Attribute	Nominatim	OsmAnd
Starting price	On request	Free
Pricing model	freemium	Unknown
Free tier	No	Yes
Platforms	Web	iOS, Android, Desktop Editor, Huawei AppGallery
Founded	Unknown	2010

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 Nominatim

Nothing recorded that OsmAnd does not also cover.

Only in OsmAnd

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 and reverse geocoding servicesnot OsmAnd
Address lookup and location searchnot OsmAnd
OpenStreetMap-based geolocation datanot OsmAnd

OsmAnd

Offline navigation in areas with no data connectionnot Nominatim
Turn-by-turn voice guided drivingnot Nominatim
Bicycle and pedestrian routingnot Nominatim
Hiking and trail running navigationnot Nominatim
Motorcycling and travel using per-country or per-region offline mapsnot 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

OsmAnd

Free version limited to only 7 map downloads at once, restricting users who need multiple regional maps
Poor performance with slow map rendering and navigation lag reported on older devices
Route calculation limited to approximately 200 kilometers or less for offline calculation
Map accuracy issues due to reliance on community OpenStreetMap data which may contain outdated information

Pricing, plan by plan

Nominatim

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Nominatim review.

OsmAnd

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the OsmAnd review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Nominatim if

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

Nominatim review

Choose OsmAnd if

You want to start without paying.
You work on iOS, Android, Desktop Editor, Huawei AppGallery.

OsmAnd review

Questions people ask

Is Nominatim or OsmAnd better?: Neither clearly leads. Nominatim starts at On request and OsmAnd at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nominatim or OsmAnd?: OsmAnd has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Nominatim and Free for OsmAnd.
Does Nominatim or OsmAnd run on more platforms?: Nominatim runs on Web. OsmAnd runs on iOS, Android, Desktop Editor, Huawei AppGallery.
Can I use OsmAnd for free?: Yes. OsmAnd 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 and reverse geocoding services, address lookup and location search, openstreetmap-based geolocation data. Of those, geocoding and reverse geocoding services and address lookup and location search are not what OsmAnd is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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

OsmAnd: Does OsmAnd work offline?

Yes. OsmAnd works fully offline after downloading maps for specific regions. Route calculation, turn-by-turn navigation, and POI search all work without an internet connection.

Source

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

OsmAnd: What is OsmAnd's pricing?

OsmAnd Free version is available with limitations including only 7 map downloads allowed at once and no 3D map views. OsmAnd Pro subscription costs 2.99 euros per month or 29.99 euros per year, offering 3D maps, hourly map refreshes, and cloud storage.

Source

OsmAnd: What maps does OsmAnd use?

OsmAnd uses free OpenStreetMap data, which is updated monthly or hourly through OsmAnd Live. Wikipedia POI data is available for sightseeing, and users can add optional online tile map overlays.

Source

OsmAnd: Can I use OsmAnd on iOS and Android?

Yes. OsmAnd is available on both iOS via Apple App Store and Android via Google Play Store, with identical offline functionality on both platforms.

Source

Nominatim vs OsmAnd

Nominatim

OsmAnd

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Nominatim

Only in OsmAnd

Both cover

What people use each for

Nominatim

OsmAnd

Where each one falls short

Nominatim

OsmAnd

Pricing, plan by plan

Nominatim

OsmAnd

Which should you pick?

Choose Nominatim if

Choose OsmAnd if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Nominatim

More on OsmAnd

Keep looking

Other head to heads