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Maps · head to head

onX Maps vs OpenRouteService

onX Maps logo

onX Maps

Maps

Land ownership and offline navigation apps sold as separate subscriptions per activity: Hunt, Offroad, Backcountry

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenRouteService logo

OpenRouteService

Maps

Open-source routing, geocoding, and isochrone APIs based on OpenStreetMap data for developers and enterprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenRouteService has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: onX Maps hunt, Offroad and Backcountry are entirely separate subscriptions, so a user needing more than one activity pays for more than one product with no combined bundle discount.; OpenRouteService free tier limited to 500 Isochrones requests per day
  • They diverge on capability: onX Maps covers Land ownership boundaries, OpenRouteService covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which onX Maps and OpenRouteService actually diverge.

Attributes where onX Maps and OpenRouteService differ
AttributeonX MapsOpenRouteService
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelSeparate per-product subscriptions, per user per yearfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb

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 onX Maps

  • Land ownership boundaries
  • Offline maps
  • Waypoint and track marking
  • Elite tier private land data
  • 3D terrain view
  • Weather overlay

Only in OpenRouteService

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

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

onX Maps

  • A hunter who needs to know exact private and public land boundaries before crossing onto a propertynot OpenRouteService
  • An off-road driver planning a trail route with land ownership and access datanot OpenRouteService
  • A backcountry skier or hiker wanting offline terrain maps without cell signalnot OpenRouteService
  • Someone who does two or more of these activities and needs to budget for two or three separate subscriptionsnot OpenRouteService

OpenRouteService

  • Directions routing for cars, trucks, bikes, walking, hiking, wheelchairnot onX Maps
  • Reachability analysis with isochrones for time and distance calculationsnot onX Maps
  • Many-to-many distance matrix calculationsnot onX Maps
  • Location geocoding and conversion to coordinatesnot onX Maps
  • Points of interest discovery and mappingnot onX Maps
  • Elevation data enrichment using SRTM satellite datanot onX Maps
  • Vehicle routing problem optimizationnot onX Maps

Where each one falls short

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

onX Maps

  • Hunt, Offroad and Backcountry are entirely separate subscriptions, so a user needing more than one activity pays for more than one product with no combined bundle discount.
  • Elite-tier pricing at roughly $99.99 a year per product is expensive if a buyer only occasionally needs the private land ownership data it adds.
  • The apps are US and Canada focused, with more limited usefulness for international travel compared to a global mapping product.
  • Land ownership data, while extensive, can lag real-world changes in property boundaries in fast-changing areas.
  • It is not a general-purpose hiking or trail-review app in the way AllTrails or Gaia GPS are, so casual hikers without a land-boundary need may find the focus narrower than expected.

OpenRouteService

  • Free tier limited to 500 Isochrones requests per day
  • API restrictions exist but details not fully documented on main page
  • Specific pricing tiers and costs not published on primary website

Pricing, plan by plan

onX Maps

On request
  • onX Hunt Elite$99.99/year
    • Nationwide private land ownership data
    • Recent satellite imagery
    • Offline maps
  • onX Offroad Premium$34.99/year
    • Trail and land ownership maps for off-road use
    • Offline maps
  • onX Offroad Elite$99.99/year
    • Everything in Premium plus nationwide land ownership and recent imagery
  • onX Backcountry$29.99/year
    • Backcountry ski and hike focused maps
    • Offline maps
    • Avalanche and terrain data

OpenRouteService

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the OpenRouteService review.

Which should you pick?

Choose onX Maps if

  • You need land ownership boundaries.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline maps.
onX Maps review

Choose OpenRouteService if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
OpenRouteService review

Questions people ask

Is onX Maps or OpenRouteService better?
Neither clearly leads. onX Maps starts at On request and OpenRouteService at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, onX Maps or OpenRouteService?
OpenRouteService has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for onX Maps and Free for OpenRouteService.
Does onX Maps or OpenRouteService run on more platforms?
onX Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web. OpenRouteService runs on Web.
Can I use OpenRouteService for free?
Yes. OpenRouteService has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. onX Maps starts at On request.
What is onX Maps best used for?
onX Maps is most often used for a hunter who needs to know exact private and public land boundaries before crossing onto a property, an off-road driver planning a trail route with land ownership and access data, a backcountry skier or hiker wanting offline terrain maps without cell signal, someone who does two or more of these activities and needs to budget for two or three separate subscriptions. Of those, a hunter who needs to know exact private and public land boundaries before crossing onto a property and an off-road driver planning a trail route with land ownership and access data are not what OpenRouteService is typically brought in for.
What can onX Maps do that OpenRouteService cannot?
onX Maps covers Land ownership boundaries, Offline maps, Waypoint and track marking, Elite tier private land data. OpenRouteService covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

onX Maps: Can I use one onX subscription for both hunting and off-roading?

No, onX Hunt, onX Offroad and onX Backcountry are separate apps with separate subscriptions.

OpenRouteService: How much does OpenRouteService cost?

OpenRouteService is free to use and open source. The free tier includes up to 500 Isochrones requests per day. Specific pricing for higher usage tiers is not published on the main pricing page.

Source
onX Maps: What does the Elite tier add?

Elite tiers add nationwide private land ownership data, more recent satellite imagery and partner discounts on top of the base Premium tier.

OpenRouteService: Is there a free version of OpenRouteService?

Yes, OpenRouteService is completely free to use and built on open source technology. All services are presented as free to use and based on user-generated and collaboratively collected geographic data from OpenStreetMap.

Source
onX Maps: Does onX work outside the US?

Coverage is strongest in the US and Canada; usefulness elsewhere is limited.

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Related pages

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