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Maps · head to head

OpenRouteService vs SW Maps

OpenRouteService logo

OpenRouteService

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SW Maps logo

SW Maps

Maps

Free Android GIS data collector that pairs with external RTK GNSS receivers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OpenRouteService free tier limited to 500 Isochrones requests per day; SW Maps android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
  • They diverge on capability: OpenRouteService covers Core Functionality, SW Maps covers Custom feature layers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where OpenRouteService and SW Maps differ
AttributeOpenRouteServiceSW Maps
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebAndroid

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 OpenRouteService

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

Only in SW Maps

  • Custom feature layers
  • External GNSS support
  • Offline basemaps
  • Geospatial PDF layers
  • Vector import
  • Photo and media capture
  • Export formats
  • NTRIP client

What people use each for

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

OpenRouteService

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

SW Maps

  • An NGO or municipal utility mapping water points, pipe networks or road assets on a budget that cannot absorb per-user GIS subscriptionsnot OpenRouteService
  • A survey team pairing a low-cost RTK receiver with Android tablets to collect centimetre-accurate attributed features without buying field software seatsnot OpenRouteService
  • A university field course teaching GNSS data collection where every student needs the tool on their own devicenot OpenRouteService
  • A consultant doing a one-off asset inventory who needs shapefile or GeoPackage output and does not want to start an annual subscription for a three-week jobnot OpenRouteService

Where each one falls short

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

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

SW Maps

  • Android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
  • There is no back end: no user management, no central project sync, no audit trail. Data lives on the device until someone exports it, and a lost tablet is lost data.
  • No commercial support contract exists, so an organisation with a compliance requirement for vendor support cannot use it for regulated work regardless of technical fit.
  • It is maintained by a small consultancy as a side product of its own project work, so the roadmap follows Softwel’s needs and a feature you depend on may never be prioritised.
  • Form logic is basic compared with dedicated survey platforms: no meaningful skip logic, validation or multi-user assignment, so complex questionnaires quickly outgrow it.

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenRouteService

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the OpenRouteService review.

SW Maps

Free
  • SW MapsFree
    • All features included
    • External RTK GNSS support
    • Unlimited layers and exports

Which should you pick?

Choose OpenRouteService if

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

Choose SW Maps if

  • You need custom feature layers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android.
  • You also want external gnss support.
SW Maps review

Questions people ask

Is OpenRouteService or SW Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenRouteService starts at Free and SW Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenRouteService or SW Maps?
OpenRouteService starts at Free and SW Maps at Free.
Does OpenRouteService or SW Maps run on more platforms?
OpenRouteService runs on Web. SW Maps runs on Android.
Can I use OpenRouteService for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is OpenRouteService best used for?
OpenRouteService is most often used for directions routing for cars, trucks, bikes, walking, hiking, wheelchair, reachability analysis with isochrones for time and distance calculations, many-to-many distance matrix calculations, location geocoding and conversion to coordinates. Of those, directions routing for cars, trucks, bikes, walking, hiking, wheelchair and reachability analysis with isochrones for time and distance calculations are not what SW Maps is typically brought in for.
What can OpenRouteService do that SW Maps cannot?
OpenRouteService covers Core Functionality, User Interface. SW Maps covers Custom feature layers, External GNSS support, Offline basemaps, Geospatial PDF layers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
SW Maps: Is SW Maps really free?

Yes. It is free with no advertising and no paid tier. There is no subscription and no feature paywall.

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
SW Maps: Does it support RTK receivers?

Yes, over Bluetooth or USB serial, with NTRIP correction support, antenna height and per-point fix quality recording.

SW Maps: Is there an iOS version?

No. Android only.

SW Maps: Who maintains it?

Softwel, an engineering consultancy in Kathmandu, Nepal, which built it for its own infrastructure projects.

SW Maps: Can we get support?

Not contractually. There is no commercial support agreement, which is the main reason organisations with compliance obligations choose a paid alternative.

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