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Maps · head to head

OpenRouteService vs What3words

OpenRouteService logo

OpenRouteService

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
What3words logo

What3words

Maps

What3words has divided the world into 3m squares and given each one

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenRouteService has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OpenRouteService free tier limited to 500 Isochrones requests per day; What3words the free API plan includes no coordinate conversion, only AutoSuggest, and is rate limited to 5 requests per second
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenRouteService and What3words actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenRouteService and What3words differ
AttributeOpenRouteServiceWhat3words
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: pricing model (freemium), platforms (Web), 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

Nothing recorded that What3words does not also cover.

Only in What3words

Nothing recorded that OpenRouteService 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.

OpenRouteService

  • Directions routing for cars, trucks, bikes, walking, hiking, wheelchairnot What3words
  • Reachability analysis with isochrones for time and distance calculationsnot What3words
  • Many-to-many distance matrix calculationsnot What3words
  • Location geocoding and conversion to coordinatesnot What3words
  • Points of interest discovery and mappingnot What3words
  • Elevation data enrichment using SRTM satellite datanot What3words
  • Vehicle routing problem optimizationnot What3words

What3words

  • Referring to a 3 metre square location with three wordsnot OpenRouteService
  • Adding location entry to a delivery or dispatch appnot OpenRouteService
  • Converting between coordinates and what3words addresses via APInot 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

What3words

  • The free API plan includes no coordinate conversion, only AutoSuggest, and is rate limited to 5 requests per second
  • Converting to and from what3words addresses starts on the Basic plan at $9.99 per month for 1,000 conversions
  • Priority and developer support require the Standard plan at $45 per month
  • 24/7 phone support requires the Plus plan at $125 per month
  • Custom invoicing and annual payment require the Premium plan at $300 per month
  • Overage pricing is not published; the page states only that a fair usage policy applies
  • The three word address scheme is proprietary and licensed rather than open data

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenRouteService

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the OpenRouteService review.

What3words

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the What3words review.

Which should you pick?

Choose OpenRouteService if

  • You want to start without paying.
OpenRouteService review

Choose What3words if

Nothing in the data separates What3words from OpenRouteService on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

What3words review

Questions people ask

Is OpenRouteService or What3words better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenRouteService starts at Free and What3words at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenRouteService or What3words?
OpenRouteService has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenRouteService and On request for What3words.
Does OpenRouteService or What3words run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use OpenRouteService for free?
Yes. OpenRouteService has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. What3words starts at On request.
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 What3words is typically brought in for.

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
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
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