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Maps · head to head

Potree vs Stadia Maps

Potree logo

Potree

Maps

Open source WebGL viewer for publishing very large point clouds in a browser

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Stadia Maps

Maps

High-performance map tiles, routing, geocoding, and search APIs for developers with reliable

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Potree there is no vendor, no support contract and no service level, so anything you build on Potree is your organisation’s responsibility to maintain when a browser update breaks rendering.; Stadia Maps limited customization features compared to Mapbox
  • They diverge on capability: Potree covers Octree streaming, Stadia Maps covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Potree and Stadia Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where Potree and Stadia Maps differ
AttributePotreeStadia Maps
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, LinuxWeb, JavaScript
FoundedUnknown2016

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 Potree

  • Octree streaming
  • Large dataset rendering
  • Measurement tools
  • Clipping and profiles
  • Annotations
  • Attribute colouring
  • PotreeDesktop
  • Self-hosting

Only in Stadia Maps

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

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

Potree

  • A drone survey firm delivering a point cloud to a client who has no desktop software, by publishing a browser viewer link instead of a 40 GB LAZ filenot Stadia Maps
  • A heritage or archaeology project publishing a scanned site for public access without paying per-gigabyte hosting to a commercial platformnot Stadia Maps
  • An engineering consultancy embedding a point cloud viewer inside its own client portal without licensing a commercial web viewernot Stadia Maps
  • A university or research group that needs measurement and profiling in a shareable viewer for a dataset too large to emailnot Stadia Maps

Stadia Maps

No use cases recorded yet. See the Stadia Maps review.

Where each one falls short

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

Potree

  • There is no vendor, no support contract and no service level, so anything you build on Potree is your organisation’s responsibility to maintain when a browser update breaks rendering.
  • Conversion is a separate manual step with PotreeConverter, and building an automated publishing pipeline around it is engineering work the project does not provide.
  • Rendering quality and performance depend on the client machine and WebGL support, so a client on a locked-down corporate laptop with poor graphics may see a viewer that stutters or fails outright.
  • A WebGPU rewrite, Potree-Next, is in progress and is not a drop-in upgrade, so current integrations face an eventual migration with no vendor to manage it.
  • There is no access control, user management or audit layer; anyone with the URL sees the data unless you build authentication around the static files yourself, which is a real problem for confidential sites.

Stadia Maps

  • Limited customization features compared to Mapbox
  • Relies entirely on OpenStreetMap data, inheriting its accuracy and coverage limitations
  • Smaller service with fewer community resources and support options compared to Google Maps or Mapbox
  • Limited real-time traffic data compared to larger mapping providers like Google Maps

Pricing, plan by plan

Potree

Free
  • PotreeFree
    • BSD-style open source licence
    • Unlimited datasets and viewers
    • Self-hosted on any static web server

Stadia Maps

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Stadia Maps review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Potree if

  • You need octree streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want large dataset rendering.
Potree review

Choose Stadia Maps if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, JavaScript.
  • You also want user interface.
Stadia Maps review

Questions people ask

Is Potree or Stadia Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. Potree starts at Free and Stadia Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Potree or Stadia Maps?
Potree starts at Free and Stadia Maps at Free.
Does Potree or Stadia Maps run on more platforms?
Potree runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Stadia Maps runs on Web, JavaScript.
Can I use Potree for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Potree best used for?
Potree is most often used for a drone survey firm delivering a point cloud to a client who has no desktop software, by publishing a browser viewer link instead of a 40 gb laz file, a heritage or archaeology project publishing a scanned site for public access without paying per-gigabyte hosting to a commercial platform, an engineering consultancy embedding a point cloud viewer inside its own client portal without licensing a commercial web viewer, a university or research group that needs measurement and profiling in a shareable viewer for a dataset too large to email. Of those, a drone survey firm delivering a point cloud to a client who has no desktop software, by publishing a browser viewer link instead of a 40 gb laz file and a heritage or archaeology project publishing a scanned site for public access without paying per-gigabyte hosting to a commercial platform are not what Stadia Maps is typically brought in for.
What can Potree do that Stadia Maps cannot?
Potree covers Octree streaming, Large dataset rendering, Measurement tools, Clipping and profiles. Stadia Maps covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Potree: Does Potree cost anything?

No. It is open source and free. You supply the hosting, which for a static viewer is inexpensive.

Stadia Maps: What is Stadia Maps' pricing model?

Stadia Maps uses a credits-based pricing model with fixed credit pools to prevent billing shock. Starter, Standard, and Professional plans are available, with a 14-day free trial for new accounts.

Source
Potree: Is there commercial support?

No. There is no vendor and no support contract. Support is GitHub issues and the community.

Stadia Maps: Does Stadia Maps have a free tier?

Yes, Stadia Maps offers a free tier for development, evaluation, and non-commercial use including academic applications.

Source
Potree: Who maintains it?

It originated at TU Wien and is maintained principally by Markus Schütz, with community contributions.

Stadia Maps: What data does Stadia Maps use?

Stadia Maps builds on OpenStreetMap data, so the coverage and accuracy depend on OSM's crowdsourced contributors.

Source
Potree: Can it handle very large clouds?

Yes, hundreds of millions of points, because PotreeConverter builds a multi-resolution octree that streams only what is visible.

Potree: Is my data private?

Only if you make it so. Potree serves static files with no built-in authentication, so access control is entirely your responsibility.

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