Maps & Navigation · head to head
What3words vs Citymapper
What3words
Maps & Navigation
What3words has divided the world into 3m squares and given each one
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Citymapper
Maps & Navigation
The ultimate urban mobility app for city commuters
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Citymapper has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: What3words the free API plan includes no coordinate conversion, only AutoSuggest, and is rate limited to 5 requests per second; Citymapper citymapper's own App Store listing states live transit and turn-by-turn features work only in a named list of specific cities (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and dozens of other listed cities), not globally, per the developer's own description.
- They diverge on capability: What3words covers Core Functionality, Citymapper covers Multi-modal routing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which What3words and Citymapper actually diverge.
| Attribute | What3words | Citymapper |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | Ios, Android, Web |
| Founded | Unknown | 2011 |
Identical on both: pricing model (freemium), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps & Navigation).
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 What3words
- Core Functionality
- User Interface
Only in Citymapper
- Multi-modal routing
- Real-time departures
- Live bus tracking
- Disruption alerts
- Walking directions
- Uber
- Lyft
- Lime
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
What3words
- Referring to a 3 metre square location with three wordsnot Citymapper
- Adding location entry to a delivery or dispatch appnot Citymapper
- Converting between coordinates and what3words addresses via APInot Citymapper
Citymapper
- Daily commutingnot What3words
- City explorationnot What3words
- Trip planningnot What3words
- Mobility as a servicenot What3words
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Citymapper
- Citymapper's own App Store listing states live transit and turn-by-turn features work only in a named list of specific cities (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and dozens of other listed cities), not globally, per the developer's own description.
Pricing, plan by plan
What3words
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the What3words review.
Citymapper
Free- FreeFree
- Multi-modal routing
- Real-time departures
- Basic navigation
- Citymapper Premium$4.99/month
- Live location sharing
- Weather integration
- Widgets
Which should you pick?
Choose Citymapper if
- You need multi-modal routing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want real-time departures.
Questions people ask
- Is What3words or Citymapper better?
- Neither clearly leads. What3words starts at On request and Citymapper at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, What3words or Citymapper?
- Citymapper has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for What3words and Free for Citymapper.
- Does What3words or Citymapper run on more platforms?
- What3words runs on Web. Citymapper runs on Ios, Android, Web.
- Can I use Citymapper for free?
- Yes. Citymapper has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. What3words starts at On request.
- What is What3words best used for?
- What3words is most often used for referring to a 3 metre square location with three words, adding location entry to a delivery or dispatch app, converting between coordinates and what3words addresses via api. Of those, referring to a 3 metre square location with three words and adding location entry to a delivery or dispatch app are not what Citymapper is typically brought in for.
- What can What3words do that Citymapper cannot?
- What3words covers Core Functionality, User Interface. Citymapper covers Multi-modal routing, Real-time departures, Live bus tracking, Disruption alerts.