Leafletvs
Mapbox
Mapbox: JavaScript mapping library with routing APIs, similar feature set and plugin ecosystem for interactive maps
Leaflet
Leading open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps, used by millions of developers worldwide
As of 29 August 2026, Leaflet is free to use. Leaflet is the leading open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps, used by millions of developers worldwide. Softwr lists it under Maps. Leaflet is available on Web.
Overview
What Leaflet does
Leaflet is the leading open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps, used by millions of developers worldwide.
What people use it for
- Embedding interactive maps in a web page
- Mobile-friendly map interfaces across desktop and mobile browsers
- Mapping where bundle size matters, at roughly 42 KB of JavaScript
- Extending a basic map with plugins rather than adopting a full platform
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about Leaflet.
- 2D only with no support for 3D features, tilt, or rotation
- Performance degrades when rendering large datasets of complex vector geometries without optimization
- Limited dynamic styling support; style is fixed on the server when using raster tiles
- Lacks native support for WMS features; requires plugins like Leaflet.WMS and complex feature identification is cumbersome
- Requires external tile service for map imagery; does not provide map tiles natively
Cross-shopped
What people choose instead of Leaflet
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
- LeafletvsCARTO
CARTO: Mapping and visualization platform with similar capabilities for building interactive maps
Capabilities
Features
Core Functionality
Essential features for everyday use
User Interface
Intuitive and user-friendly interface
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
Is Leaflet free and open source?
Yes. Leaflet is open-source JavaScript library licensed for free use. Over 400 plugins add capabilities like marker clustering, heatmaps, drawing tools, geocoding, and routing.
SourceHow do I include Leaflet in my project via CDN?
Leaflet is available on multiple free CDNs including unpkg, cdnjs, and jsDelivr. Include the CSS stylesheet from https://unpkg.com/[email protected]/dist/leaflet.css and JavaScript from https://unpkg.com/[email protected]/dist/leaflet.js in your HTML head.
SourceWhat mapping services does Leaflet support?
Leaflet integrates seamlessly with various mapping services including OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Bing, and other custom tile providers, allowing developers to choose the best base layer.
SourceWhat is the file size of Leaflet?
Leaflet weighs about 42 KB of JavaScript.
SourceBehind it
Who makes Leaflet
- Founders
- Volodymyr Agafonkin
Timeline
Leaflet over time
- Founded2011-01-01
Leaflet created by Volodymyr Agafonkin as open-source JavaScript library
Source
Keep looking
Where to go from Leaflet
- Leaflet alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- Leaflet pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- Leaflet badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All Maps softwareThe full category
- Best Maps softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best Maps software for
Compare Leaflet with
- Mapbox
- Google Maps Platform
- Stadia Maps
- HERE Technologies
- Apple Maps
- QGIS
- CARTO
- OpenLayers
- Esri ArcGIS
- CesiumJS
- Mappedin
- Bing Maps
- OSRM
- Polaris Navigation GPS
- PositionStack
- Radar
- SAGA GIS
- Stadia Maps
Other Maps software
Comprehensive set of APIs and SDKs that allow developers to embed Google
Free, then $100/mo13 researched notesHigh-performance map tiles, routing, geocoding, and search APIs for developers with reliable
Free plan10 researched notesLocation data and technology company that provides mapping and location services to businesses globally
Free plan15 researched notes- Q
QGIS
Free, open-source desktop GIS application that supports viewing, editing, and analysis of
7 researched notes High-performance, feature-packed JavaScript library for creating interactive maps on the web with
Free plan8 researched notesOpen-source JavaScript library for creating 3D globes and 2D maps with support
Free plan12 researched notesEnterprise indoor mapping platform that helps venues create interactive 3D maps, wayfinding
Free plan13 researched notesWeb mapping services with street maps, aerial imagery, and APIs for developers
9 researched notes- O
OSRM
High-performance open-source routing engine designed for OpenStreetMap data, providing fast route calculations
Free plan6 researched notes Professional GPS navigation for outdoor professionals
Free, then $5.99/one-time4 researched notesFree, developer-friendly geocoding API for forward and reverse geocoding with global coverage
14 researched notesGeofencing, trip tracking, and location-based search APIs that power location features in
From $0.02/monthly tracked user9 researched notesOpen source terrain and geoscientific analysis with no vendor and no support contract available
Open source12 researched notesHigh-performance map tiles, routing, geocoding, and search APIs for developers with reliable
Free plan10 researched notes
Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for Leaflet, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
More on Leaflet
Leaflet alternatives
What people switch to, and what they give up
Leaflet pricing
Every tier, and where the cost actually lands
Compare Leaflet
Put it head to head with anything we hold
Leaflet badge
Its rating, and an embed for your own site
Best Maps software alternatives
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Geodetic coordinate conversion and datum transformation for survey, seismic and pipeline data
quote
Desktop photogrammetry that turns photographs into point clouds, meshes, orthomosaics and DEMs
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Esri field data collection that cannot be bought on its own, only with an ArcGIS user type
Included with an ArcGIS user type licence