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  1. Stackups
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  4. Mapping Apis
  5. Mapbox vs OSRM

Mapbox vs OSRM

OverviewDecisionsComparisonAlternatives

Overview

Mapbox
Mapbox
Stacks803
Followers939
Votes113
GitHub Stars1.9K
Forks384
OSRM
OSRM
Stacks34
Followers85
Votes0
GitHub Stars7.2K
Forks3.8K

Mapbox vs OSRM: What are the differences?

  1. Data Source: Mapbox and OSRM have different data sources. Mapbox primarily uses OpenStreetMap (OSM) data, which is a collaborative mapping project contributed by volunteers worldwide. On the other hand, OSRM uses its own verified and preprocessed OSM data extracts.
  2. Routing Algorithm: Mapbox and OSRM employ different routing algorithms. Mapbox utilizes a cost-based routing algorithm that takes into account factors such as road types, traffic, and turn restrictions. In contrast, OSRM utilizes a contraction hierarchy algorithm, which preprocesses the road network to enable faster route calculations.
  3. Geocoding: Mapbox provides a geocoding service that converts addresses or place names into geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude). They offer forward and reverse geocoding with features like autocompletion and fuzzy searching. OSRM, on the other hand, does not provide built-in geocoding functionalities and needs to be combined with other geocoders like Mapbox's Geocoding API.
  4. Customization Options: Mapbox offers extensive customization options for maps, including the ability to add custom layers, styles, and markers. They also provide powerful APIs and tools for developers to create rich mapping experiences. OSRM, on the other hand, focuses more on the routing aspect and provides limited customization options for map visualization and styling.
  5. Integration with Other Services: Mapbox offers seamless integration with other services, such as Mapbox Studio (for map design), Mapbox Directions (for generating turn-by-turn directions), and Mapbox Geocoding (for converting addresses into coordinates). OSRM, on the other hand, is a standalone routing engine that can be integrated into other software or services to add routing capabilities.
  6. Pricing and Usage: Mapbox has a tiered pricing model based on usage, including free usage for certain limits. They offer various plans suitable for different scales of applications. OSRM, on the other hand, is open-source and free to use, but it may require additional setup and maintenance efforts if used in production environments.

In summary, Mapbox and OSRM differ in their data sources, routing algorithms, geocoding capabilities, customization options, integration possibilities, and pricing models.

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Advice on Mapbox, OSRM

StackShare
StackShare

Apr 4, 2019

Needs advice

From a StackShare Community member: "We're a team of two starting to write a mobile app. The app will heavily rely on maps and this is where my partner and I are not seeing eye-to-eye. I would like to go with an open source solution like OpenStreetMap that is used by Apple & Foursquare. He would like to go with Google Maps since more apps use it and has better support (according to him). Mapbox is also an option but I don’t know much about it."

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Comments

Detailed Comparison

Mapbox
Mapbox
OSRM
OSRM

We make it possible to pin travel spots on Pinterest, find restaurants on Foursquare, and visualize data on GitHub.

It is a C++ implementation of a high-performance routing engine for shortest paths in road networks

Develop mobile and web applications with Mapbox.js, our open-source JavaScript library.;Build native applications on iOS with the Mapbox iOS SDK or on iOS and OS X with MBXMapKit.;Build native applications for Android. Use Mapbox, OpenStreetMap, and other tile sources in your app, as well as overlays like GeoJSON data and interactive tooltips.;SSL maps
Flexible import of OpenStreetMap data; Handles continental sized networks within milliseconds; Supports car, bicycle, walk modes; easily customized through profiles
Statistics
GitHub Stars
1.9K
GitHub Stars
7.2K
GitHub Forks
384
GitHub Forks
3.8K
Stacks
803
Stacks
34
Followers
939
Followers
85
Votes
113
Votes
0
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 28
    Best mapping service outside of Google Maps
  • 22
    OpenStreetMap
  • 15
    Beautifully vectorable
  • 11
    Fluid user experience
  • 8
    Extensible
No community feedback yet
Integrations
No integrations available
C++
C++
GitHub
GitHub
JavaScript
JavaScript

What are some alternatives to Mapbox, OSRM?

Google Maps

Google Maps

Create rich applications and stunning visualisations of your data, leveraging the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usability of Google Maps and a modern web platform that scales as you grow.

Leaflet

Leaflet

Leaflet is an open source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps. It is developed by Vladimir Agafonkin of MapBox with a team of dedicated contributors. Weighing just about 30 KB of gzipped JS code, it has all the features most developers ever need for online maps.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap is built by a community of mappers that contribute and maintain data about roads, trails, cafés, railway stations, and much more, all over the world.

OpenLayers

OpenLayers

An opensource javascript library to load, display and render maps from multiple sources on web pages.

ArcGIS

ArcGIS

It is a geographic information system for working with maps and geographic information. It is used for creating and using maps, compiling geographic data, analyzing mapped information, sharing and much more.

CSV2GEO

CSV2GEO

It provides live conversion of batch addresses into geographic coordinates (address to lat long) or turn coordinates into well formatted address. It creates and publishes interactive maps.

MapTiler

MapTiler

It is a software for map tile rendering. It has been designed for producing seamless maps and aerial photo layers covering whole countries. The rendering is fast and efficient, and it can fully utilize multiple CPUs to 100%.

MAPS.ME

MAPS.ME

MAPS.ME is an open source cross-platform offline maps application, built on top of crowd-sourced OpenStreetMap data. It was publicly released for iOS and Android.

LocationIQ

LocationIQ

Free and Fast Geocoding Service

Stadia Maps

Stadia Maps

We enable devs to contextualize their data on a map and build complicated apps involving routing, time zones, and more with our APIs. We hate billing surprises as much as you, and if you send us an email, you'll get a real human reply.

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