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HERE Geocoding vs OpenStreetMap: What are the differences?
Key Differences between HERE Geocoding and OpenStreetMap
Data Sources: HERE Geocoding relies on a proprietary database owned by HERE Technologies, which includes data from various sources such as governmental agencies and automotive companies. In contrast, OpenStreetMap is based on crowdsourced mapping data contributed by volunteers worldwide, making it more community-driven and constantly evolving.
Coverage and Accuracy: HERE Geocoding often provides more comprehensive coverage in urban areas and countries with strict data privacy regulations due to its partnerships with local authorities and businesses. On the other hand, OpenStreetMap may have less detailed coverage in certain regions but excels in rural and developing areas where other mapping services may lack data.
Customization and Flexibility: HERE Geocoding offers robust APIs and tools for developers to customize geocoding requests, apply specific filters, and integrate geolocation services easily into applications. OpenStreetMap, being open-source, allows users a high degree of flexibility to modify and enhance the mapping data according to their needs, making it a popular choice for those seeking customization.
Licensing and Usage Restrictions: HERE Geocoding is subject to commercial licensing agreements and usage restrictions, especially for enterprise-level applications and services. OpenStreetMap, being open data, is available under the Open Database License (ODbL), allowing users to freely use, share, and modify the mapping data without significant legal constraints, promoting a more open and collaborative ecosystem.
In Summary, when comparing HERE Geocoding and OpenStreetMap, the key differences lie in their data sources, coverage and accuracy, customization options, and licensing models, providing users with distinct advantages based on their specific needs and preferences.
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."
I use Mapbox because We need 3D maps and navigation, it has a great plugin for React and React Native which we use. Also the Mapbox Geocoder is great.
I use OpenStreetMap because that has a strong community. It takes some time to catch up with Google Maps, but OpenStreetMap will become great solution.
Google Maps is best because it is practically free (they give you $300 in free credits per month and it's really hard to go over the free tier unless you really mean business) and it's the best!
I use Google Maps because it has a lot of great features such as Google's rich APIs, geolocation functions, navigation search feature, street map view, auto-generated 3D city map.
I use OpenStreetMap because i have the control of the environment, using Docker containers or bare-metal servers.
Pros of HERE Geocoding
Pros of OpenStreetMap
- Simple23
- Free17
- Open-Source9
- Open-Data8
- React/ RNative integration1