HERE Geocoding vs Valhalla: What are the differences?

Introduction

In web development, geocoding services are essential for transforming addresses into geographical coordinates, allowing applications to display location-based information. Two popular geocoding services are HERE Geocoding and Valhalla. While both serve similar purposes, they have distinct differences that set them apart. Here, we will explore and explain the key differences between HERE Geocoding and Valhalla.

1. Data Source: One major difference between HERE Geocoding and Valhalla lies in their data sources. HERE Geocoding utilizes a comprehensive global database that includes geospatial information from various trusted sources. On the other hand, Valhalla primarily relies on OpenStreetMap (OSM) data, which is user-generated and constantly evolving, offering a more community-driven approach.

2. Geographical Coverage: HERE Geocoding boasts extensive global coverage, providing geocoding services for addresses worldwide. It includes detailed mapping information for over 200 countries and territories. In contrast, Valhalla's coverage is primarily focused on North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, with varying levels of detail and completeness in other regions.

3. Routing Capabilities: While both HERE Geocoding and Valhalla support routing, they differ in their routing capabilities. HERE Geocoding offers a complete suite of routing services, including turn-by-turn directions, traffic-based routing, and alternative route suggestions. Valhalla, on the other hand, primarily focuses on providing customizable routing algorithms and options for developers, enabling them to tailor routing functionalities based on their specific requirements.

4. Pricing Model: Another important distinction between HERE Geocoding and Valhalla lies in their pricing models. HERE Geocoding operates under a commercial licensing model where users pay for the service based on their usage, with different pricing tiers and plans available. Valhalla, on the other hand, is an open-source project, offering its geocoding and routing services free of charge. However, users may need to invest additional resources in infrastructure and maintenance when using Valhalla in production environments.

5. Integration Ease: When it comes to integration with existing applications, HERE Geocoding offers comprehensive documentation, SDKs, and APIs, making it easy for developers to incorporate geocoding services into their projects. Valhalla also provides various APIs and libraries to facilitate integration; however, its open-source nature may require a higher level of expertise and customization to seamlessly integrate it into existing systems.

6. Support and Maintenance: Both HERE Geocoding and Valhalla provide support channels and resources to assist developers. However, with HERE Geocoding being a commercial service, users can expect dedicated support from the HERE team, bug fixes, regular updates, and continuous maintenance. Valhalla, being an open-source project, relies on community contributions for support and maintenance, making it more dependent on the responsiveness and availability of the user community.

In Summary, the key differences between HERE Geocoding and Valhalla lie in their data sources, geographical coverage, routing capabilities, pricing models, integration ease, and support/maintenance approaches.