OpenStreetMap vs Nominatim
A side-by-side comparison of OpenStreetMap and Nominatim — pricing, license, deployment, and where each tool wins.
OpenStreetMap
openstreetmap.org
Collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world.
Nominatim
nominatim.org
Server application for geocoding (address -> coordinates) and reverse geocoding (coordinates -> address) on OpenStreetMap data.
| Feature | OpenStreetMap | Nominatim |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Model | Open-source | Open-source |
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Category | Maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) | Maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) |
| Self-hosted | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Free tier | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
Pick OpenStreetMap if…
- ✓You prefer OpenStreetMap's feature set or ecosystem fit.
Pick Nominatim if…
- ✓You prefer Nominatim's feature set or ecosystem fit.