Mapbox GL JS: Mapbox's WebGL library for vector maps and 3D. Protomaps: Self-host an entire world basemap as a single PMTiles file.
| Mapbox GL JS | Protomaps | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Map Libraries & SDKs | Basemaps & Map Tiles |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Open source |
| Starts at | See website | Free |
| Free tier | Billed through Mapbox map loads | — |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Software licence | Proprietary (v2+) | BSD-3-Clause (code); ODbL (OSM data) |
| API | — | — |
| Platforms | JavaScript | Web, JavaScript, Command line |
| Made by | Mapbox | — |
| Commercial use | Allowed | Allowed |
| Export / print images | With conditions | Allowed |
| Offline / caching | Check terms | Allowed |
| Visits from MapTools | 2 | 9 |
| Visit | Visit |
Mapbox GL JS features
- Vector maps and globe view
- 3D terrain and buildings
- Custom layers
- Tight integration with Mapbox Studio
Version 2 and later require a Mapbox account and are billed per map load.
Mapbox GL JS alternativesProtomaps features
- PMTiles single-file tile archives
- Daily world basemap builds from OpenStreetMap
- Serve from S3, R2 or any static host
- Open basemap styles for MapLibre
When you host the tiles yourself, only the OpenStreetMap attribution and ODbL terms apply.
Protomaps alternativesSummary based on public information. Check each provider's current pricing and terms.