Mapbox: Custom map styles, vector tiles and location APIs for developers. Protomaps: Self-host an entire world basemap as a single PMTiles file.
| Mapbox | Protomaps | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Basemaps & Map Tiles | Basemaps & Map Tiles |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Open source |
| Starts at | See website | Free |
| Free tier | Monthly free web map loads and API requests | — |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Software licence | — | BSD-3-Clause (code); ODbL (OSM data) |
| API | Yes | — |
| Platforms | Web, JavaScript, iOS, Android, API | Web, JavaScript, Command line |
| Made by | Mapbox | — |
| Commercial use | Allowed | Allowed |
| Export / print images | With conditions | Allowed |
| Offline / caching | With conditions | Allowed |
| Visits from MapTools | 8 | 9 |
| Visit | Visit |
Mapbox features
- Mapbox Studio style editor
- Mapbox GL JS and mobile SDKs
- Geocoding, directions, isochrone APIs
- Satellite and terrain layers
- Static Images API
Commercial use is allowed under Mapbox's terms. Static and printed maps must be attributed like a photo credit. Images from the Mapbox Studio print export require contacting Mapbox sales before use. Offline use is limited to the mobile SDKs' offline features.
Mapbox 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.