MapTools
Mapshaper
vs
Nominatim

Mapshaper: Simplify, edit and convert map shapes in the browser. Nominatim: Open-source geocoding with OpenStreetMap data.

MapshaperNominatim
CategoryGeodata Utilities & ConvertersGeocoding, Routing & Location APIs
Pricing modelOpen sourceOpen source
Starts atFreeFree
Free tier——
Open sourceYesYes
Software licenceMPL-2.0GPL-3.0 (software), ODbL (data)
API—Yes
PlatformsWeb, Command lineAPI, Linux
Made by——
Commercial useAllowedWith conditions
Export / print imagesAllowedAllowed
Offline / cachingAllowedAllowed
Visits from MapTools22
Visit Visit

Mapshaper features

  • Line and polygon simplification
  • Shapefile, GeoJSON, TopoJSON, CSV
  • Clip, dissolve, join
  • Command line version
Mapshaper alternatives

Nominatim features

  • Forward and reverse geocoding
  • OpenStreetMap data
  • Self-hostable
  • Structured and free-form search

The public nominatim.openstreetmap.org instance allows at most 1 request per second and no bulk geocoding. Self-host for heavy or commercial workloads.

Nominatim alternatives

Summary based on public information. Check each provider's current pricing and terms.