Mapshaper: Simplify, edit and convert map shapes in the browser. Protomaps: Self-host an entire world basemap as a single PMTiles file.
| Mapshaper | Protomaps | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Geodata Utilities & Converters | Basemaps & Map Tiles |
| Pricing model | Open source | Open source |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Software licence | MPL-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause (code); ODbL (OSM data) |
| API | — | — |
| Platforms | Web, Command line | Web, JavaScript, Command line |
| Made by | — | — |
| Commercial use | Allowed | Allowed |
| Export / print images | Allowed | Allowed |
| Offline / caching | Allowed | Allowed |
| Visits from MapTools | 2 | 9 |
| Visit | Visit |
Mapshaper features
- Line and polygon simplification
- Shapefile, GeoJSON, TopoJSON, CSV
- Clip, dissolve, join
- Command line version
Protomaps 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.