Replacing Mapbox with open source solutions (kschaul.com)

Article summary

The Washington Post is replacing Mapbox with open source solutions for their interactive maps, using OpenMapTiles, Maputnik, PMTiles, and Maplibre-gl-js. This change is driven by the high cost of Mapbox. The Post used these tools to generate a basemap tileset and host tiles on AWS. The open source solutions provide a cost-effective alternative to Mapbox.

Main themes

• open source mapping
• Mapbox alternatives
• cost and pricing
• geospatial technology
• developer experience
• map rendering
• hosting and bandwidth
• distributed hosting

What commenters say

• Mapbox has become too expensive for many users, leading them to seek open source alternatives.
• The company's shift away from open source has alienated some of its former supporters.
• Open source map rendering tools have made significant progress, but still have limitations and complexities.
• Some users have successfully replaced Mapbox with open source solutions, such as MapLibre and PMTiles, and reported cost savings.
• The high cost of hosting and bandwidth is a major challenge for map services, but it can be managed with the right technology.
• Distributed hosting technologies, such as BitTorrent, could be used to reduce costs and improve performance.
• The open source geospatial community is actively developing new tools and solutions to address the needs of users.
• Some companies, like Strava, may be looking to acquire or develop their own mapping technology to reduce dependence on Mapbox.