Best Open-Source Maps Apps 2026: 6 Options Compared
Best open-source Maps Apps compared: Organic Maps, CoMaps, OsmAnd, Pure Maps and 2 more, with licenses, platforms and prices from official pages checked October 24, 2026.
•3 min read•Learning & Everyday Apps
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Maps | Free (Free open-source offline maps app built on OpenStreetMap data) | Android, iOS | Offline navigation on a phone | Docs only |
| CoMaps | Free (Free open-source offline maps app, a community fork of Organic Maps) | Android, iOS | Organic Maps users who want a community project | Docs only |
| OsmAnd | Free (Most features are available in a free version; paid services extend functionality) | Android, iOS | Hikers and detailed map layers | Docs only |
| Pure Maps | Free (Free open-source maps and navigation app) | Linux (Sailfish OS, Ubuntu Touch and desktop) | Linux phones and desktops | Docs only |
| GNOME Maps | Free (Free open-source map app for the GNOME desktop) | Linux | GNOME desktop lookups | Docs only |
| QGIS | Free (Free open-source desktop GIS for viewing, editing and analysing map data) | Windows, macOS, Linux | Spatial data work | Docs only |
Independent comparison. Paid placements are labelled separately; editorial links earn no affiliate commissions. Learn more.
Good fit if
- You want offline directions on a phone (Organic Maps is the pick)
- You hike and want contour layers (OsmAnd is the pick)
- You use a Linux desktop (GNOME Maps is the pick)
- You analyze map data, not drive (QGIS is the pick)
Not ideal if
- You cannot host, patch and back up a server yourself and want a vendor to run it
An open-source maps app uses OpenStreetMap data and works without sending your location to an advertising company. Organic Maps and its community fork CoMaps (both Apache-2.0) are simple offline apps for Android and iOS that download a region once and navigate without a connection. OsmAnd (GPL-3.0 code) has far more options, including hiking layers and contour lines, but the docs say its free version is limited and paid services extend it; check its site for current prices. Pure Maps and GNOME Maps are Linux desktop and phone apps. QGIS is a different tool: a desktop GIS for viewing, editing and analyzing map data, useful if you work with layers rather than directions. The trade-off compared with Google Maps is live traffic and business data: OpenStreetMap coverage of shop hours and reviews is thinner, and routing around congestion is limited. Download maps over WiFi before a trip, since regional files can be large, and check how recently each app updated its map data. If you drive in a city that depends on live traffic, keep a conventional app too.
Organic Maps
Apache-2.0 offline maps on Android and iOS, simple to use for walking, cycling and driving once a region is downloaded.
Price: Free (Free open-source offline maps app built on OpenStreetMap data) (Organic Maps pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Android, iOS. Apache-2.0 (open source) (license source).
Project activity: 15.8k GitHub stars · latest release 2026.09.29-32-android (Sep 29, 2026) · last commit Oct 28, 2026
Best for: Offline navigation on a phone.
Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.
CoMaps
Apache-2.0 community fork of Organic Maps on Android and iOS, run by volunteers rather than a company.
Price: Free (Free open-source offline maps app, a community fork of Organic Maps) (CoMaps pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Android, iOS. Apache-2.0 (open source) (license source).
Project activity: 598 GitHub stars · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: Organic Maps users who want a community project.
Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.
OsmAnd
GPL-3.0 code, many hiking and map layers. The docs say most features are free and paid services extend them; check its site for prices.
Price: Free (Most features are available in a free version; paid services extend functionality) (OsmAnd pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Android, iOS. GPL-3.0 (code); artwork CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 (open source) (license source).
Project activity: 6.1k GitHub stars · latest release 2.0.0 (Oct 15, 2019) · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: Hikers and detailed map layers.
Pure Maps
GPL-3.0 maps and navigation app for Sailfish OS, Ubuntu Touch and Linux desktops, aimed at Linux phones rather than Android.
Price: Free (Free open-source maps and navigation app) (Pure Maps pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Linux (Sailfish OS, Ubuntu Touch and desktop). GPL-3.0 (open source) (license source).
Project activity: 318 GitHub stars · latest release 3.5.1 (May 30, 2026) · last commit Sep 16, 2026
Best for: Linux phones and desktops.
Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.
GNOME Maps
GPL-2.0-or-later map app for the GNOME desktop, good for looking up places and routes on Linux.
Price: Free (Free open-source map app for the GNOME desktop) (GNOME Maps pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Linux. GPL-2.0-or-later (open source) (license source).
Project activity: 79 GitHub stars · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: GNOME desktop lookups.
Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.
QGIS
GPL-2.0 desktop GIS for viewing, editing and analyzing map layers on Windows, macOS and Linux. Not turn-by-turn navigation.
Price: Free (Free open-source desktop GIS for viewing, editing and analysing map data) (QGIS pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. GPL-2.0 (open source) (license source).
Project activity: 14.7k GitHub stars · latest release final-3_44_15 (Sep 25, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: Spatial data work.
Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.
Which one to pick
- You want offline directions on a phone: Organic Maps
- You hike and want contour layers: OsmAnd
- You use a Linux desktop: GNOME Maps
- You analyze map data, not drive: QGIS
Limits of this review
Docs-only for Organic Maps, CoMaps, OsmAnd, Pure Maps, GNOME Maps, QGIS: we did not install or run them, so feature claims come from vendor pages. Vendor prices and free limits change; confirm on the linked pricing page before you commit.
Related guides
Sources
Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Based on official pricing, license and product pages checked 2026-10-24: Organic Maps, CoMaps, OsmAnd, Pure Maps, GNOME Maps, QGIS. Prices, free limits and licenses are the figures shown on those pages on those dates. No tool on this page was installed or run. No accounts were created.