Alternatives to Photon
An open-source search-as-you-type geocoder for OpenStreetMap data, built on OpenSearch. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Photon
An open-source search-as-you-type geocoder for OpenStreetMap data, built on OpenSearch.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Photon.
Nominatim
An open-source geocoder that finds places by name or address and addresses by coordinates using OpenStreetMap.
Nominatim is also an open-source OpenStreetMap geocoder but focuses on structured and bulk address queries with minutely updates, and it lacks Photon's typeahead search with typo tolerance.
Pelias
A modular open-source geocoder built on Elasticsearch that searches places worldwide using open data.
Pelias runs on Elasticsearch and combines OpenStreetMap with OpenAddresses, Who's On First and GeoNames data, but it needs several services to run and has no public API listed.
openrouteservice
An open-source routing, isochrone and geocoding service built on OpenStreetMap data, usable online or self-hosted.
openrouteservice bundles geocoding with directions, isochrones and matrices in one open-source API, with a free public API that has daily limits and a self-hosting option.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
OpenStreetMap
A collaboratively edited world map you can browse, search, route on and edit in a browser.
Valhalla
An open-source routing engine for OpenStreetMap data that you run on your own server.
OSRM
A C++ routing engine that computes shortest paths on OpenStreetMap road networks on your own server.
GraphHopper
An OpenStreetMap routing engine and hosted Directions API with route optimization for many vehicle types.
OpenMapTiles
An open-source schema, map styles and tools for generating OpenStreetMap vector tiles to self-host.
Headway
A self-hostable maps stack with search and routing, powered by OpenStreetMap data.
