Compare software

Tilemaker vs Tippecanoe: catalog facts
Tilemaker	Tippecanoe

Best for: Self-hosting OpenStreetMap vector tiles without a database stack	Best for: Preparing large geographic datasets as vector tiles for web maps
Free Free to download and use from its public GitHub repository.	Free Free and open source.
Command line	Command line
Builds vector tiles without setting up a database Layer output customisable with a Lua script and JSON config Dockerfile and sample scripts for coastline and landcover data Works directly from standard .osm.pbf extracts	Handles very large GeoJSON collections Produces vector tiles for many zoom levels Actively maintained repository
Command-line only, with no graphical interface Requires writing or editing Lua and JSON to change map content	Command line only, with no graphical interface Requires some knowledge of map tiles and GIS data
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Not open source	Open source
License not stated	License: BSD-2-Clause
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Tilemaker github.com/systemed/tilemaker Catalog checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Tippecanoe github.com/felt/tippecanoe Catalog checked October 1, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.