GraphHopper vs Headway
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted maps & gis options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
GraphHopper
Fast and flexible open-source routing engine
VS
Headway
Self-hostable maps stack you can run yourself
| Feature | GraphHopper | Headway |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Maps & GIS | Maps & GIS |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,619 | ★ 2,957 |
| First released | 2012 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Google Directions API | Google Maps |
Why pick each one
Choose GraphHopper if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.6k GitHub stars
- Written in Java
Choose Headway if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is GraphHopper or Headway better?
GraphHopper is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Headway if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are GraphHopper and Headway free and open-source?
Yes. GraphHopper is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Headway under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GraphHopper and Headway with Docker?
GraphHopper: yes. Headway: yes.