GraphHopper vs openrouteservice
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
openrouteservice
Routing, isochrones, and matrix API on OpenStreetMap
| Feature | GraphHopper | openrouteservice |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Maps & GIS | Maps & GIS |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,619 | ★ 1,945 |
| First released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Google Directions API | Google Directions API |
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 openrouteservice if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is GraphHopper or openrouteservice better?
GraphHopper is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider openrouteservice if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are GraphHopper and openrouteservice free and open-source?
Yes. GraphHopper is licensed under Apache-2.0 and openrouteservice under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GraphHopper and openrouteservice with Docker?
GraphHopper: yes. openrouteservice: yes.