Mapeo vs uMap
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted maps & gis options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Mapeo | uMap |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 0 · At risk | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | Maps & GIS | Maps & GIS |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 25 | ★ 1,603 |
| First released | 2017 | 2013 |
| Replaces | ArcGIS, Google My Maps | Google My Maps |
What are Mapeo and uMap?
Mapeo
Mapeo is an offline-first, peer-to-peer mapping tool designed for communities to document territory and observations. It syncs map data directly between devices without a central server.
- Offline-first data collection
- Peer-to-peer sync
- Community mapping focus
- No central server
uMap
uMap lets you create custom maps on OpenStreetMap layers and embed them in your own site. Users can add markers, lines, and polygons with rich styling and share maps with others.
- Custom map creation
- Marker and shape drawing
- Embeddable maps
- Collaborative editing
Mapeo vs uMap: key differences
Both projects are written in JavaScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Mapeo versus AGPL-3.0 for uMap. Mapeo is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for uMap. UMap is the more established project (first released 2013), while Mapeo arrived in 2017. UMap has the considerably larger community, at 1,603 GitHub stars versus 25. UMap lists first-class Docker deployment; Mapeo does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Mapeo if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in JavaScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose uMap if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.6k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Mapeo or uMap better?
Neither is universally better. uMap has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Mapeo and uMap free and open-source?
Yes. Mapeo is licensed under MIT and uMap under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mapeo and uMap with Docker?
Mapeo: check the project docs for container support. uMap: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Mapeo or uMap?
Mapeo has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for uMap. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.