openstreetmap-tile-server vs Tangram
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?
openstreetmap-tile-server
Dockerized OpenStreetMap raster tile server
VS
Tangram
Flexible WebGL map rendering engine
| Feature | openstreetmap-tile-server | Tangram |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Maps & GIS | Maps & GIS |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Shell | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,452 | ★ 2,335 |
| First released | 2017 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Google Maps | Mapbox GL JS, Google Maps |
Why pick each one
Choose openstreetmap-tile-server if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Shell
Choose Tangram if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (2.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is openstreetmap-tile-server or Tangram better?
Neither is universally better. Tangram has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are openstreetmap-tile-server and Tangram free and open-source?
Yes. openstreetmap-tile-server is licensed under MIT and Tangram under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run openstreetmap-tile-server and Tangram with Docker?
openstreetmap-tile-server: yes. Tangram: check the project docs for container support.