switch2osm

Make the switch to OpenStreetMap

Rich data

OpenStreetMap data is rich and detailed, containing huge amounts of data which is relevant to people on the ground - the people who collected it.

Features include:

Roads, railways, waterways, etc...
Restaurants, shops, stations, ATMs and more.
Walking and cycling paths.
Buildings, campuses, etc...

Up to date

OpenStreetMap is updated every minute of every hour of every day, and these updates are available to you in real-time.

Our fantastic community is making OpenStreetMap better right now. If there are features you need - you can add them and see them live within minutes.

Tune your experience

Why does your map have to look the same as every other one on the internet?

With OpenStreetMap data you can create your own map, showing the features that you want to show, the features which are important to your users.

Global data

OpenStreetMap data covers the whole world, making it easy to support users in any country, or every country.

With localised and translated names, you can see maps in the language you want to see them in.

No licensing fee

OpenStreetMap data is free and open - there is no subscription fee and no page-view fee.

With OpenStreetMap data, your only obligations are to attribute and share-alike, as explained in our license.

Using Tiles

You can switch a website to OpenStreetMap in under an hour. Choose a JavaScript API and a tile provider, and you’re ready to go. Then, as your needs increase, you can consider custom tiles, either from a specialist provider or generated yourself.

Choosing an API/library

Unlike commercial online map providers, OpenStreetMap does not provide an “official” JavaScript library which you are required to use. Rather, you can use any library that meets your needs. The two most popular are OpenLayers and Leaflet. Both are open source.

Getting started with OpenLayers – a mature, feature-rich library

Getting started with Leaflet – a new, lighter library

If you choose to use MapQuest Open tiles (made from OSM data), you can also use the MapQuest Open API which adds routing and geocoding capabilities to the standard featureset.

Mapstraction is a library which enables you to switch from one mapping provider to another without changing your code.

Choosing a tile provider

Apart from very limited testing purposes, you should not use the tiles supplied by OpenStreetMap.org itself. OpenStreetMap is a volunteer-run non-profit body and cannot supply tiles for large-scale commercial use. Rather, you should use a third party provider that makes tiles from OSM data, or generate your own.

Free providers:

MapQuest Open

Paid-for providers: see list.

Or go on to find out how to generate and serve your own tiles.