Discover MapTiler, the cutting-edge mapping software, and services designed for developers to build custom digital maps with ease. Whether you need maps for a small internal project or an extensive commercial application with millions of users, MapTiler offers the flexibility and personalization you require at a fair price.

With MapTiler, you can design maps according to your own specifications through the user-friendly interface and deploy them with confidence. The MapTiler Maps API allows you to access all the maps, data, and other resources in your MapTiler Cloud account. You can request map tiles, create an image with a location map for your business, search for addresses, and more. These resources can be easily implemented with MapTiler SDK into any website or application. It offers extensive documentation and sample code for easy development.  

MapTiler uses a global hosting infrastructure with more than 250 servers on five continents, ensuring fast map and data loading anywhere on the planet. The service also contains pre-made map styles available for customization. MapTiler can offer map visualization that can serve the purpose of any brand.

For limited non-commercial use, all this mapping software is free. There is a simple pricing structure for commercial use and access to premium features. You can choose Flex, which starts at only $25/month, and Unlimited, at $295/month, with increased limits on usage and additional features.

What Is the Importance of a Mapping Platform?

Maps are the medium to communicate complex data with geographical context (geodata). A mapping platform enables companies and governments to easily create, upload, analyze, host, and access geodata for many different purposes. Some platforms allow you to create different types of maps with multiple functions, while others are limited to the standard design, where only routes, establishments, cities, landmarks, and other generic information are displayed.

Features of MapTiler 

MapTiler Cloud 

MapTiler Cloud is the map API of the mapping platform where you can customize and upload maps or create geodata for online applications. It offers ready-to-use base maps such as street, satellite, 3D, and outdoor maps. It also contains a built-in map editor where you can add or remove different features of the map, adjust its colors, change the language, and adjust the fonts to match the brand of your business or organization. You can also add new points, lines, and polygons to your map's surface and annotate with just a few clicks. 

(Photo: Screenshot from MapTiler website, this image has been updated: https://www.maptiler.com/img/home/customize.webp )

Due to its global hosting infrastructure, MapTiler Cloud can house geodata of any size. With the free plan, you can only host up to 100MB. When you upgrade to the mapping software's Unlimited version, for example, you can upload up to 100GB via API or the web interface. Even more hosting space can be requested on a custom basis. 

Once uploaded, you can use the data through the API in web and mobile applications. You can also build an application with the source code examples provided directly from MapTiler in its documentation. 

JavaScript Maps SDK

JavaScript maps SDKs enable developers to build and integrate their maps as quickly and efficiently as possible. MapTiler's SDK comes with built-in map styles to pick from, showing detailed street-level information, 3D terrain, and satellite imagery for the entire world.

Your data can be displayed in many different ways - from simple maps with markers to dynamic heatmaps and filtered visualizations of millions of features, all using the WebGL technology in a browser allowing modern development of interactive mapping applications with TypeScript. And it comes with hundreds of examples.

You can easily add interactive features to the maps, like zoom control buttons, which enhance the user experience and improve their overall design. It also allows you to visualize a huge number of points to see them as a heatmap or in clusters. The map below, for example, uses SDK JS to visualize the frequency of US schools based on their location by using a heatmap layer for lower zoom levels and a styled circles layer for detailed higher zoom levels.

(Photo: Screenshot from MapTiler website)

You can also display analytics on your map to add more detailed information on different locations. You may use events or statistics to create an interactive choropleth map, showing the population density of each state of a country like the map displayed below. 

(Photo: Screenshot from MapTiler website)

MapTiler also enables localization in your map creations, setting the language and even the international borders that match the worldview of your users in a specific region. You can include the local stores established in your area to improve further the content or the geographical information displayed on the map. 

Moreover, the SKD offers real-time filters, allowing you to help your audience identify properties like displaying the number of students attending a school specific to the area. 

MapTiler's JavaScript Map SDK also offers real-time style changing, enabling you to change the starting map location, language, and borders based on the user's actual real-world location or user settings.

MapTiler has over 70 languages available and a native option for specific locations. You're guaranteed to easily create a map fully optimized for your audience, containing all the essential information to serve their needs.

Benefits of Using MapTiler

• Customization - Developers can easily change the styles of their maps based on their objectives or the intended utility with the great built-in map editor. 

• Cartography quality - All standard MapTiler maps are produced by experienced cartographers. That's why they are so beautiful and good to use. 

• Fair prices and billing - The pricing is simple and transparent, and in most cases, you'll pay 2 to 4 times less compared to the larger competition.

• No user tracking - MapTiler is a pure mapping company that does not track and sell its end-users information for targeted advertisements or any other purpose.

• Localization - MapTiler can display the local language native to the geographic location and include the local stores in the area for easier navigation.

• Map data hosting - You can upload your own geodata and serve it together with the standard maps from MapTiler Cloud

• Offline maps available - The standard maps can also be downloaded and hosted on the private or public cloud of your choice and even offline with MapTiler Server.

• Customer care - It is easy for anyone to get in touch with MapTiler's support team for advice on implementation. The API documentation is also there to help too.

• Weather visualization - MapTiler offers live and forecast weather data with smooth animations visualized through the Weather API on top of any standard map.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• Map customization

• Pre-made high-quality map styles

• End users' privacy

• Code samples and examples 

• Additional tilesets with terrain, weather, 3D and other data

• Fair and transparent pricing 

• Swiss-made quality

Cons 

• No routing API service

• OpenStreetMap is a key data source that can lack detail in some parts of the world

To address the lack of routing API service, it's recommended you use third-party API services in combination with MapTiler Cloud, like Next Billion.ai. These will add services, like finding the best route or the nearest establishment from your location. Also, you may upload region-specific map data and host it on MapTiler Cloud to supplement the lack of geographic information in specific places. 

FAQs

Does MapTiler offer support options? Yes, all MapTiler products include essential customer support for free. The support team is available to answer each inquiry personally. MapTiler also offers a paid Premium Support package for on-time responses and faster resolutions.

What happens when I've maximized the quota in my plan? If you use the free plan service, the operation will pause until next month. If you're using the Flex or Unlimited plan, you will receive overuse charges for additional usage. For users of the Custom plan, there's a soft limit on your usage. If you ever exceed the limit, the service is never stopped. Instead, you will be contacted by MapTiler's sales team to agree on a higher soft limit. 

Where can I see the number of map sessions and tile requests I am using? You may access them through the Analytics section that displays the usage analytics of your MapTiler Cloud account for all your individual API keys.

Conclusion 

As a mapping software, MapTiler offers different approaches to creating maps for developers. With its easy customization and seamless integration into applications, you can develop maps designed to meet the needs of your target audience. It improves map visualization and comprehension due to the amount of geographic location it can display in its virtual surface area. All with great customer care and at a fair price.

Develop maps for your applications with MapTiler now! Use code TECHTIMES50 to get a special 50% discount on your first three months of subscription.