GraphHopper
Munich routing engine and directions API, open source at its core, with hosted plans on top
Quick Overview
| Company | GraphHopper GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Maps & Navigation |
| Headquarters | Munich, Germany |
| EU Presence | EU (Germany) |
| Open Source | Apache 2.0 |
| Pricing | Free plan with 500 requests/day; Basic €69/month (5,000/day), Standard €199/month (15,000/day), Premium €479/month (50,000/day); custom bulk pricing above that |
| Free Option | Free tier, 500 requests/day, no credit card required |
| Replaces | Google Directions API, Mapbox Directions API, HERE Routing API |
Detailed Review
GraphHopper is the routing specialist next to MapTiler's tiles: a directions and route-optimization API built on the same OpenStreetMap data most of this category shares, with the engine itself open source under Apache 2.0 on GitHub.
A team can run it on its own infrastructure exactly as it can with raw OpenStreetMap data, or pay for the hosted API and skip the operational work — routing, route optimization, geocoding, map matching and isochrones are all included from the free tier up.
GraphHopper GmbH is based in Munich and operates under EU jurisdiction. The free plan allows 500 requests a day with no credit card, which is enough to evaluate the API properly; paid plans start at €69 a month for 5,000 requests a day and scale to €479 for 50,000, with custom bulk pricing above that.
The trade-off against a bundled platform like MapTiler is scope: GraphHopper does routing and nothing else, so a product that also needs styled map tiles is buying two subscriptions rather than one.
What GraphHopper does well
- Open-source routing engine, Apache 2.0 on GitHub
- Free tier with 500 requests/day, no card required
- Route optimization, map matching and isochrones included
- Self-hostable or hosted, with a white-label option
- German company, EU jurisdiction
Where GraphHopper falls short
- Routing only — no map tiles or styling
- Pricing climbs quickly past the free tier
- No published data residency beyond "Germany"
- Aimed at developers, not end users
Standout feature. The same open-source engine whether you self-host it for free or pay GraphHopper to run it for you.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Open-source routing engine, Apache 2.0 on GitHub
- Free tier with 500 requests/day, no card required
- Route optimization, map matching and isochrones included
- Self-hostable or hosted, with a white-label option
- German company, EU jurisdiction
Cons
- Routing only — no map tiles or styling
- Pricing climbs quickly past the free tier
- No published data residency beyond "Germany"
- Aimed at developers, not end users
Alternatives to GraphHopper
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GraphHopper?
GraphHopper is the routing specialist next to MapTiler's tiles: a directions and route-optimization API built on the same OpenStreetMap data most of this category shares, with the engine itself open source under Apache 2.0 on GitHub.
A team can run it on its own infrastructure exactly as it can with raw OpenStreetMap data, or pay for the hosted API and skip the operational work — routing, route optimization, geocoding, map matching and isochrones are all included from the free tier up.
Where is GraphHopper based?
GraphHopper operates from Munich, Germany, which places it under EU (Germany).
What does GraphHopper cost?
Free plan with 500 requests/day; Basic €69/month (5,000/day), Standard €199/month (15,000/day), Premium €479/month (50,000/day); custom bulk pricing above that. Free tier, 500 requests/day, no credit card required.
Who is GraphHopper best for?
Developers who want an open-source routing engine. The same open-source engine whether you self-host it for free or pay GraphHopper to run it for you.
What are the drawbacks of GraphHopper?
Routing only — no map tiles or styling. Pricing climbs quickly past the free tier. No published data residency beyond "Germany". Aimed at developers, not end users.
Is GraphHopper a good alternative to Google Directions API?
GraphHopper is built as a European alternative to Google Directions API: Munich routing engine and directions API, open source at its core, with hosted plans on top. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does GraphHopper compare to other Maps & Navigation tools?
GraphHopper is one of several European Maps & Navigation tools we cover. It is most often compared with Google Directions API, Mapbox Directions API, HERE Routing API.