Nominatim
Server application for geocoding (address -> coordinates) and reverse geocoding (coordinates -> address) on OpenStreetMap data.
Nominatim vs Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM)
Two self-hosted Maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Nominatim | Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Server application for geocoding (address -> coordinates) and reverse geocoding (coordinates -> address) on OpenStreetMap data. | High performance routing engine designed to run on OpenStreetMap data and offering an HTTP API, C++ library interface, and Nodejs wrapper. |
| GitHub stars | 4,549 | 8,191 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 551 | 335 |
| Last activity | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-02 |
| Latest release | v5.3.3 (2026-10-14) | v26.11.0 (2026-11-01) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | GPL-2.0 | BSD-2-Clause |
| Language / platform | C | C++ |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $3.5/mo | $3.5/mo |
| Categories | Maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) | Maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) is more popular on GitHub: 8.2k stars vs 4.5k for Nominatim.
- Nominatim had more commits in the last 12 months (551 vs 335).
- Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) published a release more recently (v26.11.0 on 2026-11-01; Nominatim's latest is v5.3.3 on 2026-10-14).
- Nominatim is licensed under GPL-2.0, Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) under BSD-2-Clause. Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM)'s license is permissive; Nominatim's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- Nominatim is written in C; Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) in C++.
Summary: Nominatim leads on commit activity; Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) leads on GitHub popularity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nominatim or Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) more popular?
Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) has more GitHub stars (8,191 vs 4,549 for Nominatim, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, Nominatim or Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM)?
Nominatim had more commits over the last 12 months (551 vs 335). The last recorded activity was 2026-11-03 for Nominatim and 2026-11-02 for Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM). Our health labels: Nominatim is “Active”, Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) is “Active”.
What licenses do Nominatim and Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) use?
Nominatim: GPL-2.0. Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM): BSD-2-Clause. Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM)'s license is permissive; Nominatim's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run Nominatim and Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM)
High performance routing engine designed to run on OpenStreetMap data and offering an HTTP API, C++ library interface, and Nodejs wrapper.
Browse all self-hosted Maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) apps.