Foursquare offers location intelligence tools for marketers, developers, analysts, and machine learning engineers.
Best Location Platform Software in 2026
Location platform software gives apps and websites tools for mapping, address lookup, route planning and geographic data work. Options can also include SDKs, APIs, data export and self-hosted deployments. Compare Android support first if you are building for a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phone or tablet. Also verify web, iOS, Windows and API availability, then examine map quotas, geocoding, routing, spatial capabilities,…
Mapbox Studio is a suite for creating custom map styles and working with location data.
GraphHopper provides routing and route-optimization APIs for applications and transportation operations.
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MapTiler Cloud
MapTiler Cloud is a maps API for developers building web and mobile applications.
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI7.4From $30 a month - 5
Cesium ion
Cesium ion uploads 3D geospatial content, processes it into 3D Tiles, hosts it, and streams it to devices.
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted7.2From $149 a month - 6

Smarty Address Verification
Smarty Address Verification checks, standardizes and validates US addresses against address data.
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.0From $552 a year - 7
Stadia Maps
Free planAndroidiOSWeb6.8From $20 a month - 8

Loqate Address Verification
Loqate Address Verification verifies, corrects, and enriches address records by parsing, matching, formatting, and transliterating them.
WebAPISelf-hosted6.5 - 9
OpenCage Geocoder
OpenCage Geocoder provides an API that converts addresses or place names into coordinates and coordinates into place information.
WebAPI6.5From €45 a month - 10
GeoServer
GeoServer is a free, open-source Java server for sharing, viewing, and editing geospatial data through open standards.
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted6.4Free plan - 11
MapServer
MapServer is a free, open-source geographic data rendering engine written in C that creates interactive maps from geographic information.
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS6.4Free plan - 12

Azure Maps
Azure Maps is a mapping service for Android, iOS and web applications.
Free planAndroidiOSWeb6.2Free plan - 13

CARTO
CARTO is a geospatial platform for building AI agents, data workflows, and interactive maps within a cloud data warehouse or lakehouse.
WebAPISelf-hosted6.1 - 14
OSRM
APILinuxmacOSSelf-hosted5.4 - 15
Radar
AndroidiOSWeb5.4 - 16
Amazon Location Service
AndroidiOSWeb5.3 - 17
Jawg Maps
AndroidiOSWeb5.2 - 18
LocationIQ
AndroidiOSWeb5.2 - 19
Mappls APIs
AndroidiOSWeb5.2 - 20
what3words API
AndroidiOSWeb5.2 - 21
PostGIS
LinuxmacOSWindows4.8 - 224.6
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Melissa APIs
Web4.6 - 244.6
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Choosing well
Check phone support
If Android access matters, look for an Android app, SDK or API in the platform details. Amazon Location Service covers Android, iOS and web, although other products list different platform combinations.
Check whether your project also needs iOS, web, Windows or API access before choosing.
Compare free access and trials
Services use free, freemium or paid pricing models. Starting with a free plan lets you assess a service before paying for usage.
Trial terms vary. Examples include a 14-day trial for CARTO, a 30-day trial for Foursquare and a 45-day trial for Loqate Address Verification.
Match the location features
Assess map allowances, geocoding and routing against your app's workload. Tools for handling or analysing geographic information may also be important.
Review SDK platforms and API access alongside the core mapping features so the service fits your development setup.
Review deployment and export
Platform choices span web, API and self-hosted deployments. A self-hosted option can suit a project that needs to run location services in its own environment.
Check whether data export is available and whether the tool supports the operating systems and devices in your workflow.
Check paid starting prices
Published starting prices differ between services. Cesium ion lists paid plans from $149 per month, while GraphHopper lists paid plans from €69 per month.
LocationIQ lists paid plans from $45 per month, and Jawg Maps from €250 per month. Pricing on request is used by services such as CARTO and Loqate Address Verification.
Questions people ask
Which platforms can location software run on?
Products in this category list web, iOS, Android, API, self-hosted or Windows support. Check each product's details for the platforms you need.
Are free plans available?
Yes. Products on this list with a free plan include Azure Maps, Cesium ion, Foursquare, GeoServer, GraphHopper, Jawg Maps, LocationIQ, Mapbox Studio and Mapillary API.
Do these services offer trials?
Listed trial lengths include 14 days for CARTO, 30 days for Foursquare and 45 days for Loqate Address Verification.
What mapping features should I compare?
Look at map allowances, geocoding, routing, spatial data tools, SDK platforms and data export; these determine whether a service matches your app.
Does Amazon Location Service support Android?
Its listed platforms are Android, iOS and web.
