Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Leaflet VS Apple Maps

Compare Leaflet VS Apple Maps and see what are their differences

Leaflet logo Leaflet

Leaflet is a modern, lightweight open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps.

Apple Maps logo Apple Maps

Maps features an all-new design with smart features to make finding and getting to your destination easier than ever.
  • Leaflet Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-13
  • Apple Maps
    Image date //
    2024-01-08

Leaflet features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Leaflet is designed to be easy on resources, making it fast to load and suitable for performance-critical applications.
  • Ease of Use
    The API is straightforward and well-documented, which makes it accessible for developers of all experience levels.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source means it is free to use and has a collaborative community contributing to its improvement.
  • Extensible
    Leaflet supports a wide range of plugins for additional functionality, allowing for customization and extension based on specific requirements.
  • Support for Mobile
    Leaflet is optimized for mobile browsers and touch devices, including multi-touch support.
  • Customizable
    It allows for extensive customization with a variety of map projections, tile layers, and interactive overlays.

Possible disadvantages of Leaflet

  • Limited Built-in Features
    Compared to some other mapping libraries, Leaflet has fewer built-in features out of the box.
  • Performance with Large Data Sets
    Rendering large data sets (such as many markers or complex geometries) can impact performance.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Advanced Customization
    While basic use is straightforward, more advanced customizations can be challenging and may require deeper knowledge of JavaScript and Leaflet's architecture.
  • Limited 3D Support
    Leaflet is primarily designed for 2D maps, and doesn't natively support 3D visualizations, which may be a limitation for some applications.
  • Dependence on Third-party Services
    For certain functionalities like tile layers, geocoding, and routing, you may need to rely on third-party services, which can involve additional costs and dependencies.

Apple Maps features and specs

  • Integration with Apple Ecosystem
    Apple Maps is seamlessly integrated with the Apple ecosystem, allowing for features like Handoff, Siri voice commands, and synchronization across all Apple devices.
  • Privacy
    Apple has a strong commitment to privacy, and Apple Maps collects minimal data compared to some competitors. Data is anonymized and not directly tied to your Apple ID.
  • User Interface
    Apple Maps offers a clean, intuitive user interface that is easy for users to navigate and understand.
  • Flyover and 3D Views
    Flyover and 3D views provide detailed and realistic views of major cities, enhancing the user experience when exploring new locations.
  • Turn-by-Turn Directions
    Apple Maps provides reliable turn-by-turn navigation with real-time traffic updates, making it useful for driving, walking, and cycling.

Possible disadvantages of Apple Maps

  • Limited Coverage
    Although Apple Maps has improved over time, its coverage and accuracy can still be lacking in some regions, particularly outside of major urban areas.
  • Fewer Features
    Compared to some competitors, Apple Maps offers fewer features like offline maps and detailed information on businesses and points of interest.
  • Public Transit Information
    Public transit information is not as comprehensive or widely available on Apple Maps compared to other mapping services like Google Maps.
  • Data Sourcing Issues
    There have been instances where data inaccuracies have been reported, such as incorrect locations and outdated information.
  • Platform Exclusivity
    Apple Maps is limited to Apple devices, which restricts users on other platforms from using the service.

Analysis of Leaflet

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Leaflet is a solid choice for creating interactive maps on the web, especially when performance and simplicity are priorities.

Why this product is good

  • Leaflet is considered a good JavaScript library for interactive maps due to its simplicity, performance, and ease of use. It provides an intuitive API, is lightweight, and works across various devices and browsers. Developers appreciate its extensibility through plugins and its active community that continuously supports and improves the library.

Recommended for

  • Web developers looking for an easy-to-use mapping solution.
  • Projects requiring lightweight and fast interactive maps.
  • Applications where mobile responsiveness is important.
  • Developers who want to extend functionality using a wide range of plugins.

Analysis of Apple Maps

Overall verdict

  • Apple Maps is a solid choice for iOS users due to its integration with Apple's ecosystem and continuous improvements. While it may not always match some competitors in certain regions, its strong privacy measures and ongoing feature enhancements make it a competent mapping service.

Why this product is good

  • Apple Maps has significantly improved since its initial release, offering features such as detailed 3D city views, cycling directions, and improved accuracy. The integration with Appleโ€™s ecosystem allows seamless use across iOS devices, enhancing user experience. Privacy is a key focus, as Apple minimizes data collection and uses on-device processing to guard user information.

Recommended for

    Apple Maps is particularly recommended for iPhone and iPad users who value privacy and seamless integration with other Apple services. It's also a good option for those who frequently use Apple devices and services for a cohesive user experience.

Leaflet videos

leaflet review

More videos:

  • Review - Labour Party Leaflet Review
  • Demo - Liberal Democrats Party Leaflet Review

Apple Maps videos

New Apple Maps Features That Beat Google Maps!

More videos:

  • Review - Why Apple Maps is the BEST navigation system
  • Review - Google Maps vs Apple Maps - A Quick Comparison of Both in 2020

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Leaflet and Apple Maps)
Maps
46 46%
54% 54
Web Mapping
42 42%
58% 58
Javascript UI Libraries
100 100%
0% 0
Travel & Location
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Leaflet and Apple Maps

Leaflet Reviews

Top 15 Price Monitoring Tools For E-Commerce In 2022
Leaflet.js is the most popular open-source JavaScript library for providing mobile-friendly interactive maps. With a simple, easy-to-use interface, it is the perfect solution for all of your data management needs. It operates well right out of the box on all major platforms and devices. The platform offers the following services:
Source: adscale.com
Top 5 Open-Source Google Maps Alternatives in 2022
The Leaflet is another open source interactive maps software that comes with self-hosting capabilities. This map application is lightweight and easy to use. Above all, it is available for all desktop and mobile platforms such as Android, IOS, and web. Further, this offline maps app is highly extensible and offers a well-documented API for third-party integrations. This open...
The Best Data Visualization Tools - Top 30 BI Software
Leaflet leverages OpenStreetMap data and adds HTML5/CSS3 visualizations and interactivity on top to ensure everything is responsive and mobile ready. Its extensive plugin repository lets you add heatmaps , masks and animated markers. Leaflet is open source JavaScript library designed for creating interactive mobile-friendly maps and ships at only 33kb. This Javascript...
Source: improvado.io
Farewell, Google Maps
On a positive note we were impressed by the quality of open source code for operating maps (Leaflet). Some advanced functions which we had implement ourselves on Google side were readily available in Leaflet.
Survey of the Best Online Mapping Tools for Web Developers: The Roadmap to Roadmaps
It is safe to say that Leaflet was born as a reaction to OpenLayersรขย€ย™ bloat, clutter and complexity. Vladimir Agafonkin was asked to build a wrapper around OpenLayers, but he instead created a simple and lightweight OpenLayers alternative, and in May 2011 Leaflet was born. Vladimir focused on simplicity, performance and usability for this online map tool. The core library...
Source: www.toptal.com

Apple Maps Reviews

7 Alternatives to Google Maps for Navigation
Apple Maps also has turn-by-turn navigation, so you can follow your route with ease. Plus, it can automatically find your nearest transit stations to help you get around. When you draw two fingers on the map, you can view its 3D map in a growing list of cities.
8 Best Roadtrippers Alternatives for Efficient Trip Planning in 2023
Roadtrippersโ€™ paid version may provide personalized itineraries, but Apple Maps excels in delivering a broad range of navigation tools, making it an essential companion for various travel needs.
Going Beyond: The Best Alternatives to Google Maps in 2024
Regarding privacy-conscious alternatives to the Google App, Apple Maps stands out as one of the top choices. Designed exclusively for iOS devices, Apple Maps has undergone significant improvements since its initial release.
Source: stratoflow.com
Top 15 Google Maps Alternatives (2024 Edition)
While on the go, you will get real-time turn-by-turn driving directions from Apple Maps directly to your Apple devices. Apple Maps is thus an excellent tool to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
8 GPS Phone Trackers to Track a Cell Phone Location Online For Free
The main function of Google Maps and Apple Maps itself is to provide services such as maps and navigation. At the same time, by sharing the location, it can also track the current location of the device user, which is very practical. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps are free.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Leaflet seems to be a lot more popular than Apple Maps. While we know about 140 links to Leaflet, we've tracked only 1 mention of Apple Maps. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Leaflet mentions (140)

  • Understanding Map Zoom Levels and XYZ Tile Coordinates
    When working with interactive maps, two concepts sit at the foundation: zoom levels and tiles. Without them, platforms like Google Maps, Leaflet, or MapLibre GL would be impossible. Instead of loading one massive image, modern maps are composed of tiles โ€” small 256ร—256 px squares that fit together in a grid. As you zoom in, the number of tiles grows exponentially, providing more detail at higher levels. - Source: dev.to / 18 days ago
  • Ask HN: What are you working on (August 2025)?
    I'm building Concert Map [1], an interactive map of live music events all over the world. I was frustrated with how difficult it was to find concerts and festivals when travel plans are flexible. Questions like: - Is there any show I could catch on my next cross country road trip? - I want an excuse to visit Seattle this summer, is there a good weekend I could pick where I could see live music there or along the... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • One Million Screenshots
    It is implemented using web maps technology (https://leafletjs.com/), similar to e.g. The Google Maps satellite view. The screenshots are then served pre-assembled into quadratic map tiles at different zoom levels. This way the client only ever has to load and display a hand ful of relevant tiles. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Step-by-Step: Leaflet Custom Marker with Geoapify Icons
    Leaflet is a lightweight and powerful JavaScript library for building interactive maps. By default, Leaflet comes with simple map markers, but in many applicationsโ€”especially those involving points of interest, events, or brandingโ€”youโ€™ll want to customize how those markers look. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Creating a Custom Map From Images in Leaflet
    In this tutorial, weโ€™ll walk through how to create a custom map using a large image in Leaflet, a lightweight JavaScript library for building interactive maps in web applications. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
View more

Apple Maps mentions (1)

  • TikTok bans distract from wider privacy concerns, says digital rights advocate
    Regarding bullet 6, I thought Apple Maps doesn't collect travel history? I looked on apple.com/maps and this is what they say:. Source: over 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Leaflet and Apple Maps, you can also consider the following products

jQuery - The Write Less, Do More, JavaScript Library.

Google Maps - Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

React Native - A framework for building native apps with React

OpenStreetMap - OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license.

Babel - Babel is a compiler for writing next generation JavaScript.

OsmAnd - Global mobile map viewing and navigation for online and offline OSM maps