Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Leaflet VS Bing Maps API

Compare Leaflet VS Bing Maps API and see what are their differences

Leaflet logo Leaflet

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

Bing Maps API logo Bing Maps API

Choose the maps API that meets your development needs: data visualization, Aerial 3D and Streetside imagery, geocoding, reverse-geocoding, routing, and more
  • Leaflet Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-13
  • Bing Maps API Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-12-30

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.

Bing Maps API features and specs

  • Comprehensive Coverage
    Bing Maps offers extensive global coverage with high-quality mapping data, making it suitable for diverse applications.
  • Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem
    Seamless integration with other Microsoft products and services, providing ease of use for developers already using Microsoft's technology stack.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Provides a wide range of features, including route optimization, geocoding, spatial data storage, and custom map styles.
  • Customizable Maps
    Allows developers to customize maps with various layers and styles to suit specific business needs.
  • Flexible Licensing Options
    Offers various licensing models, allowing businesses to choose plans that best fit their requirements and budgets.

Possible disadvantages of Bing Maps API

  • Cost Considerations
    While flexible, Bing Maps API can become expensive for larger-scale applications or high-volume usage.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers new to Bing Maps API may find a learning curve due to the comprehensive set of features and functionalities.
  • Less Popular than Competitors
    Bing Maps API is less commonly used compared to some competitors like Google Maps, which may affect community support and resources.
  • Dependency on Microsoft Ecosystem
    While integration is a pro, relying heavily on Microsoft may be a con for businesses using diverse technology stacks.
  • Limited Offline Support
    Offers limited offline capabilities, which might be a disadvantage for applications requiring high offline map usage.

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.

Leaflet videos

leaflet review

More videos:

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

Bing Maps API videos

Using Bing Maps API to Geocode addresses with Power Query

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Leaflet and Bing Maps API)
Maps
97 97%
3% 3
Web Mapping
95 95%
5% 5
Javascript UI Libraries
100 100%
0% 0
Mapping And GIS
95 95%
5% 5

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 Bing Maps API

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

Bing Maps API Reviews

We have no reviews of Bing Maps API yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Leaflet seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 140 times since March 2021. 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

Bing Maps API mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Bing Maps API yet. Tracking of Bing Maps API recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Leaflet and Bing Maps API, 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

Mapbox - An open source mapping platform for custom designed maps. Our APIs and SDKs are the building blocks to integrate location into any mobile or web app.

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

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