VersaTiles
a complete FLOSS map stack
VersaTiles is a free and open alternative to commercial map services like Google Maps or Mapbox. It is designed for newsrooms, NGOs, developers, and public institutions who need reliable maps without vendor lock-in. VersaTiles is fully self-hostable, requires no API keys, charges no usage fees, and does not track your users.
Try it out
How it works
Generate
Turn OpenStreetMap data and satellite imagery into optimized tiles — or download ready-made ones.
Serve
Deliver tiles to clients using a lightweight, high-performance tile server.
Render
Show beautiful maps on the web, Android, and iOS using MapLibre with professionally designed styles.
Tools
Customize styles, set up servers, explore map data, and edit maps — all with our interactive tools.
Get Started
Try Our Tile Server
Browse map styles, customize them, and export a
style.json for your app at tiles.versatiles.org.
Get Started
Read our introduction and explore the full
documentation to learn how VersaTiles works.
Browse Showcases
See real-world examples and creative uses of VersaTiles in our showcase gallery.
Explore the Playground
Experiment with frontend code examples and map styles in the playground.
Use Our Tools
Try our tools, including the interactive server setup guide.
Download Free Data
Browse our download server for free map tiles, fonts, styles,
and sprites.
Highlights
- 2026-01-02 - versatiles-rs now has Node.js bindings.
- 2025-10-08 - We published a first global imagery prototype, combining free satellite and aerial orthophotos: tiles.versatiles.org
- 2025-08-17 - Michael presented VersaTiles - finally maps for everyone at FrOSCon 2025.
- 2025-03-04 - Our documentation now lives on its own site: docs.versatiles.org
- 2025-02-01 - We released our free map editor.
- 2024-09-25 - German magazine Heise featured VersaTiles as an open alternative to commercial map providers.
- 2024-07-30 - Our handy "setup server" tool went online.
- 2023-07-16 - versatiles.org officially launched.
Roadmap
Done
- Publish documentation at docs.versatiles.org
- Publish map editor
- Publish Docker container with nginx and TLS
- Add Node.js bindings to the VersaTiles Rust CLI
- Publish satellite and aerial imagery
- Publish style editor plugin for MapLibre GL JS
- Publish interactive server setup tool
- Add SVG export for print-quality maps
Planned
- Find partners and sponsors — ensure long-term sustainability of the project
- Migrate tile generation to Planetiler — faster and better tile generation from OSM data
- Publish free global elevation and terrain data — enable hillshading and 3D terrain visualization
- Release VersaTiles Studio, an all-in-one app for map creation — create and export custom maps without code
- Integrate global land cover data — add vegetation, urban areas, and other land use information
- Simplify conversion from GeoJSON to vector tiles — easily add your own data layers to VersaTiles maps
Exploring funding needed
- Update and extend satellite imagery — improve coverage and resolution worldwide
- Build a new style engine — replace MapLibre's style spec with a more flexible alternative
Funded by
Funded by European Commission's Next Generation Internet programme
through the NGI0 Commons Fund by
NLnet.
MIZ-Babelsberg has funded the development of the "VersaTiles Editorial Tools"