OpenRouteService review covering routing and isochrone APIs, free tier limits, pricing, key features, and top alternatives like OSRM, GraphHopper and Mapbox.
OpenRouteService is a routing and geospatial analysis API that turns OpenStreetMap data into usable directions, isochrones, and distance matrices for developers and researchers. It is maintained by HeiGIT, a research institute spun out of Heidelberg University's GIScience group, which also builds several other OSM-based location services.
Unlike closed commercial mapping APIs, the entire backend is open source and can be self-hosted, giving organizations full control over their routing infrastructure and data. The hosted version at openrouteservice.org offers a convenient free-tier entry point without requiring any infrastructure setup.
Core capabilities include multi-profile Directions (driving-car, driving-hgv, cycling, foot, wheelchair), Isochrones for time- and distance-based reachability analysis, a Matrix API for bulk travel-time and distance computation, Geocoding and reverse geocoding, POI search, elevation data, and route optimization for multi-stop problems.
Because it runs on OpenStreetMap, coverage is global and continuously updated by the OSM community, and users can inspect or correct the underlying map data themselves, something not possible with most proprietary routing providers.
The hosted API is free to start: a HeiGIT account provides an API key with a free tier of roughly 2,500 requests per day and 40,000 per month across all endpoints, with up to 40 concurrent requests, which is enough for prototypes, research, and small commercial apps.
Higher-volume or production commercial usage requires a paid HeiGIT account plan, priced by request volume, or self-hosting the open-source openrouteservice backend on your own servers, which is free of licensing cost but requires running and maintaining the OSM data pipeline.
Yes, the hosted API has a free tier of roughly 2,500 requests per day and 40,000 per month, and the backend software itself is free and open source under GPLv3.
It is developed and operated by HeiGIT, the Heidelberg Institute for Geoinformation Technology, a non-profit research institute connected to Heidelberg University's GIScience group.
It is built entirely on OpenStreetMap data, meaning coverage and accuracy depend on the OSM community in a given area.
Yes, the full backend is open source and available on GitHub, allowing organizations to run it on their own infrastructure without API rate limits.
OSRM (Open Source Routing Machine) is a separate, distinct open-source routing engine project; OpenRouteService is a different codebase and API built by HeiGIT with additional services like isochrones and geocoding.
Yes, a driving-hgv profile accounts for vehicle restrictions like height, weight, and hazardous materials when computing routes.
Common alternatives include OSRM, GraphHopper, Mapbox Directions API, Google Maps Platform, and HERE Routing.