The best mapping apps, according to hackers
4 mapping apps were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 1 earns the Hacker Approved badge.
Top pick
The most recommended mapping app with the badge. Each figure is 5 people. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Simple, beginner friendly question interface
A free app that turns walks into small OpenStreetMap editing quests, praised as simple and beginner friendly, though quest types are limited and some are hard to skip.
All 4 mapping apps, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | StreetComplete | 93 | 20 | 82% | 10 | 2 mo3 owners | Approved |
| 2 | Google Earth | 31 | 18 | 63% | 9 | — | — |
| 3 | OS9Map | 9 | 1 | 90% | 1 | — | — |
| 4 | Bing Maps | 5 | 1 | 83% | 4 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same mapping app in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to mapping apps that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.