StreetComplete
Hacker ApprovedThe most recommended of 4 mapping apps
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.
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.
113 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 93
- criticize it
- 20
- approval share
- 82%
Recommended in 10 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Owned for 2 months
Median of the 3 owners who said how long they have had it.
Each square is one year.
Why it carries the badge
- 93 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 4.7 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 10 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Simple, beginner friendly question interface
“Beginner-friendly editors are https://MapComplete.org (which has thematic maps; disclaimer: I'm the main dev) and https://streetcomplete.app”
Comment from 26 Aug 2026 in “CoMaps: The Offline App That Guided Rescuers Without a Signal in Venezuela” “it's a very fun way to contribute to OpenStreetMap, and the UI is really well-done, it's totally beginner friendly!”
Comment from 7 Jul 2026 in “StreetComplete: Fixing OpenStreetMap, one tiny quest at a time” “It's very intuitive and makes you learn just how detailed and specific map data can be.”
Comment from 7 Jul 2026 in “StreetComplete: Fixing OpenStreetMap, one tiny quest at a time” - Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta”
- Comment from 23 Jul 2026 in “OpenStreetMap: Admin_level for All Countries”
- Comment from 7 Jul 2026 in “StreetComplete: Fixing OpenStreetMap, one tiny quest at a time”
- Comment from 11 Jun 2026 in “Pokémon Go Scans Trained the Navigation Tech for Military Drones”
Turns walks into contributions
“There's something oddly satisfying about turning a boring loop around the block into "wait, does that bin have a lid?"”
Comment from 7 Jul 2026 in “StreetComplete: Fixing OpenStreetMap, one tiny quest at a time” “Splitting stuff into tiny tasks you can focus on really helps if you're just out on foot in an area.”
Comment from 11 Jun 2026 in “MapComplete – Contibute to OpenStreetMaps” “This is a good way to get outside and do challenges like jogging every single street in your town.”
Comment from 5 Jul 2026 in “Organic Maps” - Comment from 7 Jul 2026 in “StreetComplete: Fixing OpenStreetMap, one tiny quest at a time”
- Comment from 7 Jul 2026 in “StreetComplete: Fixing OpenStreetMap, one tiny quest at a time”
- Comment from 28 Aug 2026 in “State of the Map 2026”
Easy to add details to OSM
“it makes it incredibly easy to submit additional data, such as opening hours and road types, to OSM.”
Comment from 23 Jul 2026 in “OpenStreetMap: Admin_level for All Countries” “StreetComplete helps both with adding the data in the first place and then keeping is current”
Comment from 3 Aug 2026 in “Why Book Corners won't sync contributions back to OpenStreetMap” “I have found it to be a really seamless and easy way to add extra details to OpenStreetMap”
Comment from 12 Sep 2026 in “Make your first edit to OpenStreetMap” - Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta”
Works offline with downloaded data
“StreetComplete editing works also fully offline (if data was downloaded first). It also deals with fairly large amounts of data.”
Comment from 2 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta” “it's user-friendly. A thoughtful feature is that it lets you download data in a location on wifi”
Comment from 6 Jul 2026 in “CoMaps – FOSS Offline Maps” “it is very useful as you can map when you have no mobile data or it is spotty.”
Comment from 2 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Limited quest types, no private objects
“It's pretty restrictive in what they'll allow as 'quests' to avoid overloading new users”
Comment from 7 Jul 2026 in “StreetComplete: Fixing OpenStreetMap, one tiny quest at a time” “because of a decision that StreetComplete doesn't want to ask about private objects”
Comment from 6 Jul 2026 in “Organic Maps” “There is a limit to the type of quest you can fit into the mobile app.”
Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta” Hard to skip, dismiss or go back
“Well for me not even the back gesture works, I just have to force close the app if I don't want to answer a survey”
Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta” “when you click on an item, you HAVE to set the answer, you cannot go back to seeing all the markers”
Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta” “the app seems to be stuck on that quest and I can't figure out how to get back”
Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta” - Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta”
Answer choices lack the correct option
“If you click even one pixel away from the actual text, you get the chooser with not enough options.”
Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta” “the very first question I was given had three choices and none of them were correct”
Comment from 1 Oct 2026 in “StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta”
Other mapping apps people recommend
The three most recommended other mapping apps, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StreetCompleteThis page | 93 | 20 | 82% | 10 | 2 mo3 owners | Approved |
| Google Earth | 31 | 18 | 63% | 9 | — | — |
| OS9Map | 9 | 1 | 90% | 1 | — | — |
| Bing Maps | 5 | 1 | 83% | 4 | — | — |
What people said
40 of the 142 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“With the ease of use of StreetComplete, it really wouldn't take many volunteers in a city to complete all quests.”
“it is very useful as you can map when you have no mobile data or it is spotty.”
“StreetComplete editing works also fully offline (if data was downloaded first). It also deals with fairly large amounts of data.”
“the app seems to be stuck on that quest and I can't figure out how to get back”
“StreetComplete is very beginner friendly, and I don't think you can use it to mark a road as prohibiting pedestrians”
“when you click on an item, you HAVE to set the answer, you cannot go back to seeing all the markers”
“dismissing a question I don't see an answer for right now easily is the worst”
“If you click even one pixel away from the actual text, you get the chooser with not enough options.”
“There is a limit to the type of quest you can fit into the mobile app.”
“Its question-based approach makes contributing to OpenStreetMap feel approachable”
“the very first question I was given had three choices and none of them were correct”
“I just contributed more to open street map in 5 minute than I have in 15 years.”
“positively surprised about how quickly they progressed and got the first version shipped”
“Well for me not even the back gesture works, I just have to force close the app if I don't want to answer a survey”
“downloaded StreetComplete yesterday and made a couple edits in my neighborhood”
“maybe use StreetComplete which essentially asks questions about missing or existing old data”
“I have found it to be a really seamless and easy way to add extra details to OpenStreetMap”
“StreetComplete has a but of gamification. Only internal, for you. But still.”
“Very satisfying and feels like you're doing something actually useful.”
“Beginner-friendly editors are https://MapComplete.org (which has thematic maps; disclaimer: I'm the main dev) and https://streetcomplete.app”
“StreetComplete helps both with adding the data in the first place and then keeping is current”
“it makes it incredibly easy to submit additional data, such as opening hours and road types, to OSM.”
“I love street complete, it opens up OSM to so many beginners with the simple UX.”
“It's pretty restrictive in what they'll allow as 'quests' to avoid overloading new users”
“it also feel overwhelming, just around me there are hundreds and hundreds of questions.”
“This additional context makes it a lot more useful for editors than an ordinary trace”
“In principle I like it, what I don't like is that some companies will use the data only for their own benefit”
“I have over a thousand contributions on StreetComplete (casually using it during walks)”
“There's something oddly satisfying about turning a boring loop around the block into "wait, does that bin have a lid?"”
“Very well built app. Super simple to use. And gamification is top-notch.”
“Every day I take a 2 hour walk and contribute as much data as I can to OSM using this app.”
“StreetComplete lets you place trash cans and benches too (among other things)”
“It's very intuitive and makes you learn just how detailed and specific map data can be.”
“it's a very fun way to contribute to OpenStreetMap, and the UI is really well-done, it's totally beginner friendly!”
“it's user-friendly. A thoughtful feature is that it lets you download data in a location on wifi”
“because of a decision that StreetComplete doesn't want to ask about private objects”
“This is a good way to get outside and do challenges like jogging every single street in your town.”
“Splitting stuff into tiny tasks you can focus on really helps if you're just out on foot in an area.”
“nice gamification / simplification of UI that makes editing a breeze”
“StreetComplete sounds great and looks like a nice way to be able to contribute fixes to OSM.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.