A European alternative to Mapbox.
Maps, geocoding and routing on one EU-hosted API, with a single unit pool, a spending cap we never exceed, and a MapLibre-native stack you can migrate to in an afternoon.
EU jurisdiction, EU infrastructure
Mapbox is a US company, which means US jurisdiction over your traffic and transfer mechanisms in your GDPR paperwork. Rijwind runs on owned infrastructure in the Netherlands; requests are processed in the EU, full stop.
One pool, one bill
Mapbox bills each product on its own meter: map loads, geocodes, directions and static images all have separate SKUs and free tiers. Rijwind has one unit pool across every endpoint, and a spending cap you set yourself.
MapLibre-native
Mapbox GL JS moved to a proprietary license in v2. Rijwind is built for MapLibre GL, the open-source fork, so your map code stays portable whether you stay with us or not.
Side by side
Mapbox figures as published on mapbox.com/pricing, June 2026; check their page for current numbers. Map loads and map sessions are comparable but not identical metrics.
A worked example
A production app with 100,000 map sessions and 20,000 geocoding requests per month.
100k map loads: 50k free, then ≈ $5 per 1,000. Geocoding stays inside its own 100k free tier.
120k units in total, well inside Starter's 500,000 included units. No overage, no surprises.
Estimates, not quotes: both products bill on usage, and your mix will differ. The structural difference is that Rijwind usage draws from one pool with a cap you control.
Migration is a URL swap.
MapLibre GL is a fork of Mapbox GL JS v1; the API is the same shape. Swap the import, point the style URL at Rijwind, and your sources, layers and event handlers keep working. The basemap quickstart in the docs covers tile wiring.
// before: mapbox-gl
import mapboxgl from "mapbox-gl";
const map = new mapboxgl.Map({
container: "map",
style: "mapbox://styles/mapbox/streets-v12",
accessToken: MAPBOX_TOKEN,
});
// after: maplibre-gl + Rijwind
import maplibregl from "maplibre-gl";
const map = new maplibregl.Map({
container: "map",
style: "https://rijwind.com/styles/light.json",
// tile wiring: docs.rijwind.com -> Basemap quickstart
});When is Mapbox the better choice?
If your product needs satellite imagery, 3D terrain, or Mapbox's mobile SDK ecosystem, Mapbox is genuinely ahead; we don't offer those today. For standard vector maps, search and routing, which is what most products actually use, you'd be paying Mapbox prices for capabilities you never touch.
FAQ
- How hard is it to migrate from Mapbox GL JS?
- If you're on GL JS v1 or already on MapLibre, it's an import and style-URL swap; sources, layers and handlers are API-compatible. From GL JS v2/v3, MapLibre covers the core API; check any v2-only features you use (like some 3D options) before switching.
- Do you have an equivalent of the Static Images API?
- Yes: server-rendered static maps with markers, paths and circles via a Mapbox-style URL format, billed from the same unit pool.
- Is any of my data processed outside the EU?
- No. The API, tiles, geocoding and routing run on infrastructure in the Netherlands, and we don't use US subprocessors in the request path. A signed DPA is available on paid plans.
- What does Rijwind cost?
- The free tier includes 10,000 units per month with no card required. Paid plans start at €15/month for 500,000 units, with a spending cap that defaults to your plan price.
Try it on the free tier.
Every endpoint, no card required. If it doesn't fit, you've lost an afternoon. Your map code is MapLibre either way.
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