Organic Maps

Developer(s)| Organic Maps OÜ
Initial release| 2021
Stable release|

| Android|  /

|

Written in| C++ (Core), Java (Android), Objective-C, Swift (iOS)
Operating system| Android, iOS, macOS,[1] Linux
Predecessor| Maps.me
License| Apache License 2.0 (app), Proprietary (map data files)[2]

Organic Maps is a free and open-source, offline navigation app that uses map data from OpenStreetMap. The application is designed to function without internet connectivity by downloading maps for offline use. Organic Maps emphasizes privacy, as it does not track user locations or collect personal data.[3][4][5][6]

## Contents

* 1 Features
* 1.1 Privacy
* 1.2 Offline maps
* 1.3 Low battery consumption
* 1.4 Navigation
* 2 OpenStreetMap data
* 3 History
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## Features

### Privacy

Organic Maps prioritizes user privacy by not collecting personal data or tracking user locations.[4][7]

### Offline maps

Organic Maps functions entirely offline by allowing users to download maps in advance. Once maps are downloaded, navigation, search, and route planning do not require an internet connection. The app offers offline maps of the world, including cycling routes, hiking trails, walking paths, contour lines, elevation profiles, peaks, and slopes.[8][9]

### Low battery consumption

The app is designed to optimize battery usage during navigation.[3]

### Navigation

Organic Maps provides navigation for various activities, including hiking, biking, driving, and public transport. It supports turn-by-turn navigation with voice guidance and allows users to search for information on the map and add bookmarks.[3]

## OpenStreetMap data

Organic Maps integrates with the OpenStreetMap project, utilizing its crowdsourced map data. The app includes an in-app editor that also works offline, and allows users to contribute updates to the OpenStreetMap, such as businesses and landmarks.[10][6]

## History

Organic Maps was founded as a fork of Maps.me app in December 2020.

The app Maps.me was initially launched in 2011 as MapsWithMe, later renamed Maps.me and open-sourced in 2015. On 20 December 2020, the then-owner of Maps.me app released a new version that was not based on the code published on GitHub, which resulted in backlash from the community. One of the users published a call to fork Maps.me and rebuild the community around it,[11] and on 27 December a hackathon was organised to bootstrap the new project based on a previous fork that was used to publish the app on F-Droid.[12][13] Two of the Maps.me app authors, Alexander Borsuk and Viktar Havaka, started their own fork on 20 December 2020,[14] registered organicmaps.app domain on the next day[15] and joined efforts with the community fork in January 2021. The project adopted a set of guidelines and policies and focused on privacy, performance and community. The first public release of Organic Maps was made available in the app stores in June 2021.[16]

On March 13, 2025, Viktor Govako[17] and Alexander Borsuk[18] (founders, maintainers, and top two contributors of the project[19]) were removed from GitHub's Organic Maps org repository owners, and a new owner Konstantin Pastbin @pastk[20] has been added. GitHub immediately banned the whole Organic Maps organization for several weeks due to Konstantin's sanctioned account[21].

In April 2025, members of the Organic Maps community led by Konstantin @pastk, raised concerns regarding project governance and transparency. These issues were outlined in an open letter addressed to the project's founders/maintainers/shareholders.[22] The lack of a satisfactory resolution between the shareholders and the community contributors led a group of contributors to establish a separate, independent project known as CoMaps.[23].

In August and in October 2025 the developers explicitly clarified the license for map data binaries, allowing use in other applications only with prominent attribution to the OpenStreetMap and Organic Maps projects, folowing OpenStreetMap's ODbL license requirements[24][25]

## See also

* Comparison of free off-line satellite navigation software
* List of free and open-source software packages
* Comparison of satellite navigation software
* OpenStreetMap

## References

1. ↑ "Organic Maps Offline Hike Bike" (in en-US). 2024-04-03. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/organic-maps-offline-hike-bike/id1567437057. "Requires macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later."
2. ↑ "Readme/License" (in en). 2025-08-14. https://github.com/organicmaps/organicmaps#license. "Binary map data files (.mwm) are provided under a separate license. See DATA_LICENSE.txt for details."
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Organic Maps: Offline Hike, Bike, Trails and Navigation" (in en). https://organicmaps.app/.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Exodus Privacy Project report about Organic Maps" (in en). https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/app.organicmaps/latest/.
5. ↑ "Organic Maps : une alternative à Google Maps gratuite et sans publicité" (in fr). https://geeko.lesoir.be/2021/08/11/organic-maps-une-alternative-a-google-maps-gratuite-et-sans-publicite/.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Organic Maps - OpenStreetMap Wiki". GitHub. 28 May 2021. https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Organic_Maps.
7. ↑ Popa, Bogdan (2021-08-11). "New Google Maps Alternative Promises Zero Ads, No Tracking" (in en). https://www.autoevolution.com/news/new-google-maps-alternative-promises-zero-ads-no-tracking-167058.html.
8. ↑ "I tried using the open source map application 'Organic Maps' that can be used outside the service area for free and without ads" (in en). 26 June 2021. https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20210626-organic-maps/.
9. ↑ "10 Offline Navigation Apps to Use When You are Lost or No Network". 16 September 2022. https://geekflare.com/offline-navigation-apps/.
10. ↑ "Organic Maps F.A.Q." (in en). https://organicmaps.app/faq/editing/map-errors/.
11. ↑ Ondřej Sojka (2020-12-20). "MAPS.ME is gone. We must bring it back.". https://telegra.ph/What-happened-to-the-old-MAPSME-12-20.
12. ↑ "Bootstrap". 2020-12-28. https://github.com/organicmaps/organicmaps/issues/1.
13. ↑ "Organic Maps Turns 4: The Privacy-Focused Alternative to Google Maps". 2024-12-20. https://organicmaps.app/news/2024-12-20/organicmaps-turns-four/.
14. ↑ Viktar Havaka (2020-12-20). "First commit in Organic Maps". https://github.com/search?q=repo:organicmaps/organicmaps+39c1c0955c03c2dceef2165bae2493881a557af0&type=commits.
15. ↑ "Whois information about organicmaps.app domain". 2020-12-21. https://who.is/whois/organicmaps.app.
16. ↑ "Google Play Store - Organic Maps". https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.organicmaps.
17. ↑ "Viktor Govako account on GitHub" (in en). https://github.com/vng.
18. ↑ "Alexander Borsuk account on GitHub" (in en). https://github.com/biodranik.
19. ↑ "Organic Maps Contributors chart" (in en). https://github.com/organicmaps/organicmaps/graphs/contributors.
20. ↑ "Konstantin Pastbin account on GitHub" (in en). https://github.com/pastk.
21. ↑ "Fosstodon post about GitHub ban" (in en). https://mastodon.social/@organicmaps/114155428924741370.
22. ↑ "Open Letter to Organic Maps Shareholders". 2025. https://openletter.earth/open-letter-to-organic-maps-shareholders-a0bf770c.
23. ↑ "AlternativeTo - Organic Maps contributors fork project as concerns over governance and transparency grow". https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/5/organic-maps-contributors-fork-project-as-concerns-over-governance-and-transparency-grow/.
24. ↑ organicmaps. "Separate license for the binary map data files (.mwm) · organicmaps/organicmaps@0b6daa6" (in en). https://github.com/organicmaps/organicmaps/commit/0b6daa6815ff00bbc70cfa298f9dc9a6f0d002f2.
25. ↑ organicmaps. "Update DATA_LICENSE.txt · organicmaps/organicmaps@5e956b" (in en). https://github.com/organicmaps/organicmaps/commit/5e956bda3612e9e2a5c9d1a2c6fce0d1493d6ce1.

## External links

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* v
* t
* e

OpenStreetMap (OSM)

Related persons,
organizations and events|

* OSM Foundation
* State of the Map
* Missing Maps
* Steve Coast

OSM-based movements|

* OpenSeaMap
* Wheelmap.org

Service providers (commercial)|

* Mapbox

OSM editors|

* iD
* JOSM
* Potlatch
* Merkaartor
* Vespucci

OSM map renders|

* Leaflet
* Mapnik
* OpenLayers

Software using OSM database|

* Maps.me
* Marble
* MoNav
* Navit
* OsmAnd

Similar free projects|

* Geo-Wiki
* NASA World Wind
* WikiMapia
* Bhuvan

Proprietary equivalents|

* Apple Maps
* Bing Maps
* Google Maps
* HERE
* MapQuest
* Yahoo! Maps
* Ordnance Survey
* Ordnance Survey Ireland

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