Side by side
Elasticsearch vs GeoDesk
Both stand on spatial databases. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
Choose Elasticsearch for real-time search and analytics across varied data types, with deployment choices ranging from self-managed to serverless. Teams should compare the plan models carefully: self-managed costs depend on nodes and RAM, while hosted and serverless costs depend on resources or usage.
Visit Elasticsearch
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
GeoDesk provides OSM-focused storage, query and developer tools across several languages. Its C++ build has specific compiler and CMake requirements, and it does not support 3D geometry.
Visit GeoDeskThe facts
| Elasticsearch | GeoDesk | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | See the plans | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 8 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | elastic.co | geodesk.com |
| On spatial databases | #9 of 40 | #13 of 40 |
Elasticsearch: what it does well
- Searches full-text, semantic, and hybrid queries.
- Stores structured, unstructured, and vector data in real time.
- Supports geospatial analysis with distances, polygons, and hexagons.
- Offers on-premises, cloud, multicloud, and serverless deployment.
- Lists more than 350 integrations.
What to know first
- Self-managed pricing depends on node count and RAM.
- Hosted and serverless plans use usage- or resource-based pricing.
- The 99.95% monthly uptime SLA is limited to Platinum and Enterprise tiers.
GeoDesk: what it does well
- Free and open-source.
- Stores OSM features in single-file libraries.
- Supports Java, Python and C++ tooling.
- Can package selected regions as compressed tiles.
- Documents Shapely and Java Topology Suite integrations.
What to know first
- Python quickstart requires Python 3.7 or higher.
- Building C++ requires a C++20 compiler and CMake 3.14 or later.
- No 3D geometry support.
Alternatives to Elasticsearch Alternatives to GeoDesk The whole list