kepler.gl
Open-source web app and React component for visually exploring large geospatial datasets.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web, Self-hosted
Is kepler.gl free?
Yes, free and open source
- License:
- MIT
Checked on kepler.gl's site Nov 6, 2026
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- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 4
- Approved reviews
- 0
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About kepler.gl
kepler.gl is an open-source tool for exploring location data on a map, originally built at Uber. You drop in CSV, GeoJSON or similar files and build layers such as points, arcs, hexbins, heatmaps and trip animations, then filter by time or value to see patterns. It is built on MapLibre GL and deck.gl, so it can render millions of points and aggregate them on the fly in the browser. The hosted demo app at kepler.gl runs entirely in the browser, and there is a Jupyter widget for analysts working in notebooks. Developers can also embed it as a React and Redux component inside their own products and customise its theme and behaviour. It is free under the MIT licence. It is a visual exploration tool rather than a full GIS: there is no geoprocessing toolbox, editing workflow or managed data warehouse connection out of the box, so it suits analysts and developers who mainly want fast, attractive maps of big datasets.
Best for: Analysts and developers who want fast, free visual maps of large point and trip datasets.
Pros and cons
What works
- Free and MIT licensed
- Renders millions of points in the browser
- Embeddable React component and a Jupyter widget
- No account needed for the demo app
Why people leave
- No spatial analysis toolbox like a desktop GIS
- Collaboration and sharing need your own hosting setup
- Embedding requires React and Redux knowledge
kepler.gl vs CARTO, Felt and QGIS
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
Top kepler.gl alternatives
See all 4- 1
CARTO68.8Cloud location intelligence platform that runs spatial analysis inside your data warehouse, with team sharing.
- 2
Felt64.8Collaborative web mapping with easy sharing and editing, for teams that need more than exploration.
- 3
QGIS61.8Free desktop GIS with a full geoprocessing toolbox when you need analysis, not just visualisation.
- 4
ArcGIS Pro59.4Industry-standard desktop GIS with deep analysis tools and Esri's data ecosystem.
Why people left kepler.gl
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kepler.gl: common questions
What is kepler.gl?
kepler.gl: Open-source web app and React component for visually exploring large geospatial datasets. Best for analysts and developers who want fast, free visual maps of large point and trip datasets. Available for Web, and you can host it yourself.
Is kepler.gl free?
Yes. kepler.gl is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.
Is kepler.gl open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at keplergl/kepler.gl. You can also run it on your own server.
What platforms does kepler.gl run on?
kepler.gl is available for Web and Self-hosted.
What are the best alternatives to kepler.gl?
The highest-ranked kepler.gl alternatives right now are CARTO, Felt and QGIS. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
kepler.gl vs CARTO: what's the difference?
kepler.gl is free and open source; CARTO is a paid product. kepler.gl is open source and CARTO is not. Both run on Web.