Best Isochrone & Travel-Time APIs
Routing APIs that compute reachability polygons (isochrones/isolines) for catchment analysis, site selection, and 'near me' filtering.
Our pick: Azure Maps Route
Azure Maps Route is a REST API from Microsoft that calculates optimal routes for cars, commercial trucks, and pedestrians, covering 200-plus countries with support for turn-by-turn directions, distance matrices, isochrones, waypoint optimization, and snap-to-road. It is priced per 1,000 transactions on a self-serve, usage-based model with a published rate card and no sales call required. SDKs are available for .NET, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, and Java. The service carries SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS certifications, and ships a published SLA.
Best for: Prototypes and side projects - free to start, no sales call; Regulated or enterprise workloads - compliance attestations and an enterprise plan; Teams needing broad API coverage out of the box.
Best for…
- Best overall
- Azure Maps Route
- Best free pick
- Azure Maps Route
- Best for enterprise
- Azure Maps Route
- Cheapest to start
- HERE Routing API
- Best for agents
- HERE Routing API
- Broadest surface
- NextBillion.ai
Ranked (7)
#1 Azure Maps Route
66 / 100- Best overall
- Best free pick
- Best for enterprise
Azure Maps Route is a REST API from Microsoft that calculates optimal routes for cars, commercial trucks, and pedestrians, covering 200-plus countries with support for turn-by-turn directions, distance matrices, isochrones, waypoint optimization, and snap-to-road. It is priced per 1,000 transactions on a self-serve, usage-based model with a published rate card and no sales call required. SDKs are available for .NET, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, and Java. The service carries SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS certifications, and ships a published SLA.
PricingUsage · free tier ✓TrustSOC 2 Type II · HIPAA · GDPR · ISO 27001 · PCI DSSDoes#2 HERE Routing API
72 / 100- Cheapest to start
- Best for agents
HERE Routing API is a REST-based routing and navigation service covering turn-by-turn directions, distance matrices, isoline analysis, waypoint optimization, and ETA prediction across car, truck, EV, bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit modes, with global map coverage for 190+ countries. It targets logistics, fleet management, last-mile delivery, and field service teams, and is self-serve with a free tier of 30,000 transactions per month (payment on file required), then $0.75 per 1,000 requests with enterprise plans available. Compliance certifications include SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and GDPR, and SDKs are available for JavaScript, Python, Java, TypeScript, and C++.
PricingHybrid · from $0.75 1,000 requests · free tier ✓TrustSOC 2 Type II · GDPR · ISO 27001DoesUsed byUrbantz, TIMOCOM, Kovix, Glympse#3 GraphHopper Directions API
58 / 100GraphHopper Directions API is a routing and logistics platform built for developers who need turn-by-turn navigation, delivery optimization, isochrone analysis, map matching, and geocoding over worldwide OpenStreetMap coverage supplemented by TomTom data in 150+ countries. It offers self-serve subscription plans with published pricing, a free tier capped at 500 credits per day for non-commercial use, and an enterprise option backed by a published SLA. The REST API uses API key authentication and ships official SDKs for JavaScript and Java, with customers including GLS, DB Systel, and Posten.
PricingSubscription · free tier ✓TrustGDPRDoesUsed byGLS, DB Systel, Bumbal, PostenThe catchA flexible open-source routing engine with strong optimization, but the free tier is non-commercial only and capped at 500 credits/day.#4 TomTom Routing API
61 / 100TomTom Routing API is a REST-based suite of web services covering turn-by-turn navigation, multi-waypoint optimization, matrix routing, reachable range analysis, and long-distance EV routing across 200-plus countries and territories, with real-time traffic available in roughly 90 markets. Pricing is usage-based at $0.75 per 1,000 requests, with a free tier of 2,500 non-tile requests per day shared across all TomTom APIs, self-serve signup, and no sales call required. The API is GDPR-compliant and ISO 27001 certified, supports API-key auth, and offers an MCP server alongside JavaScript and TypeScript SDKs. Customers include Microsoft Azure, Huawei, Bolt, and Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, making it a practical choice for logistics, fleet management, and navigation application developers.
PricingUsage · from $0.75 1,000 requests · free tier ✓TrustGDPR · ISO 27001DoesUsed byMicrosoft Azure, Huawei, Sygic, BoltAvoid ifYou have strict compliance requirements#5 NextBillion.ai
35 / 100- Broadest surface
NextBillion.ai provides route planning and optimization APIs targeted at margin-sensitive logistics operators, covering last-mile delivery, trucking with HGV and hazmat compliance, field service scheduling, and ride-hailing. Pricing starts at $499 per month on a 12-month annual contract with a 14-day free trial; plans require a sales call and are not self-serve. SDKs are available for eight languages and platforms, the API holds SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 certifications with GDPR compliance, and customers include Deutsche Bahn, Gojek, Geotab, and ServiceTitan.
PricingSales-led · free tier ✗TrustSOC 2 Type II · GDPR · ISO 27001DoesUsed byAbInBev, Geotab, ServiceTitan, GojekAvoid ifYou need to start building today without contacting sales#6 TravelTime API
43 / 100TravelTime API is a REST-based travel time and location intelligence service, established in 2009, that calculates isochrones, many-to-many travel time matrices, routing, and geocoding across driving, walking, cycling, and public transport modes in 235 countries. It is used by property portals, job platforms, and commercial real estate firms, with customers including Rightmove, Zoopla, CBRE, JLL, and the NHS. Pricing is subscription-based with no published rates; a 2-week free trial is available, and paid tiers require a sales conversation. SDKs are available for Python, Node.js, Java, Ruby, and R, and the API is GDPR-compliant with a published SLA.
PricingSubscription · free tier ✓TrustGDPRDoesUsed byRightmove, Zoopla, Realtor, CoStar GroupThe catchThe specialist for isochrones and travel-time matrices, but it sells fixed annual licenses (anti per-call), so there is no published price card and you must contact sales.#7 OpenRouteService
43 / 100OpenRouteService is an open-source geospatial API built on OpenStreetMap data by HeiGIT gGmbH, offering routing, isochrone analysis, distance matrices, vehicle route optimization, geocoding, elevation, and POI search across global coverage with support for driving, cycling, walking, and wheelchair profiles. It suits developers, nonprofits, academic researchers, and government agencies, with a self-serve free tier (2,000 directions requests per day) and higher quotas available through paid subscription or a Collaborative Plan for eligible organizations. SDKs exist for Python, JavaScript, and R, and the API is GDPR-compliant with API key authentication. Notable users include The New York Times and several German public institutions.
PricingSubscription · free tier ✓TrustGDPRDoesUsed byThe New York Times, rbb (German broadcaster), SWR, BKG (Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie)The catchOpen-source and free on OpenStreetMap data with a generous daily quota, but the hosted free tier caps waypoints and rates, so production scale means a paid plan or self-hosting.