GraphHopper
GraphHopper GmbH provides a cloud-hosted Directions API and self-hostable open-source routing engine built on OpenStreetMap, serving logistics providers, field service teams, navigation app developers, and on-demand delivery operators worldwide with routing, route optimization, and geocoding services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersMunich, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What GraphHopper does
GraphHopper GmbH, founded around 2012 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, builds an open-source routing engine and a commercial Directions API on top of OpenStreetMap data. The core technology stack uses classical graph algorithms — Contraction Hierarchies for sub-100ms continent-wide response, a Landmarks/A* hybrid delivering 15-36x speedup over standard A*, and the jsprit Java library for vehicle routing problems with time windows, capacities, and skill constraints. The product surface encompasses Routing, Route Optimization, Matrix, Isochrone, Map Matching, and Geocoding APIs, alongside GraphHopper Maps (a free consumer-facing route planner) and the self-hostable open-source routing engine distributed on GitHub under Apache License 2.0.
The company monetizes primarily through a credit-based subscription for the hosted Directions API (Directions API Subscription) supplemented by enterprise self-hosting arrangements, with a freemium tier for development and small-scale use. Go-to-market is API-first and developer-led: self-serve signup, an interactive API Explorer, public developer documentation, and a community forum. Customers include enterprise logistics and postal operators (GLS, DB Systel, Posten), mid-market software vendors (Bumbal, Kurviger, Asamm Software/Locus Map), and smaller on-demand services (Doughbies, Washmen, Nordsense); the company claims 600+ customers worldwide.
GraphHopper is a privately held GmbH with 1-10 employees, no disclosed venture funding, and three listed managing directors / co-founders (Peter Karich, Stefan Schröder, Michael Zilske). It maintains a strategic relationship with the OpenStreetMap Foundation, including providing free Directions API access for the official OpenStreetMap website. Operating revenue band, customer-level revenue mix, and ownership structure are not publicly disclosed.
GraphHopper firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GraphHopper
- Legal name
- GraphHopper GmbH
- Website
- https://graphhopper.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- GraphHopper GmbH provides a cloud-hosted Directions API and self-hostable open-source routing engine built on OpenStreetMap, serving logistics providers, field service teams, navigation app developers, and on-demand delivery operators worldwide with routing, route optimization, and geocoding services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GraphHopper industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Route Optimization and Mapping APIs
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Graph Databases (HDAEAAAE)
Keywords
Where GraphHopper is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Munich
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
GraphHopper business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Directions API Subscription: Cloud-hosted API access with credit-based usage. Customers sign up and receive API keys to access routing, route optimization, geocoding, matrix, isochrone, and map matching services. Pricing scales with usage (credits) and offers fair, effort-based pricing that scales with needs.
- Enterprise Self-Hosting: Organizations can download and self-host the open-source GraphHopper routing engine, providing full customization and data control without ongoing subscription costs beyond infrastructure.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier available for development and small-scale usage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
GraphHopper product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GraphHopper provides a cloud-hosted routing and route optimization API service built on OpenStreetMap data, enabling developers and enterprises to integrate point-to-point routing, vehicle routing problem solving, geocoding, travel-time matrix calculation, isochrone analysis, and GPS map matching into their own applications. The company also offers the GraphHopper Routing Engine and jsprit as open-source projects for self-hosting, alongside a free consumer-facing route planner called GraphHopper Maps.
Product overview
GraphHopper offers a unified platform centered on the GraphHopper Directions API, which combines routing, route optimization, geocoding, matrix calculations, isochrone analysis, and map matching into a single API service. The platform includes GraphHopper Maps as a free, open-source route planner interface. Supporting the commercial offering are open-source components: the GraphHopper Routing Engine (a standalone Java-based routing engine) and jsprit (a vehicle routing problem solver library). The product portfolio spans from consumer-facing tools (GraphHopper Maps) to developer APIs to enterprise solutions, all powered by OpenStreetMap data.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- GraphHopper Directions API Enterprise-grade cloud API that combines point-to-point routing, route optimization, geocoding, travel-time matrix calculation, isochrone analysis, and GPS map matching. Serves developers and enterprises integrating routing into logistics, field service, and navigation applications.
- Routing API Point-to-point routing API that solves routing problems for various vehicle profiles such as car, truck, and mountain bike. Targeted at developers integrating turn-by-turn route calculation into their applications.
- Route Optimization API API that solves tour planning problems considering constraints such as time windows, vehicle capacities, and driver capabilities. Serves logistics providers, field service teams, and on-demand delivery operators.
- Geocoding API API that converts addresses into geographic coordinates (geocoding) and vice versa (reverse geocoding), powered by OpenStreetMap data with worldwide coverage.
- Matrix API API that calculates n-by-m travel time and distance matrices for various vehicle profiles, used for logistics planning and optimization.
- Isochrone API API that calculates the area reachable from a defined location within a specified time, returning polygons for analysis.
- Map Matching API API that matches GPS tracks to the digitized road network for accurate route reconstruction from raw GPS data.
- GraphHopper Maps Free open-source route planner supporting cycling, walking, driving, and trucks built on OpenStreetMap. Features alternative route suggestions, elevation data, and customizable routing profiles. Available to end users and embedded on OpenStreetMap.org.
- GraphHopper Routing Engine (Open Source) Open-source routing engine for OpenStreetMap data available for self-hosting. Supports multiple vehicle types, elevation data, and advanced routing algorithms including Contraction Hierarchies and Landmarks. Licensed under Apache License 2.0 for commercial use on any map.
- jsprit (Open Source VRP Library) Open-source vehicle routing library (VRP solver) written in Java, used for solving complex vehicle routing and scheduling problems. Available for self-hosting and integration into Java applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Save up to 30% on time and fuel costs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use GraphHopper
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
GraphHopper technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature9 records
GraphHopper partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- OpenStreetMap FoundationcoreGraphHopper is a proud member of the OpenStreetMap Foundation. All routing and geocoding services are powered by OpenStreetMap data, which covers the entire world. GraphHopper provides free access to their Directions API for the official OpenStreetMap website.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GraphHopper competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mapbox: Mapbox provides developer-focused mapping and turn-by-turn routing APIs (Directions API, Matrix API, Optimization API) targeting the same developer and enterprise logistics segments as GraphHopper, and also maintains the open-source OSRM routing engine — the closest functional and go-to-market analog to GraphHopper.
- PTV Group: PTV Group is a Karlsruhe-based mobility software company offering route optimization, transport planning, and logistics APIs (PTV xRoute, PTV Map&Guide), competing head-to-head with GraphHopper in European routing and VRP optimization for logistics, postal, and field-service customers.
- OptimoRoute: OptimoRoute is a SaaS route optimization platform offering VRP solving, dispatch, and live tracking for last-mile delivery and field-service operations. It targets the same SMB-to-mid-market logistics customers as GraphHopper's Route Optimization API with a similar subscription / credit-based pricing model.
- Routific: Routific delivers route optimization software and APIs for delivery and logistics businesses, solving vehicle routing problems with time windows and capacity constraints. It directly competes with GraphHopper's Route Optimization API in the SMB / mid-market delivery SaaS segment.
- Trimble Maps: Trimble Maps (formerly ALK Technologies / PC*MILER) provides commercial vehicle routing, mileage, and fleet management APIs targeting enterprise trucking and logistics customers. It overlaps with GraphHopper on truck-specific routing and route optimization, particularly in the North American enterprise fleet segment.
Broad incumbents
- HERE Technologies: HERE offers a broad commercial map and routing platform (HERE Routing, HERE Tour Planning, HERE Matrix Routing) covering automotive, logistics, and enterprise use cases. It overlaps heavily with GraphHopper on routing APIs and route optimization but operates across many additional segments (automotive, IoT, location platform).
- Google Maps Platform: Google Maps Platform's Routes API, Distance Matrix, Directions, and Geocoding APIs address the same developer and enterprise use cases as GraphHopper, with the additional reach of Google's commercial-grade map data. It is the dominant incumbent in developer-facing routing APIs and a key indirect competitor to GraphHopper's Directions API.
- TomTom: TomTom provides commercial-grade maps and a Routing API / Optimization API serving logistics and automotive customers. It competes with GraphHopper on multi-modal routing and route optimization while also operating consumer navigation products and broad map licensing businesses.
- Esri: Esri's ArcGIS platform includes Network Analyst, routing services, and Vehicle Routing Problem solvers used by enterprises and government agencies. While Esri operates broadly across GIS, its routing and VRP capabilities directly compete with GraphHopper for enterprise geospatial and logistics customers.
Emerging players
- Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM): OSRM is an open-source C++ routing engine for OpenStreetMap using Contraction Hierarchies, maintained primarily by Mapbox. It targets the same developer audience as GraphHopper's open-source engine with overlapping algorithmic foundations, functioning as both a substitute and as the base layer for Mapbox's commercial routing API.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GraphHopper social profiles
Digital presenceGraphHopper financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GraphHopper leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
GraphHopper funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GraphHopper M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GraphHopper
What does GraphHopper do?
GraphHopper provides a cloud-hosted routing and route optimization API service built on OpenStreetMap data, enabling developers and enterprises to integrate point-to-point routing, vehicle routing problem solving, geocoding, travel-time matrix calculation, isochrone analysis, and GPS map matching into their own applications. The company also offers the GraphHopper Routing Engine and jsprit as open-source projects for self-hosting, alongside a free consumer-facing route planner called GraphHopper Maps.
Is GraphHopper a public or private company?
GraphHopper is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was GraphHopper founded?
GraphHopper was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is GraphHopper based?
GraphHopper is headquartered in Munich, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does GraphHopper make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Directions API Subscription is the primary driver. The others are enterprise Self-Hosting.
Who are GraphHopper's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mapbox, PTV Group, OptimoRoute, Routific and Trimble Maps. Broad incumbents are HERE Technologies, Google Maps Platform, TomTom and Esri. Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) is listed as an emerging player.
Does GraphHopper have an API?
Yes. GraphHopper Directions API is a RESTful web service with a JSON interface that enables point-to-point routing for various vehicle profiles (car, truck, bicycle, pedestrian). It includes Route Optimization API for solving vehicle routing problems with constraints like time windows and capacity, Geocoding API for address-to-coordinate conversion, Matrix API for calculating travel time/distance matrices, Isochrone API for reachability areas, and Map Matching API for GPS track matching. Available publicly with API key registration. Developer documentation is at docs.graphhopper.com.
What industry is GraphHopper in?
GraphHopper's product category is Route Optimization and Mapping APIs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAAAE, Graph Databases. Its SIC code is 4700.