patchBay

Actinia Grass GIS vs Nominatim

If you need a Geocoding API that's easy to integrate, go with Nominatim.

Actinia Grass GIS

Actinia is an open source REST API for geographical data that uses GRASS GIS

Nominatim

Provides worldwide forward / reverse geocoding

Actinia Grass GIS

  • Simple API key authentication
  • HTTPS supported
  • Currently flagged as inactive

Nominatim

  • No authentication required
  • HTTPS supported
  • CORS enabled for frontend use
FeatureActinia Grass GISNominatim
AuthenticationapiKeyNone
HTTPSYesYes
CORSUnknownYes

When to use which?

Nominatim is the better choice for quick prototypes and hackathons since it requires no authentication. Nominatim works directly from the browser with CORS enabled, making it better for frontend-only apps.