Lat·Lng vs the alternatives
We're not the only way to convert geospatial files — and for some teams, a free tool or an enterprise ETL suite is the right call. Here's an honest read of where each option wins and loses, so you can make the decision that fits your stack.
| Capability | Lat·Lng (Browser + REST API, Free / €49/mo / Custom) | Mapshaper (Browser-only, Free, OSS) | MyGeodata (Web app + REST API, Free trial / €30–500+/mo) | FME (Desktop + Server, From ~$1,500/yr/seat) | ogr2ogr (CLI, Free, OSS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read GeoJSON / KML / Shapefile / GPX / CSV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Read TopoJSON | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Read GeoParquet | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Read FlatGeobuf | Yes | No | No | Partial | Yes |
| Write Shapefile (with .prj) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Write GeoParquet | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Drag-and-drop in browser, no install | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| REST API | Yes | No | Yes | Partial | No |
| Typed SDKs (Node + Python) | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Scheduled workflows (cron / S3 / webhooks) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Batch convert 100s of files | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RFC 7946 GeoJSON validation on output | Yes | Partial | No | Partial | No |
| Auto-detect CRS from .prj / filename | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Reproject between any of 8,112 EPSG codes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Files never leave the browser by default | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Signed DPA available | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | No |
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| SAML / OIDC SSO | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Free tier good for one-off conversions | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | Yes |
| Predictable monthly pricing | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Pick by use case
- Mapshaper. Pick it when: Best free browser tool when you don't need GeoParquet, FlatGeobuf, or an API. Excellent simplification + dissolve + clip primitives. Skip it when: No paid SLA, no signed DPA, no scheduled jobs, no SDKs.
- MyGeodata. Pick it when: Long-established commercial converter with a wide format list and a usable REST API. Skip it when: Files upload to their servers by default — review their terms if your data is sensitive. No GeoParquet output.
- FME (Safe Software). Pick it when: If you need a 200-format ETL platform with a graphical workflow editor, FME is the gold standard. Skip it when: Per-seat pricing starts around $1,500/yr. Most teams converting <10 formats are paying for capability they never use.
- ogr2ogr (GDAL). Pick it when: If you want a free CLI with the broadest format support on earth, this is it. ogr2ogr can do almost anything we can. Skip it when: Steep learning curve, no UI, no audit trail, no compliance posture, no support contract — and your team has to maintain the toolchain.
Where Lat·Lng fits
Teams pick us when they need browser-side privacy for ad-hoc conversions, a real REST API and typed SDKs for pipeline integration, and a signed DPA + SSO for procurement. If you only need to convert a KML once or twice a year, mapshaper is great. If you have a $50K/year ETL budget and a graphical-workflow team, FME is fine. We sit in the middle.