OpenFreeMap Terrain (AWS Elevation)
OpenFreeMap provides free, no-API-key terrain tiles for MapLibre by serving AWS elevation data as raster-dem tiles, ideal for demos and projects that want zero-friction 3D terrain.
Format
Raster-dem tiles (Mapbox encoding) / PMTiles
Geometry
Raster DEM tiles
Coverage
Global
Resolution
Up to zoom 12 (~38m)
About this dataset
Free open-source raster-dem terrain tiles served from AWS Open Data, compatible with MapLibre GL JS terrain rendering at no cost.
OpenFreeMap provides free raster-dem terrain tiles derived from AWS Open Data elevation datasets. The tiles use Mapbox encoding and are available via static tile URLs or PMTiles archives. No API key or registration is required, making this the simplest free terrain option for MapLibre.
How to download
- 1 Visit openfreemap.org to get the terrain tile URL template for MapLibre.
- 2 Add a raster-dem source in your MapLibre map using the provided z/x/y URL pattern with encoding set to 'mapbox'.
- 3 Enable terrain rendering with terrain: { source: 'your-dem-id', exaggeration: 1.5 }.
- 4 No API key needed — just use the URL directly for demos and moderate-traffic sites.
FAQ
Is OpenFreeMap terrain really free with no API key?
Yes. OpenFreeMap provides terrain tiles at no cost and without registration. The service is community-supported and may have rate limits for very high traffic, but no API key is required.
What encoding do OpenFreeMap terrain tiles use?
OpenFreeMap terrain tiles use Mapbox RGB encoding. Set encoding: 'mapbox' in your MapLibre raster-dem source definition.
Can I self-host OpenFreeMap terrain data?
Yes. The project is open-source on GitHub. You can download the PMTiles and serve them from your own infrastructure for full control.