osm2cdr.ru vs Mapbox Studio, osm2cad.com, BBBike: Map Export Services Compared
You can export OpenStreetMap data in a dozen ways. But between "downloading GeoJSON from Overpass" and "getting a styled map in CDR for CorelDRAW" lies a chasm. Let's compare four services that solve this problem differently.
Contenders
osm2cdr.ru
A specialized OSM map export service supporting 127 formats. Focus: design and CAD formats (CDR, DWG, AI, EPS), GIS, 3D, navigation. Custom rendering via QGIS headless and PostGIS.
Mapbox Studio
A platform for creating custom maps. Focus: web maps, mobile apps, tiles. Export is limited: PNG, SVG (for prints), vector tiles.
osm2cad.com
A German service for exporting OSM to CAD formats. Focus: DXF and DWG for architects and engineers. Minimal formats, maximum CAD specificity.
BBBike
A free OSM data export service. Focus: raw data in various formats (PBF, Shapefile, GeoJSON, Garmin). No styling.
Category Comparison
Export Formats
| Format | osm2cdr | Mapbox | osm2cad | BBBike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vector | ||||
| SVG | Yes | Yes (print) | No | No |
| Yes | No | No | No | |
| AI (Illustrator) | Yes | No | No | No |
| EPS | Yes | No | No | No |
| CDR (CorelDRAW) | Yes | No | No | No |
| PSD | Yes | No | No | No |
| CAD | ||||
| DXF | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| DWG | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| GIS | ||||
| GeoJSON | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Shapefile | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| GeoPackage | Yes | No | No | No |
| KML/KMZ | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| GPX | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Raster | ||||
| PNG | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (tiles) |
| GeoTIFF | Yes | No | No | No |
| 3D | ||||
| STL | Yes | No | No | No |
| glTF | Yes | No | No | No |
| IFC (BIM) | Yes | No | No | No |
| Navigation | ||||
| Garmin IMG | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| OsmAnd OBF | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Total | 124 | ~5 | ~3 | ~15 |
Map Styling
| Criterion | osm2cdr | Mapbox | osm2cad | BBBike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Style count | 20 | Unlimited (builder) | 1 (b/w CAD) | 0 (raw data) |
| Custom colors | Yes (6 params) | Yes (full control) | No | No |
| Labels | Yes (scale-dependent) | Yes | Yes (minimal) | No |
| Design styles | blueprint, neon, vintage... | Via builder | No | No |
Mapbox Studio leads in web map customization. osm2cdr offers ready-made design styles and export to print-ready formats.
CAD Capabilities
| Criterion | osm2cdr | osm2cad | Mapbox | BBBike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Layers by object type | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Drawing scale | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CRS / projections | 165 (incl. local) | ~10 | EPSG:3857 | No |
| Blocks/components | Yes | No | No | No |
| Object attributes | Yes (extended-data) | Yes | No | No |
For CAD tasks, osm2cdr and osm2cad are the main competitors. osm2cdr is broader in formats (DXF + DWG + CDR + KOMPAS), osm2cad may be deeper in DXF-specific settings.
Analytics and Data
| Criterion | osm2cdr | Mapbox | osm2cad | BBBike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoring (Walk, Green...) | 10 engines | No | No | No |
| City dashboards | 300+ cities | No | No | No |
| Data products | 288 products | Via Tilequery | No | No |
| Geocoding | Yes (Nominatim) | Yes (commercial) | No | No |
Pricing
| Tier | osm2cdr | Mapbox | osm2cad | BBBike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes (basic formats) | 50K loads/mo | Yes (limited) | Fully free |
| Basic | ~$10/mo | $50/mo (usage) | ~$15/mo | — |
| Pro | ~$30/mo | $100+/mo | ~$40/mo | — |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | No | — |
| API | Yes (all tiers) | Yes | No | No |
BBBike is completely free but provides only raw data. Mapbox is more expensive but offers a full platform for building map applications.
API and Automation
| Criterion | osm2cdr | Mapbox | osm2cad | BBBike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REST API | Yes | Yes | No | Limited |
| Batch export | Yes (up to 200 tasks) | No | No | Yes (email) |
| WebSocket progress | Yes | No | No | No |
| SDK (JavaScript) | Yes | Yes (Mapbox GL JS) | No | No |
| Webhooks | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Who Should Choose What
Designer / Illustrator
Best choice: osm2cdr.ru
Needs CDR, AI, EPS, SVG formats with design styles (blueprint, vintage, neon). Neither Mapbox nor osm2cad export to Adobe/Corel formats with layer separation.
Architect / Engineer
Best choice: osm2cdr.ru or osm2cad.com
Both export to DXF/DWG with layer separation. osm2cdr supports more projections (165 CRS including local coordinate systems), osm2cad may offer more DXF attribute detail.
Web Developer
Best choice: Mapbox Studio
For embedding an interactive map in a web application, Mapbox GL JS is unmatched. osm2cdr offers an Embed SDK, but Mapbox is a more mature web mapping platform.
GIS Analyst
Best choice: osm2cdr.ru
127 formats including GeoPackage, Shapefile, FlatGeobuf, GeoParquet. City dashboards, scoring, 288 data products. BBBike provides raw data but without analytics.
Traveler / Navigator
Best choice: BBBike or osm2cdr.ru
BBBike exports to Garmin IMG and OsmAnd OBF for free. osm2cdr adds styling and more navigation formats (TomTom OV2, GPI).
3D Artist / BIM Specialist
Best choice: osm2cdr.ru
The only service with real 3D building export to STL, glTF, IFC, CityJSON, OBJ. Mapbox offers 3D buildings only in rendering, not in export.
Weaknesses of Each Service
osm2cdr.ru
- Younger service, less known
- No style builder (only presets)
- Some formats require paid subscription
Mapbox Studio
- Limited export (no CAD, no 3D files, no GIS formats)
- Expensive at high traffic
- Vendor lock-in to proprietary platform
osm2cad.com
- Only 2-3 formats (DXF, DWG)
- No API
- No styling (black and white CAD only)
BBBike
- Raw data only, no styling
- Slow export (queue, email notification)
- No analytics, scoring, dashboards
Final Rating
| Criterion | osm2cdr | Mapbox | osm2cad | BBBike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formats | 10/10 | 3/10 | 2/10 | 5/10 |
| Styling | 8/10 | 10/10 | 2/10 | 0/10 |
| CAD | 9/10 | 0/10 | 9/10 | 0/10 |
| GIS/Analytics | 9/10 | 5/10 | 0/10 | 3/10 |
| 3D/BIM | 9/10 | 2/10 | 0/10 | 0/10 |
| API | 8/10 | 10/10 | 0/10 | 2/10 |
| Price | 8/10 | 5/10 | 7/10 | 10/10 |
| Average | 8.7 | 5.0 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
Each service excels in its niche. osm2cdr covers the broadest range of tasks, Mapbox is best for web development, osm2cad for pure CAD, and BBBike for free raw data.