Editors

Technically, OpenStreetMap is a database, and not what everyday language calls a 'map'. There are many software applications, known as editors, that can be used to edit the database. Before you can edit any data you will need to create an OSM account.

(Sometimes 'editor' is used to refer to the person doing the editing, but in OSM-world it is more usual to call this person a user or a contributor.)

Beginners Guide

The Beginners' guide will show you how to add data to OpenStreetMap. Tutorials are available in many languages and can be select from the table at the top of the page. You may also wish to see Mapping projects for inspiration about what to map.

Most used Editors

Desktop

iD is the easy to use editor found per default on the "Edit" button of the OpenStreetMap homepage, and is ideal for quick editing contributions. It runs in your browser and downloads data automatically as you look around.

JOSM is a highly expandable standalone Java desktop application which allows editing more data at once, using more advanced tools and direct access to data at cost of increased complexity.

Rapid is a fork of iD, developed by Meta. In addition to the Features of iD, Rapid offers tools to verify AI generated data and integrate it into the OSM database.

Potlatch is the precursor to iD, now available as a desktop application for Mac and Windows.

Mobile

StreetComplete is an Android app that allows to easily add information. Low barrier to entry, no OpenStreetMap knowledge or experience is needed (beyond creating an account). Is not intended as a general purpose editor, only adding of predefined data to an existing objects and answering notes is available.

Vespucci is the fully-featured Android editor with the most significant use.

Go Map!! is the most popular iOS editor.

Every Door is an Android and iOS app that lets you create and edit objects in OpenStreetMap. It supports editing node and polygon features, and creating point features like shops, benches, and building entrances.

Osm Go! is a light and easy Android editor. Perfect for adding/editing POI when surveying.

Choice of editors

Main article: Comparison of editors

Because OpenStreetMap is an open platform with an editing API, there are many other editors to choose from, some with a simplified sub-set of functionality, some operating on specific platforms such as mobile devices. The following table lists some of the options. As with all such lists on this wiki presence on the list should not be considered a recommendation, have a look at the editor usage stats to see what is currently actually in use, typically only those with a larger current user base are consistently maintained and support current good mapping practices.

Name	Platform	Add POIs	Edit / Delete POIs	Edit arbitrary tags of existing OSM objects	Edit geometries	Support imagery offset DB	Upload to OSM	Version
ArcGIS Editor for OSM [1]	Windows	yes	yes	yes	yes	?	yes	2019-06-11 10.7
Deriviste [2]	Web-based (JavaScript)	yes	no	no	no	no	yes	2020-05-09
Every Door [3]	Android, iOS	yes	yes	Yes, for amenities, shop and buildings.	no	no	yes	2023-10-07 4.0
FireYak-Hydrants [4]	Android	yes	?	?	?	no	yes	2019-03-28 1.3.9
GNOME Maps [5]	Linux	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	2022-03-19 42.0
Go Map!! [6]	iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, VisionOS	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2024-05-17 3.6.6
GPSMapEdit [7]	Windows	yes	yes	yes	yes	?	yes	2021-03-19 2.1 update 78.18
Healthsites.io [8]	Web-based (Pyhton, JavaScript)	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	2020-09-24 2.0.21
iD [9]	Web-based (JavaScript)	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2023-08-17 2.27.1
iD-strava [10]	Web-based (JavaScript)	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2017-11-07 1.8.5
JOSM [11]	Windows, Linux, macOS	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	2023-08-30 18822
Level0 [12]	Web-based (PHP)	yes	yes	yes	yes	?	yes	2016-02-09 1.2
MapComplete [13]	Web-based (Typescript)	yes	yes	yes	Limited	no	yes	2023-10-06 0.33.7
MAPS.ME [14]	Android, iOS	yes	no	no	no	no	yes	2023-08-10 15.1.71626
OpenRecycleMap [15]	Web, Android, iOS (via PWA)	yes only recycling	yes only recycling	no	no	no	yes	2023-08-17 no versioning
OpenStop [16]	Android, iOS	yes only bus stops	yes only bus stops	no	no	no	yes	2024-03-04 0.7.0
Organic Maps [17]]	Android, iOS	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	2023-09-22 2023.09.22-27
Merkaartor [18]	Windows, Linux, macOS	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2021-08-27 0.19.0
OSM ↔ Wikidata [19]	Web-based (JavaScript)	no	yes	no	no	no	yes	2022-03-19
OsmoTagger [20]	iOS	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	2024-04-13 1.1
Osm Go! [21]	Web-based and Android	yes	yes	?	?	?	yes	2023-08-12 1.6.1
OSM2Go [22]	Linux; Maemo (N800, N900)	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2020-12-06 0.9.17
OsmAnd [23]	Android, iOS	yes	yes	Yes, for nodes and closed ways with common tag combinations.	no	no	yes	2023-10-12 4.6.3
Osmapy [24]	Windows, Linux, macOS	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2020-06-21 0.0.18
OsmInEdit [25]	Web-based (JavaScript)	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2022-01-04 1.0.11
OSMyBiz [26]	Web-based (JavaScript)	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	2018-11-14 0.1
Pic4Review [27]	Web-based (JavaScript)	no	yes	yes	no	no	yes	2021-08-19 0.5.29
Potlatch (aka Potlatch 3)	Windows & macOS	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2020-12-30 3.0
QGIS [28]	Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD	yes	yes	yes	yes	?	no	2022-04-15 3.24.2
RapiD [29]	Web-based (JavaScript)	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	2022-05-03 1.1.9
RoofMapper [30]	Web-based (JavaScript)	no	Only add material to roofs	no	no	no	yes	2017-11-13 1.1.3
StreetComplete [31]	Android	only shops	Limited deletion of no longer existing features	Only for nodes and ways with supported answers.	It is possible to split ways	no	yes	2023-09-26 54.1
Vespucci [32]	Android	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	2024-06-12 20.0.3
Wheelmap [[33]]	Web	no	no	no	no	no	yes	Not listed