Organic Maps
Organic Maps is a free, open-source, privacy-focused offline maps and navigation app for Android and iOS, built on OpenStreetMap data. Founded in 2021 as a fork of MAPS.ME, it offers turn-by-turn navigation, hiking trails, cycling routes, and offline search with no ads, no tracking, and no data collection. The app has reached over 6 million installs.
Score generated by AI agents based on publicly cited evidence and reviewed by the project maintainer. Not independently validated.
Score History
Timeline events are AI-curated from public reporting. Score trajectory is derived from documented events.
Organic Maps was born in December 2020 as a community-driven fork of MAPS.ME after the original app was sold and degraded by new owners. Co-founders Borsuk and Havaka, original MapsWithMe developers, launched the fork with a commitment to privacy, open source, and no ads. The project had near-zero enshittification risk at inception, with minimal governance formality and no commercial monetization.
Organic Maps grew steadily through 2022-2023 with regular releases, GSoC participation, and expanding distribution to Huawei AppGallery and Flathub. The founding of Organic Maps OÜ in Estonia formalized the corporate structure as a for-profit LLC owned by three shareholders, introducing a structural governance gap between the community-facing messaging and actual corporate control. The secret metaserver component was already running since mid-2021 without community knowledge.
The November 2023 KAYAK affiliate links PR and its January 2024 merge marked the first departure from Organic Maps' zero-commercial-content commitment. F-Droid flagged the app with an 'Ads' anti-feature, and the project suspended its own F-Droid updates rather than remove the links. Governance concerns intensified as the KAYAK deal was negotiated behind closed doors. Meanwhile, the app reached 1 million users and added Android Auto, outdoor map styles, and GPX import.
The December 2024 metaserver revelation and Borsuk's retaliatory access revocation against Tsisyk brought simmering governance tensions to a boil. The community's March 2025 open letter collected 199 signatures demanding nonprofit conversion and financial transparency. Shareholders largely ignored demands, leading to the CoMaps fork in May 2025. Tsisyk was removed from the management board in August 2025 and the Binary Data License was introduced, adding attribution friction for forks.
With the CoMaps fork established and active contributors departed, Organic Maps continues under the control of Havaka and Borsuk. The governance score worsened further after Tsisyk's board removal and Borsuk's board addition consolidated shareholder control. The Binary Data License and attribution requirements represent mild competitive friction. Product quality remains strong with 13 releases in 2025 and 6 million installs, but the governance trajectory is clearly worsening.
Alternatives
The dominant maps app with real-time traffic, public transit, and Street View — features Organic Maps lacks. Easy switch but the tradeoff is significant: Google collects extensive location data and serves ads. Offline maps are available but limited compared to Organic Maps' fully offline experience.
Community fork of Organic Maps created in 2025 after governance concerns. Same OpenStreetMap data and core functionality but with KAYAK affiliate links removed, Google dependencies stripped, and a commitment to nonprofit governance. Available on F-Droid, Play Store, and App Store. Seamless switch — your existing maps work identically.
Feature-rich open-source offline maps app with more advanced options than Organic Maps, including public transit, topographic overlays, and extensive customization. Free version has a map download limit; paid version removes it. Steeper learning curve but more powerful for power users.
Dimensional Breakdown
Summaries below were written by AI agents based on the cited evidence. They are editorial interpretations, not independent research findings.
Dimension History
Timeline (32 events)
MAPS.ME 2.0 Release Triggers Community Backlash
Daegu Limited, the new owner of MAPS.ME, released version 2.0 which replaced the open-source codebase with a closed-source version, removed house numbers and street names, and fundamentally altered the map style. The community condemned the changes as a betrayal of the open-source project's values.
Borsuk and Havaka Fork MAPS.ME as Organic Maps
Original MapsWithMe co-founders Alexander Borsuk and Viktor Havaka started their own fork of the MAPS.ME open-source codebase on December 20, 2020. They registered the organicmaps.app domain the next day. On December 27-28, a community hackathon bootstrapped the new project in roughly 20 hours of work.
First Android Release on Google Play
The first Android release under the 'app.omaps' application identifier was approved by Google Play on January 3, 2021. The initial release focused on removing ads, eliminating copyrighted graphics, and removing functionality dependent on proprietary backends from the MAPS.ME codebase.
Exodus Privacy Confirms Zero Trackers in App
The Exodus Privacy Project audit of Organic Maps version 2021.05.05 found no code signatures of any known trackers in the application. This verification confirmed the project's core privacy commitment of no tracking, no ads, and no data collection in a way that was independently auditable.
Organic Maps Launches on iOS App Store
Organic Maps became publicly available on the Apple App Store on June 17, 2021, expanding the app from Android-only to a cross-platform offering. The iOS version included the same privacy-focused, ad-free offline navigation with CarPlay support from launch.
Organic Maps OÜ Registered in Estonia
Organic Maps OÜ was established as an osaühing (limited-liability company) registered in Tallinn, Estonia, to manage the project's finances and trademark. The company was owned by co-founders Viktor Havaka, Alexander Borsuk, and Roman Tsisyk, with bylaws requiring 3/4 shareholder agreement on major decisions.
Organic Maps Expands to Huawei AppGallery
The February 2022 update of Organic Maps became available on Huawei AppGallery and F-Droid, expanding the app's distribution beyond Google Play and the Apple App Store. This made the app accessible to Huawei device users who lack Google Play Services.
Wikipedia Articles Added for Map Points of Interest
The March 2022 update introduced offline Wikipedia articles for well-known places, improved search suggestions, and brighter roads in night mode. This feature allowed users to read Wikipedia summaries for landmarks and locations directly within the map without an internet connection.
Organic Maps Accepted into Google Summer of Code 2022
Organic Maps was accepted as a mentoring organization for Google Summer of Code 2022, receiving student contributors to work on features including Android Auto research and Wikipedia parser improvements. This marked the project's first participation in a structured open-source mentoring program.
FUTO Awards $1,000 Micro-Grant to Organic Maps
FUTO, a technology organization focused on fighting 'tech tyranny,' awarded a $1,000 micro-grant to Organic Maps in February 2023. While modest, this was one of the first institutional grants the project received, supplementing donation-based funding that fell significantly short of covering development costs.
Organic Maps Receives 4 GSoC 2023 Slots Including Android Auto
Organic Maps received 4 slots in Google Summer of Code 2023 for Android Auto, better user interface for mobile and desktop, Wikipedia parser improvements, and a better map styling system. The Android Auto project was successfully completed by student contributor Andrew Shkrob.
GPX Import Support Added
Organic Maps added native GPX track import support, eliminating the need for users to convert GPX files to KML format. This improved data portability with other mapping applications like OsmAnd and GPS devices, alongside new OpenStreetMap data and routing improvements.
KAYAK Affiliate Links Pull Request Sparks Community Backlash
A pull request appeared on the Organic Maps GitHub repository to add 'Details on KAYAK' affiliate links to hotel listings, developed by co-founder Roman Tsisyk. Users who selected hotels would see a button linking to KAYAK, with Organic Maps receiving a referral bonus for any bookings. Community members immediately voiced concerns about privacy compromises and perceived advertising, with some calling it a violation of the 'no ads' promise.
Outdoor Map Style Preview Released
The November 2023 release introduced a preview of the outdoor map style, tailored for hiking, backcountry cycling, and other outdoor activities. The style emphasized paths, cliffs, rivers, peaks, mountain passes, campsites, and other features relevant to off-road navigation.
Organic Maps Reaches One Million Users
Organic Maps announced reaching its first million users in December 2023. The milestone came alongside the year's major feature additions: GPX import, a ruler tool, the outdoors map style, background voice directions, and Android Auto support. The 2023 release cycle also introduced search for skiing and ski runs.
Android Auto Support Officially Released on Google Play
Android Auto support for Organic Maps, developed during Google Summer of Code 2023, was finally made available on Google Play in January 2024. The feature allowed drivers to use Organic Maps navigation directly on their car's Android Auto display for safer driving.
F-Droid Flags Organic Maps with 'Ads' Anti-Feature
F-Droid flagged Organic Maps with the 'Ads' anti-feature label due to the KAYAK affiliate links, creating a paradox: the app's upstream description said 'No Ads' while F-Droid listed 'Ads' as an anti-feature. Organic Maps responded by requesting suspension of its F-Droid updates, disputing that affiliate links constitute advertising.
Community Opens Governance Discussion on GitHub
Contributor pastk opened GitHub Discussion #8559 titled 'Project's direction, values and governance,' raising concerns about Organic Maps' privacy positioning, the KAYAK decision-making process, and the lack of formal community governance structures. The discussion became a focal point for growing contributor discontent.
NGI0 Entrust Fund Features Released
The July 2024 release introduced two major features funded through the EU's NGI0 Entrust Fund via NLnet Foundation: improved USA address search using TIGER data from the Nominatim project, and fixed text rendering for non-Latin scripts. This represented a significant institutional grant supporting Organic Maps development.
Track Recorder Feature Released
Organic Maps released the Track Recorder feature, allowing users to record and save routes while hiking, biking, running, or navigating. The feature operated in the background and saved recorded tracks to the Bookmarks and Tracks dialog in standard formats for export.
Borsuk Removes MIT License from Secret Metaserver
Co-founder Alexander Borsuk quietly removed the MIT license from the metaserver CDN component's repository, adding the comment 'No MIT yet, sorry.' He also enabled request logging on the Cloudflare Worker-based server that had existed since 2021 to direct users to geographically optimal map download mirrors. The change effectively privatized the previously MIT-licensed code.
Tsisyk Reveals Secret Server Component, Gets GitHub Access Revoked
Co-founder Roman Tsisyk publicly disclosed the existence of the secret metaserver component that had been hidden from the wider community since 2021. He reversed Borsuk's license removal and re-published the code under MIT. In retaliation, Borsuk revoked Tsisyk's privileged access to Organic Maps' GitHub organization, though Havaka restored it the following week.
Open Letter Sent to Organic Maps Shareholders
A group of community contributors sent an open letter to the shareholders of Organic Maps OÜ demanding nonprofit conversion, financial transparency, and democratic governance. The letter documented concerns about closed-door decision-making, the secret KAYAK deal, allegations that shareholders used donation funds for personal expenses including holiday trips, and the unpublished 2024 annual financial report.
GitHub Blocks Organic Maps, Forced Migration to Forgejo
After Tsisyk transferred GitHub owner permissions from Borsuk and Havaka to community contributor pastk, GitHub's automated sanctions check flagged the organization and blocked access. The entire repository with 54,000 commits, 9,500 issues, 4,300 pull requests, and 100,000 comments was migrated to self-hosted Forgejo at git.omaps.dev within two weeks.
Open Letter Published with 199 Signatures
The open letter to Organic Maps shareholders was made public on April 16, 2025, after being sent internally on March 21. It accumulated 199 verified signatures from community contributors. The letter demanded a shift to nonprofit structure, inclusive decision-making, and full financial transparency. Viktor Havaka offered only to guarantee against selling the project while retaining full control.
CoMaps Fork Officially Announced
After shareholders ignored community demands, contributors formally announced CoMaps as a community-led fork of Organic Maps. The project committed to transparency, community decision-making, not-for-profit operation, and fully open-source development. KAYAK affiliate links were removed as one of the first actions. Development moved to Codeberg with finances on Open Collective.
CoMaps Launches on App Store and Play Store
CoMaps achieved general availability on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store on July 3, 2025, after preview releases on Codeberg (June 1) and F-Droid (June 19). The launch gave users a viable alternative with identical core functionality, further demonstrating the low switching costs of the open-source mapping ecosystem.
Global Hiking and Cycling Routes Added
The August 2025 release introduced global hiking and cycling routes from OpenStreetMap, allowing users to discover and follow popular trails worldwide with special map layers. The release also added bookmark names on the map, track selection, and elevation graph improvements.
Organic Maps Binary Data License Introduced
Organic Maps changed the license for its map data binaries, requiring any project using the binary data, source code, or user interface to include visible attribution to the 'Organic Maps Project' with a clickable link. This added a new attribution requirement that could create friction for forks and competitors using the same processed data.
Tsisyk Removed from OÜ Management Board
Roman Tsisyk, who had been the whistleblower on the metaserver issue and supported community governance demands, was removed from the management board of Organic Maps OÜ. On September 18, Alexander Borsuk was added to the management board alongside Viktor Havaka, consolidating control to the two shareholders who had resisted community governance reforms.
EU iOS Default Navigation App Option Added
The October 2025 release enabled EU users to set Organic Maps as the default navigation app in iOS Settings, made possible by Apple's compliance with the EU Digital Markets Act. This was a competitive milestone, placing Organic Maps alongside Apple Maps and Google Maps as a system-level default option.
Organic Maps Reaches 6 Million Installs with 13 Releases in 2025
Organic Maps ended 2025 with approximately 6 million total downloads across all platforms: nearly 2M on the App Store, nearly 3M on Google Play, and an estimated 1M from other sources. The year saw 1,500 commits from 100 contributors, and App Store ratings more than doubled from 4,100 to 11,100.