localthings as an alternative to Felt
Felt is a collaborative canvas for people who work with spatial data: layers, geospatial file formats, analysis, commenting with colleagues. localthings is for publishing a finished, branded map to an audience. Both draw on a map; they are aimed at different moments.
- Felt is strong at collaboration and data analysis; localthings is aimed at a public map that visitors use.
- If what you want is a shareable map in your own branding, localthings gets you there sooner.
- It publishes straight away as a link or an embed.
- Free to start; a custom domain and removing our branding are in the paid plans.
localthings vs. Felt
A factual comparison on the points that matter to most people.
| Feature | localthings | Felt |
|---|---|---|
| Free to start | ||
| No code required | ||
| Built for publishing to an audience | Secondary focus | |
| Your own colours and logo | Limited | |
| Category filters for visitors | Limited | |
| Rich location cards with photos | Limited | |
| Bulk import from CSV | ||
| Embed on your own site | ||
| Geospatial layers (GeoJSON, shapefile, raster) | ||
| Team collaboration and commenting | ||
| Your own domain | On Premium | Limited |
| White-label | On Premium |
When Felt is the right call
When you work with real geospatial data — shapefiles, GeoJSON, raster layers — and you need to analyse and discuss it with colleagues. Felt is built for that workflow and localthings is not.
When localthings fits better
When the map is the end product for an audience: categories with filters, location cards with photos and opening hours, your branding, and an embed on your own website. Simpler by design, and cheaper for a single public map.
Build this yourself in Studio
Studio opens straight in your browser. You only need an account once you want to save or publish your map.
Frequently asked questions
Can localthings read shapefiles or GeoJSON?
Not as analysis layers. Locations import from CSV and Excel, and areas are drawn in the builder. If your work starts from geospatial file formats, a GIS tool is the better starting point.
Can I embed a localthings map like a Felt map?
Yes, with one embed snippet that works in any CMS. On Premium the embed carries no third-party branding.
Which one is cheaper for a single public map?
Free to start with one map and up to 100 locations; paid plans are per map.
Can several people work on the same map?
A map belongs to one account today; live multi-user collaboration is not a localthings feature. If simultaneous editing matters, that is a point for Felt.