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Tile38

Free#5 of 39 in Spatial DatabasesGeofencing Software

Tile38: A self-hosted spatial database for real-time location queries and geofencing. Ranked #5 of 39 in Spatial Databases by our editors (8.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for real-time geofencing and location services.

8.5/10Editor score
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At a glance

  • Editor score
    8.5 / 10
  • Pricing
    Free plan
  • Best for
    Real-time geofencing and location services
  • Free plan
    Yes
  • Paid from
    Free
  • Deployment model
    Self_hosted
  • Facts checked
    20 Sep 2026
Tile38 screenshot

  • Where it wins

    • Real-time geofencing with enter, exit, inside, outside, and cross detection
    • Supports GeoJSON, geohashes, bounding boxes, XYZ tiles, and QuadKeys
    • Connects with Kafka, NATS, MQTT, RabbitMQ, Redis, and other systems

  • Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires operational responsibility
    • Coordinate transformations are not included in its listed capabilities
    • Its in-memory design may not suit every persistence requirement

Our verdict on Tile38

Tile38 is an open-source, in-memory geospatial database and geofencing server for applications that track locations and evaluate spatial relationships. It is aimed at teams building location services, proximity features, asset tracking, and real-time geofence workflows. Spatial indexes support Nearby, Within, and Intersects searches, while stored objects can include points, bounding boxes, geohashes, GeoJSON objects, XYZ tiles, QuadKeys, and sectors. Three-dimensional support is also included in its category capabilities.

The pricing model is open source with a free plan, and deployment is self-hosted across Windows, macOS, Linux, APIs, and self-managed environments. The product can be deployed using release binaries, Docker, or package managers. Its interfaces include HTTP, WebSocket, telnet, and Redis RESP, giving development teams several ways to connect applications and services. Leader-follower replication, Lua scripting, JSON document commands, and a Prometheus metrics endpoint extend its operational and application-integration options.

Tile38 is particularly focused on real-time spatial detection rather than broad database functionality. Geofence events can detect entering, exiting, being inside or outside, and crossing a boundary, with notifications delivered through channels, webhooks, and publish/subscribe workflows. Integrations include NATS, Kafka, Amazon SQS, gRPC, Redis, RabbitMQ, MQTT, and HTTP/2. Teams should choose Tile38 when self-hosting and event-driven geospatial behavior are priorities. An alternative may be more suitable when coordinate transformation capabilities or a managed deployment model are central requirements.

Your product? Our editors can test Tile38 in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

Tile38 pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.
See plans on tile38.com

Tile38 fact sheet

Free planYes
Paid fromFree
Deployment modelSelf_hosted
Query interfaceNot verified
Spatial data typespoint, bounding box, geohash, GeoJSON, XYZ tile, QuadKey, sector
Raster supportNot verified
3D geometry supportYes
Coordinate transformsNo
DeploymentSelf-hosted
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
SupportCommunity, Docs
Built forSmall business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Integrations8 integrations: NATS, Kafka, Amazon SQS, gRPC, Redis, RabbitMQ …
PricingFree plan
Websitetile38.com
Facts checked20 Sep 2026

Tile38 integrations

Tile38 lists 8 integrations on its own site.

  • NATS
  • Kafka
  • Amazon SQS
  • gRPC
  • Redis
  • RabbitMQ
  • MQTT
  • HTTP/2

Alternatives to Tile38

See all Tile38 alternatives →

Tile38 vs the competition

Compare Tile38 with any tool side by side →

Also Ranked In

Tile38 is ranked in 2 of our directories.

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Featured on iTechGuides

Featured on iTechGuides — Tile38 8.5/10

Tile38 is listed in our Spatial Databases directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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