Mapy.com
Czech maps and navigation from Seznam.cz, a.s.: world coverage with proprietary CZ map data and OSM abroad, multi-mode routing, offline maps, and a developer REST API.
Shortlist Mapy.com when you want a Czech-operated map/navigation product with strong outdoor and Central European layers, offline packs, and an optional map REST API—especially as a Google Maps alternative for CZ-centric consumer or light developer use. Skip when you need self-hosting, public enterprise ISO/SOC evidence, or a detailed published subprocessor register; consider komoot for sport-only outdoor planning or HERE WeGo for HERE-stack offline multi-modal navigation.
Key capabilities
Plan car, walk, bike (touring/MTB/road), ski, public transport (primarily CZ), and selected Czech water routes with elevation and itinerary detail. Car routing can use live traffic and closures in AT, HR, CZ, DE, HU, IT, PL, SK, and SI per help docs—confirm coverage for your corridor before field dependence.
Download country or regional packages (basic, outdoor, winter, traffic styles; aerial excluded). Free accounts keep one offline country at a time (switchable); Premium removes the country limit. Offline search/routing only works inside downloaded areas and needs a Seznam login for download management.
Outdoor maps show contours, waymarked trails, and bike routes; winter maps cover slopes, lifts, and cross-country context; traffic layers show density and incidents where published; aerial includes detailed orthophotos and historical archives for CZ/SK and selected countries. CZ basemap is Seznam-edited; abroad primarily OSM-derived.
Use the same product family on the web portal and native Android/iOS apps, with CarPlay and Android Auto called out in official getting-started help. My Mapy syncs saved places, routes, GPX, and activities across devices when logged in.
Developer portal (developer.mapy.com) exposes map tiles, address search/autocomplete, route planning, matrix routing, elevation, static maps/panoramas, and time-zone helpers on a credit model with free monthly credits and optional paid overage after explicit enablement. Same infrastructure family as the public portal per Seznam API docs.
Mapy.com Premium (logged-in annual subscription) adds unlimited offline countries, PRO planner drawing, activity-specific planning modes, HorizontAR peak labels, smartwatch apps, custom speed settings, and priority support—while core free maps and basic offline one-country use remain available.
Best fit when
- Hikers, cyclists, and travellers who want outdoor/winter cartography plus offline country packs
- Drivers needing car navigation with published live traffic coverage in listed Central European countries
- Teams preferring a Czech legal entity (Seznam.cz, a.s.) over Google Maps for consumer or light B2B map UX
- Developers embedding tiles, geocoding, or routing via Mapy REST API with free credits for smaller traffic
- Users who want one app spanning web, mobile, CarPlay/Android Auto, and My Mapy sync
Poor fit when
- Requirements for self-hosted map servers or fully open-source client+server stacks
- Procurement that mandates public ISO 27001/SOC 2 or a published full subprocessor list before shortlist
- Global fleet/commercial navigation needing OEM-grade contracts beyond freemium consumer terms
- Use cases that depend on Google-class POI social graph and ecosystem defaults outside Mapy’s strengths
Consider instead when
When: You primarily need sport-specific trail planning with bike-computer/e-bike sync ecosystems
Consider: komoot
komoot is outdoor-first; Mapy is broader (car/PT/API) with Seznam CZ ops
When: You want HERE commercial map stack offline multi-modal navigation under a Dutch controller
Consider: HERE WeGo
WeGo publishes AWS/Azure subprocessors; different ownership and assurance packaging
When: You need maximum global POI density, default OS integration, or Google ecosystem lock-in
Consider: Google Maps
US operator; stronger everyday urban/search network effects in many markets
- Independent security / no-logs audit·Not found
- ISO 27001·Not found
- SOC 2 / SOC 3·Not found
- GDPR / EU data protection·Vendor claimed
- +3
Considerations & known limitations
- MediumLimited public security certification package
No public ISO 27001/SOC 2 or independent audit PDF found for Mapy. Security/procurement teams must use questionnaires and contracts rather than downloadable attestations.
- MediumNo public Mapy subprocessor inventory
Seznam claims own/operated DCs and mentions third-country partners under SCCs without listing Mapy subprocessors. High-assurance buyers cannot verify all data paths from public pages alone.
- LowFree offline limited to one country
Multi-country offline travel on free tier requires switching the single free country or Premium. Plan downloads before trips with weak connectivity.
- LowPublic transport planning primarily CZ
Help docs position public-transport planning as primarily Czech Republic for now—do not assume multi-country PT parity with Google.
- LowSeznam account and optional Big Tech login
Offline management and Premium need Seznam login; app/store materials mention Google/Apple/Microsoft sign-in options that can expand third-party identity processing.
Open questions for due diligence
- Will Seznam sign a B2B DPA and share a current subprocessor list for Mapy/API workloads?
- Are any ISO 27001/SOC reports available under NDA covering the maps/API stack?
- Exact data categories retained for navigation, My Mapy sync, and Premium billing—confirm for your retention policy
- API SLA, support channels, and commercial licence terms for production traffic beyond free credits
Frequently Asked Questions
Official offline-maps help: free users may download one country (including its regions) and can switch that free country later. Premium allows unlimited offline countries/regions. Offline packages need a logged-in Seznam account. Aerial basemaps are not included in offline packages; offline search/routing only covers downloaded areas.
Map types help states CZ data are produced and maintained by Mapy.com cartographic editors. Outside CZ, coverage is based on OpenStreetMap (and other sources) transformed into Mapy’s style. Seznam/Mapy contribute to OSM and have been listed as an OSM Foundation Silver Corporate Member.
It can be for many map tiles, geocoding, and routing workloads via the REST API, especially CZ-centric products, with free credits and explicit paid consumption. Evaluate feature parity (Places-like richness, global traffic, mobile SDKs), licensing, SLA, and whether you need self-hosting (Mapy is hosted SaaS/API, not a self-hosted stack). Compare credits and terms on developer.mapy.com rather than assuming drop-in Google parity.
Seznam privacy principles say personal data are kept in Seznam-owned or operated data centres (corporate materials describe Czech facilities such as Kokura and Nagoja). Operator is Seznam.cz, a.s. (Czech EU company); no known US parent. Public pages do not publish a granular Mapy subprocessor list; third-country tech partners may exist under SCCs. Indicative CLOUD Act exposure is lower than US-owned map platforms but not zero—confirm login providers, ads, and API contracts for your use case. Not legal advice.
This research pass did not find public ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certificates scoped specifically to Mapy.com on Seznam/Mapy primary pages. Rely on contractual security questionnaires and Seznam’s published privacy/security process claims until evidence is provided.
Many web map viewing and online planning features work without login. Offline map download/management, Premium, and some personalisation/sync features require a Seznam account. Developer API access also uses Seznam account login on the developer portal.