Hi everyone,
I’be been contributing street-level imagery for a long time, and have seen a lot of smartphone apps come and go. I’ve been disappointed by corporates taking over open source projects, and being happy for the community to upload imagery, but then invest very little time maintaining the open source software. I’m particularly interested in “Automatic Mode” (sequence capture) for Android, ie, press ‘Start’, when setting off, ‘Stop’ when you want to stop recording, then uploading with the minimum of fuss. With this in mind, What’s your ‘go-to’ app?
While Mapillary has been the go-to for years, the landscape feels like it’s shifting with the rise of open-source and federated alternatives like Panoramax. I’d love to know what the UK community is currently using and why.
Which is your preferred Android app for capturing imagery?
- Mapillary (Meta)
- KartaView (Grab)
- Panoramax / Baba (Open Source / Federated)
- Mapilio
- Other (Please specify in comments)
The Current Options:
Panoramax / Baba: This is the newer, fully open-source, and federated alternative.
UK Context: Since there isn’t a dedicated “UK instance” yet, many are using the main OSM-FR instance. It is 100% open data (CC-BY-SA 4.0).
App: Baba is a highly-regarded community client for Android that supports sequences and instance selection.
Editing: As of early 2026, the Panoramax JOSM plugin is now stable, and it’s also available as a layer in the iD editor.
Mapillary: Owned by Meta. It still offers the most robust AI-extracted data (traffic signs, etc.) for JOSM/iD, but some have concerns regarding corporate data ownership.
KartaView: Owned by Grab. It remains a solid option with an open-source client, though the backend is proprietary. The code seems to be very poorly maintained.
Mapilio: A newer commercial player that often uses gamification/rewards to encourage coverage.
Points for Discussion:
GDPR & Privacy: How do you find the automated blurring (faces/plates) on these platforms? Is any one better at handling the UK’s specific number plate formats?
Battery & Heat: Driving with GPS and the camera running in “Automatic Mode” is a stress test. Which app is the most stable for you on long UK drives?
Data Usage: How is the “Upload on Wi-Fi” experience? I’m keen to avoid eating through my mobile data plan, and have had mixed success, with some apps pausing uploads, when you shift focus to another app.
Impact: Which imagery do you actually find most useful when you sit down to edit in JOSM or iD?
If I’ve missed an app you swear by, or if you have a specific workflow (e.g., using a GoPro and a manual upload script), please share!
I’m just trying to understand the current options, and get a feeling for where the community is leaning. I may do a follow up post, to build on these findings.
Cheers,
Chris
chris_debian