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what3words

SaaS

what3words is a location addressing system that gives every 3 meter square of the world a unique address made of three words.

Competes with

what3words.com
what3words homepage screenshot

About what3words

what3words is an addressing system that divides the world into squares about three meters on a side and gives each one a unique combination of three words. The words stand in for coordinates, so a precise spot, such as a building entrance or a meeting point, can be shared by saying or typing three words rather than a long street address or a pair of latitude and longitude numbers.

The idea is useful where ordinary addresses are missing, vague or inaccurate. what3words is a proprietary commercial system that is used through its apps, website and integrations, with the underlying word mapping controlled by the company, so there is no self-hosted version.

Key features

  • Unique three-word address for every 3 m square
  • Precise spot sharing without coordinates
  • Apps and website for converting addresses
  • Integrations for other services

Good fit for

  • β†’Sharing an exact meeting point
  • β†’Giving delivery drivers a precise entrance
Tags
addressing
geocoding
location
maps
navigation
three-word-address

what3words: questions and answers

What is what3words used for?
what3words is a location addressing system that gives every 3 meter square of the world a unique address made of three words. It is a good fit for sharing an exact meeting point and giving delivery drivers a precise entrance.
Is what3words free?
Yes. what3words has a free plan.
Is what3words open source?
No. what3words is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the Maps & Navigation category, open-source options include Organic Maps, OsmAnd and Dawarich.
What are some alternatives to what3words?
what3words competes with Google Maps.

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