Printmaps vs Google Maps
If you’ve been using screenshots of maps.google.com to get your printable maps until now, you’ll be interested to see how Printmaps.net stacks up compared to Google Maps.
We’ve created the below comparison grid to give you a quick overview of some of the most important features of the Printmaps editor and how they compare to using Google Maps screenshots for your printable maps. (Try the editor here.)
Resolution
Printmaps: 300dpi, which is high-resolution commonly used for print-products
Google Maps Screenshots: the resolution of screenshots was not designed for print-products, the resulting maps are therefore usually blurry when printed
Legality
Printmaps: creating printable maps with Printmaps is fully legal
Google Maps Screenshots: using Google Maps screenshots commercially without permission from Google is against the Google Maps Terms of Service, especially when used as printed navigational material.
Pricepoint
Printmaps: maps start at €15
Google Maps Screenshots: free (but risking legal consequences)
Format
Printmaps:
- layered Photoshop file (PSD)
- High-quality PNG
Google Maps Screenshots:
low-resolution PNG or JPEG
Custom Data Tools
Printmaps:
- Route editor
- Geographic shapes
- File Upload (gpx/kml)
- POIs (manually or copy/paste from Excel)
Google Maps Screenshots:
standard Google Maps routing and POIs
Show/hide map features?
Printmaps: yes
Google Maps Screenshots: no
Rotate map?
Printmaps: yes
Google Maps Screenshots: only on mobile devices
Some of the ways our printable maps are used
The Printmaps editor produces high-res 300 dpi maps in PNG and PSD (Photoshop) format. All map features come in separate Photoshop layers, so you can edit map features without damaging any features underneath. See our screencast for more details.
Our customers use the Printmaps editor to effortlessly map routes – travel itineraries, hike and cycle trails, city walks or simply directions – and to overlay their points of interest on a map. The editor makes it really easy to create fold maps, maps for touristic folders and brochures or guide book maps.
Our cheap entry level pricing enables customers with very low print circulation numbers to afford our maps. A typical example includes real estate exposés that are printed in low numbers but need high quality location maps.
Many guide book publishers illustrate their travel guides and hiking guidebooks entirely with Printmaps maps. You can satisfy all typical mapping needs with our maps, ranging from overview maps and general location maps to activity maps with hiking or cycle routes, city maps / street maps to direction maps.