What it does
Mapbox Directions API returns routes between at least two and at most 25 longitude/latitude coordinates. Select a driving, traffic-aware driving, walking, or cycling profile; provide a valid Mapbox access token; and optionally request alternatives and route annotations such as distance, duration, speed, or congestion. Its response can include route legs and turn-by-turn maneuver information.
The Directions API is a focused routing endpoint rather than a full navigation SDK: applications send ordered waypoints and a profile, then use route geometry and instructions in their own interface or workflow. The traffic-aware profile can account for traffic and incidents where supported, while the other profiles serve driving, pedestrian, and cycling paths. Mapbox's pricing page lists a free usage tier and usage-based request bands, but the rendered price content did not expose a fixed paid rate for a selected volume.
Strengths
- Offers driving, traffic-aware driving, walking, and cycling profiles from a single documented endpoint.
- Optional alternatives and annotations provide route duration, distance, speed, and supported congestion information.
- The pricing page lists a free tier for Directions API usage.
Watch out for
- Each request requires a valid Mapbox access token and accepts no more than 25 coordinates.
- Traffic and incident-aware routing is limited to the geographies supported by Mapbox traffic data.
Best for
- Applications that need route geometry, travel instructions, or drive/walk/cycle route options.
- Services that need traffic-aware route estimates between waypoints in a supported geography.
Sources
- Directions API | API Docs | Mapbox (Oct 25, 2026)
- Mapbox pricing (Oct 25, 2026)
- Navigation solutions for mobile and automotive | Mapbox (Oct 25, 2026)