The open-source community engagement platform

Built for councils and public agencies that want map-based public consultation without enterprise lock-in. Residents pin the places, draw the routes, and outline the areas that matter to them — you get GIS-ready results and full ownership of the data. Free, open source, GDPR-friendly, and self-hostable on your own infrastructure.

Start free — run a consultation

Free & open source GDPR / EU-hosted Self-host on your infra No per-project fees

Why councils choose it

Public engagement on a map, without the lock-in

Map-based public consultation

Residents give location-specific input — exactly where the issue is — instead of vague text. Wider, more diverse reach than a meeting.

You own the data

Self-host on your own infrastructure, or use the EU-hosted version. GDPR-friendly, with your data where your policies require.

No vendor lock-in

Open source (AGPLv3) — auditable, adaptable, and procurement-friendly. Export everything as GeoJSON + CSV, anytime.

Fits a public budget

Free to run — no per-project or per-response licensing that stretches a small council's engagement budget.

Engagement use cases

What agencies run on it

Statutory planning & local-plan consultation — comments pinned to the map.
Participatory budgeting — where residents want investment.
Mobility & active-travel plans — routes, barriers, and desire lines.
Ward / neighbourhood engagement — what to keep, fix, or change.
"Report an issue" mapping — a lightweight public feedback channel.

Comparing engagement platforms? Mapsurvey trades a big vendor's bundled services for open-source transparency, self-hosting, and no per-project fees. If you need a fully managed enterprise suite, a commercial platform may fit better — we keep that honest. See how we compare to Maptionnaire →

Create your first consultation — free Talk to us about your council

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is this a free community-engagement platform for local government?

Yes. Mapsurvey is open source (AGPLv3) and free to start — you can create and publish a map-based survey without paying, and self-host the whole platform at no licence cost.

Can we host it on our own infrastructure?

Yes. Mapsurvey ships as a Docker stack you can run on your own infrastructure, so response data stays on servers you control — useful for GDPR and data-residency requirements.

Do residents need to register to respond?

No. Respondents open a public link and answer on the map — no sign-up or login required. Only survey creators need an account.

What map input can residents give?

Respondents can drop points, draw lines (routes), and outline polygons (areas) directly on the map, alongside ordinary survey questions.

Can we export results for our GIS team?

Every response — including map geometry — exports as GeoJSON plus a CSV for non-spatial answers, so results drop straight into QGIS, ArcGIS, or a spreadsheet. You own the data.