Loremapper and Inkarnate: how they differ
Inkarnate and Loremapper both make fantasy maps, from different starting points. Inkarnate is about painting a map by hand with a large library of illustrated art; Loremapper is about generating believable land — elevation, rivers, climate — and editing it.
| Loremapper | Inkarnate | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A fantasy map generator and editor focused on believable terrain | An online map maker for world, city and encounter maps, with a large library of hand-drawn art |
| How maps are made | Generated from a seed at true scale (real elevation, rivers, climate), then edited by hand | Painted and stamped by hand: terrain brushes, art stamps, lighting and filters |
| Where it runs | Browser; can also run on your own computer | Browser |
| Cost | Free, non-commercial project | Free to start; paid plans (see their site) |
| Source code | Open source (MIT) | Proprietary |
| Account | None; maps stay in your browser | Free account to start |
What Inkarnate does well
- A large library of hand-drawn art: forests, mountains, cities, dungeons and more, for a polished illustrated look.
- World, city and encounter maps in one place, made by painting terrain and stamping art, with lighting and filters.
- A big community: many shared maps, some of which can be cloned and built upon.
- Free to start in the browser, with paid plans for more (see their site for what each includes).
How Loremapper differs
- Terrain is generated, not only painted: every point has a real elevation in metres, mountain ranges form in belts and rivers run downhill to the sea.
- Maps are made at true scale, from a 250 km region to a 10,000 km continent or a whole planet, with climate and wind shaping forests and deserts.
- Exports include 16-bit heightmaps for game engines and 3D tools, besides map images and project files.
- Free and open source (MIT), no account: maps are saved in your browser.
- A smaller art library (57 icons) — you can add your own PNG, WebP or SVG art.
Which to choose
Inkarnate may suit you if…
you want a richly illustrated, hand-painted look, a big ready-made art library, city and encounter maps, and a large community to share with.
Loremapper may suit you if…
you want geography that holds together — believable mountains, rivers and climate at a real scale — generated in seconds and editable by hand, with heightmaps, and you prefer free, open-source, account-free tools.
Using both
Some mapmakers use a generator for the shape of the land and an illustration tool for the final look: generate and refine the coastlines, ranges and rivers in Loremapper, export an image, and use it as a reference while painting the map in the style you like.
Questions
Is Loremapper a free alternative to Inkarnate?
Loremapper is free and open source, but it is a different kind of tool: it generates realistic terrain and lets you edit it, while Inkarnate focuses on painting maps by hand with a large art library. Which is better depends on what you need.
Can Loremapper make city or battle maps?
No. Loremapper makes world and region maps: continents, kingdoms, islands and planets.
Do I need an account for Loremapper?
No. Open the editor and start; maps are saved in your browser, and a project file keeps a full backup.
See also: all comparisons · guides · open Loremapper