Convert GeoJSON to FlatGeobuf Online — Free & Instant
FlatGeobuf is the high-performance alternative to GeoJSON for large datasets. Converting GeoJSON to FlatGeobuf gives you a binary format that is up to 10x faster to parse, significantly smaller in file size, and supports HTTP range requests for cloud-native serving from S3 or similar storage. FlatGeobuf retains full attribute fidelity.
File converter
When to convert GeoJSON to FlatGeobuf
- Replacing large GeoJSON files with a compact, fast-loading FlatGeobuf equivalent
- Serving GeoJSON data from cloud storage as FlatGeobuf via HTTP range requests
- Improving load times in web mapping applications by switching from GeoJSON to FlatGeobuf
- Converting OpenStreetMap or government GeoJSON extracts to FlatGeobuf for analysis
How to convert GeoJSON to FlatGeobuf
- 1
Upload your GeoJSON
Drop your .geojson or .json file on the upload zone.
- 2
Select FlatGeobuf
Click FlatGeobuf in the format panel.
- 3
Download the .fgb
Use in QGIS, serve from S3, or consume with a FlatGeobuf-compatible library.
About GeoJSON
GeoJSON is an open standard geospatial data format based on JSON, defined in RFC 7946. It supports all geometry types (Point, LineString, Polygon, MultiPolygon, etc.) and arbitrary properties per feature. GeoJSON is the preferred format for web mapping because browsers can parse it natively and libraries like Leaflet, Mapbox GL, and D3 consume it directly. GitHub renders GeoJSON files on a map automatically. It uses WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) as its coordinate reference system.
Strengths
- +Native browser support (JSON)
- +Human-readable and editable
- +Single file — easy to share
- +First-class support in web mapping libraries
About FlatGeobuf
FlatGeobuf is a modern, high-performance binary format for geospatial vector data, designed for efficient streaming and cloud-native workflows. Based on FlatBuffers, it supports random access via HTTP range requests, making it ideal for serving large datasets directly from object storage like S3 without a tile server. FlatGeobuf is an OGC Community Standard and is supported by GDAL 3.1+, QGIS, Mapbox, and the GeoJSON ecosystem. Its compact binary encoding is significantly faster to parse than GeoJSON for large datasets.
Strengths
- +Extremely fast read/write — binary encoding
- +Supports HTTP range requests for cloud-native access
- +OGC Community Standard
- +Compact — much smaller than equivalent GeoJSON
Frequently asked questions
Q.How much smaller is FlatGeobuf compared to GeoJSON?
Typically 5–10x smaller for polygon data, and parsing is significantly faster due to binary encoding and spatial indexing.
Q.Can I use FlatGeobuf in a web map?
Yes. The flatgeobuf JavaScript library allows you to stream and render FlatGeobuf files in a browser with Mapbox GL JS or Leaflet.
Q.Are all GeoJSON properties preserved?
Yes. All feature properties from the GeoJSON are stored in the FlatGeobuf attribute table.