Print Any Place: The Best Terrain and Map Generators

Maps are one of the most rewarding things to print: a mountain you climbed, the island where you got married, the route of your first marathon, or a crater on the Moon. All of them start from real elevation data, and all of them can be made without touching CAD.

Quick answer

• Best free terrain generator: Terrain2STL. Drag a box on the map, download the STL.
• Best for control over the output: TouchTerrain, a university-built tool that makes printable terrain tiles.
• Best for cities and multicolour: Map2Model and TerraPrinter, both free and able to export 3MF.
• Best for running and cycling routes: GPXtruder.
• Best for the Moon and Mars: OrbitStudio (made by us).

Mountains and landscapes

Terrain2STL is the classic: free, no account, drag a box over any spot on Earth and download the terrain as an STL. It has been around for years and just works.

TouchTerrain comes from a university research group and gives you more control over tile size, resolution and base thickness. It exports STL and OBJ and can split big areas into several tiles.

TerraPrinter is the most feature-packed free option: it can add OpenStreetMap features such as roads and water, and it offers hex tiles, puzzle and voxel styles, with STL, 3MF, OBJ and GLB export.

Cities and buildings

Map2Model lets you draw an area on a map and export a city or terrain model, including a multicolour 3MF with separate colours for buildings, roads and water. It is free for personal use.

Paid options such as PrintPal’s map generator and City3DPrint produce polished multicolour city blocks, if you prefer to pay for a ready result.

Routes and tracks

GPXtruder turns a GPX file from your watch or app into a 3D elevation profile of the route. It is free and needs no account. GPXTrack.xyz does something similar and adds a base with a title, exported as 3MF.

Maps you can feel

Touch Mapper makes tactile street maps for blind and low-vision people: type an address and download a map with raised streets and buildings. It is free to print yourself.

The Moon, Mars and the stars

OrbitStudio builds Moon and Mars terrain from NASA elevation data. You frame a crater or landing site and get a snap-together jigsaw puzzle or a solid ornament, in a circle, square or hexagon. STL downloads are free without an account; pre-coloured 3MF files use a one-time pass. Full disclosure: we make OrbitStudio.

3D Moon Map is a free viewer of NASA lunar data that exports any view as an STL.

For the night sky, the MakerLab Star Map Generator and our own StellarMesh print the stars as they were over a place on a date you choose.

Tips for great terrain prints

• Exaggerate the height. 1.5x to 3x is normal for hills; mountains need less.
• Print at 0.12 to 0.16 mm layers so slopes look smooth instead of stepped.
• Use a matte filament to hide layer lines, or a multicolour setup to paint water blue.
• Add a base of 2 to 3 mm so thin coastal areas don’t break.

Frequently asked questions

How do I 3D print a map of a real place?

Open a terrain generator such as Terrain2STL or TouchTerrain, draw a box over the area you want, set the size and height exaggeration, and download the STL. For cities with buildings, use a tool that reads OpenStreetMap data, such as Map2Model or TerraPrinter.

Why does my terrain print look flat?

At true scale, most landscapes are very flat compared with their width. Increase the vertical exaggeration (often 1.5x to 3x) so hills and valleys stand out.

Can I print the Moon?

Yes. OrbitStudio builds Moon and Mars terrain from NASA elevation data as puzzles or ornaments, and 3D Moon Map exports any view of the Moon as an STL.

What is the best filament for terrain prints?

Matte PLA hides layer lines on slopes and looks natural. Greys and earth tones work well; multicolour prints can separate water, land and buildings.