Pelias is a modular open-source geocoder that uses open data and Elasticsearch to turn addresses and place names into coordinates, and coordinates back into places and addresses. Developers use it to add search and reverse geocoding to their applications. The software can be installed locally or used as the Geocode Earth cloud webservice. The source code is released under the MIT licence and developed by Geocode Earth together with community contributors.
Geocode Earth operates the cloud service under the legal name Cleared for Takeoff, Inc. Its privacy policy states that data is stored and processed on services in the United States, and it mentions no EU hosting option, data processing agreement or list of sub-processors. Organisations that install Pelias themselves keep geocoding requests within their own infrastructure, which is the relevant difference for European organisations. Pelias is an open alternative to commercial geocoding APIs such as Google's, one that the operator can run and maintain itself.