SA-MP map editor
The SA-MP mapping programs people still use, what each one is good at, and which one to pick. Updated November 2026.
A SA-MP map editor lets you place GTA San Andreas objects, retexture them and remove buildings, then gives you the Pawn code (CreateObject or CreateDynamicObject) for your server. There are two kinds. Some are separate programs that read your GTA files, like a 3D editor. Others are scripts you run on a test server and map with in game. Here are the ones mappers use in 2026.
| MapTogether | Texture Studio | SA-MP Map Editor (JernejL) | MTA map editor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Program (Windows, Android) | Script on a test server, map in game | Program (Windows) | Editor inside MTA:SA |
| Textures and material text | Yes, click a part and pick | Yes, with commands | No | No SA-MP materials |
| Map with friends | Yes, live co-op | Yes, on the same server | No | Not built for it |
| Mapping with AI | Yes (Claude) | No | No | No |
| Test in game | One button | You're already in game | No | In MTA, not SA-MP |
| Exports SA-MP code | Yes | Yes | Yes | Needs a converter |
| Opens other editors' maps | Pawn, Texture Studio, MTA | Its own .db maps | Its own map files | MTA maps |
| Still updated | Yes | Rarely | No | Yes |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Free |
MapTogether
Our editor. It opens the whole San Andreas map from your own GTA folder and lets you fly around and place objects with a preview of every model. You can retexture any part of an object, write material text, remove buildings with their LODs, and use build tools like the room generator, arrays, stairs and placing along a path. Friends can join your map live, you can ask Claude to build things for you, and one button starts a local open.mp server to test the map in game. It also runs on Android phones and tablets. Download it here.
Texture Studio
The classic in-game editor. You run it as a filterscript on a local server, join with your game and build with commands. It's very good at textures and has been the standard for retexturing for years, and lots of servers still keep their maps in its .db format. The downside is that everything goes through chat commands and you need a server running to map. MapTogether opens Texture Studio .db maps, so you can move over without losing anything.
SA-MP Map Editor by JernejL
The old standalone editor many people learned on. It's a separate program that reads your GTA folder and exports CreateObject code. It hasn't been updated in years and can't change textures.
MTA:SA map editor
Multi Theft Auto has a good built-in editor, and some SA-MP mappers build there and convert the .map file. The catch is that MTA maps have no SA-MP materials or material text, and some objects behave differently between the two. MapTogether opens MTA .map files directly.
Which one should you use?
If you're starting out, or you want to map with friends or with AI, use MapTogether. If your server's maps are all in Texture Studio and your team knows it well, it still works fine, and you can open those maps in MapTogether any time. For the steps from an empty map to code in your gamemode, read our SA-MP mapping guide.
Questions
What is the best SA-MP map editor?
For most people MapTogether: it is free, runs on Windows and Android, has co-op, textures, mapping with AI and a test button. Texture Studio is still good if your team already works with it.
Is there a SA-MP map editor that is not in game?
Yes. MapTogether is a separate program that reads your GTA folder, so you do not need a server running to map. The old SA-MP Map Editor by JernejL is another, but it is no longer updated.
Can I open Texture Studio maps in another editor?
Yes. MapTogether opens Texture Studio .db maps with their textures, as well as Pawn code and MTA .map files.
Is there a SAMP map program for Android?
Yes. MapTogether has an Android version for phones and tablets.