Best GIS Software
A geographic information system (GIS) lets users visualize, question, analyze, and interpret geographical data to help them understand and problem-solve relationships, patterns, and trends. Companies use GIS to manage geographical data in order to improve operations in many geoscience industries as well as land-centric enterprises (e.g. sales territory management, field service dispatching, asset maintenance, transportation or construction). The best GIS software collects, incorporates and manipulates attribute data from maps to a business’ reporting systems to analyze and assess real-world problems. GIS data usually displays different kinds of data on one map, to facilitate deep analysis and efficiently use as much data as possible. GIS software usually focuses on gathering, analyzing, and displaying geographical data to manage business operations. GIS can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud. Typical implementations can result in a savings in operational expenses. GIS often integrates with CAD, BIM, and other drafting and design software to enhance its analytics capabilities.
To qualify for inclusion in the Geographic Information System (GIS) category, a product must:
Best GIS Software At A Glance
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- Overview
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- User Satisfaction
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Get advanced business tools in addition to all the easy-to-use features and imagery of Google Earth.
- Project Engineer
- Civil Engineering
- Construction
- 42% Small-Business
- 41% Mid-Market
32,750,646 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ArcGIS is a comprehensive suite of mapping and location intelligence tools and capabilities. ArcGIS can be deployed on local machines (ArcGIS Pro), on your remote or on-premises servers (ArcGIS Enterp
- GIS Analyst
- GIS Specialist
- Government Administration
- Environmental Services
- 39% Mid-Market
- 32% Enterprise
190,000 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Sell efficiently with CRM-based sales mapping software. Make smarter prospecting decisions with customer record visualization. Streamline account planning while in the field, optimize field routes, an
- Salesforce Administrator
- Financial Services
- Manufacturing
- 42% Mid-Market
- 37% Enterprise
583,254 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ArcGIS Pro is Esri’s powerful, single desktop GIS application. Technologically ahead of everything else on the market, ArcGIS Pro supports data visualization, advanced analysis and authoritative data
- GIS Analyst
- GIS Specialist
- Government Administration
- Environmental Services
- 39% Mid-Market
- 38% Enterprise
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Subscribe to Autodesk® AutoCAD® including specialized toolsets and get access to industry-specific functionality, greater mobility with the new web and mobile apps, and the latest feature updates. Spe
- Architect
- Designer
- Architecture & Planning
- Civil Engineering
- 45% Small-Business
- 34% Mid-Market
282,821 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Connect people, locations, and data using interactive maps created with ArcGIS Online. Quickly create maps by dropping in your spreadsheet and mashing it up with other location data included in ArcGIS
- GIS Analyst
- GIS Specialist
- Government Administration
- Civil Engineering
- 40% Mid-Market
- 31% Enterprise
190,000 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Badger Maps is a specialized route planning, sales mapping and territory management solution designed to assist outside sales teams and representatives in optimizing their sales processes. This innova
- Territory Manager
- Owner
- Medical Devices
- Construction
- 66% Small-Business
- 26% Mid-Market
2,136 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
BatchGeo is the easiest way to get your list of addresses on a map. Since 2006 BatchGeo has hosted millions of maps for Fortune 50 companies, non-profits, and individuals. The idea behind BatchGeo is
- Manager
- Analyst
- Real Estate
- Commercial Real Estate
- 59% Small-Business
- 27% Mid-Market
563 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Fulcrum is a field-first SaaS platform designed to transform how organizations manage field data collection and inspections for mission-critical operations. Built specifically for the challenges of fi
- Project Manager
- Environmental Services
- Utilities
- 52% Small-Business
- 30% Mid-Market
2,799 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ArcGIS Earth is a simple, lightweight, easy-to-use desktop application that allows you to display and explore a variety of 3D and 2D map data for any part of the world.
- Government Administration
- 52% Mid-Market
- 41% Small-Business
190,000 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Mergin Maps is a field data collection tool built on the free and open-source QGIS which allows you to collect, store and synchronise your data with your team. It removes the pain of writing down pape
- Environmental Services
- 68% Small-Business
- 32% Mid-Market
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- User Satisfaction
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Smarty offers global address verification, address validation, and geocoding via API, bulk upload, and a collection of 3rd party integrations that transform how organizations handle address data.
- CTO
- CEO
- Computer Software
- Financial Services
- 51% Small-Business
- 38% Mid-Market
1,252 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Google Maps API is a mapping platform that includes driving directions, Street View imagery and others.
- Information Technology and Services
- 34% Small-Business
- 13% Mid-Market
32,750,646 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Trusted for over 15 years by hobbyists and professionals, Scribble Maps offers an intuitive online platform for web mapping and data visualization. Users can annotate maps, plot territories, filter an
- Construction
- Real Estate
- 69% Small-Business
- 25% Mid-Market
3,918 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Mapbox is the live location platform preferred by over 4 million developers. Mapbox provides precise location data and flexible developer tools that equip any business to add geospatial features to th
- 66% Small-Business
- 20% Mid-Market
75,060 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Maptitude is the best mapping software to: • Optimize sales territories, vehicle routes, and site locations • Visualize, analyze, and present mission-critical data • Maximize profits, time, and resou
- Owner
- President
- Hospital & Health Care
- Higher Education
- 55% Small-Business
- 24% Enterprise
1,212 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Manage, map, analyze, and share Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data with ArcGIS Enterprise, the complete geospatial system that powers your data-driven decisions. ArcGIS Enterprise gives you a s
- Government Administration
- Information Technology and Services
- 50% Mid-Market
- 26% Enterprise
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
QGIS is a open source GIS tool that provides capabilities and tools to help you visualize, manage, edit, analyze data and compose printable maps.
- Civil Engineering
- Information Technology and Services
- 43% Small-Business
- 29% Enterprise
64,068 Twitter followers
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Location-based decisions: Explore, model and act with confidence. Harness the power of sophisticated mapping and geographical analysis software to make intelligent and productive business decisions.
- Civil Engineering
- Telecommunications
- 46% Enterprise
- 28% Mid-Market
3,981 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Maply, previously known as Geolytics, is a super easy-to-use mapping application for visualizing and analyzing location based data, or geospatial data. It turns your location data into custom-made hea
- 70% Mid-Market
- 20% Small-Business
18 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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OpenStreetMap is the free editable map of the whole world.
- 47% Small-Business
- 37% Enterprise
82,974 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Oracle Spatial and Graph supports a full range of geospatial data and analytics for land management and GIS, mobile location services, sales territory management, transportation, LiDAR analysis and lo
- 44% Mid-Market
- 40% Enterprise
822,135 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Integrated collection of GIS software products; provides a standards-based platform for spatial analysis, data management, and mapping.
- 50% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
190,000 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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From smartphones to connected cars, location data is changing the way we live and the way we run businesses. Everything happens somewhere, but visualizing data to see where things are isn’t the same a
- Telecommunications
- Information Technology and Services
- 49% Small-Business
- 29% Enterprise
31,385 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Land id™ & Land id Pro enables real estate professionals, ranchers, farmers, appraisers, builders, landowners, and anyone curious about land to discover extensive private parcel data, create &
- 80% Small-Business
- 13% Mid-Market
1,399 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Xactly AlignStar® utilizes an intuitive, map-based interface to enable territory planning that equips sales organizations to build and optimize balanced territories that align with company goals. • I
- 70% Mid-Market
- 20% Enterprise
21,413 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Surfer® is a full-function 2D and 3D mapping, modeling, and analysis software package for scientists and engineers. Surfer's sophisticated interpolation engine quickly transforms XYZ and XYZC data int
- Environmental Services
- Oil & Energy
- 53% Small-Business
- 26% Mid-Market
799 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Bing Maps provides multiple API options for your application including an AJAX control, a Windows Store apps control, a WPF control etc.
- 42% Mid-Market
- 33% Enterprise
14,002,464 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Azure Maps provides developers from all industries, powerful geospatial capabilities, packed with fresh mapping data necessary to provide geographic context to web and mobile applications.
- 50% Enterprise
- 50% Small-Business
14,002,464 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
MapBusinessOnline is a mapping software for business intelligence. Thousands of businesses choose MapBusinessOnline to generate insightful maps, manage territories, perform market analysis, optimize l
- 47% Mid-Market
- 38% Small-Business
510 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Loqate offers a suite of global Address Verification solutions to capture, verify and enrich customer data to eliminate friction, improve data quality, reduce fraud and enhance customer experience.
- 53% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
3,095 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
GeoMedia is a powerful, flexible GIS management platform that lets you aggregate data from a variety of sources and analyze them in unison to extract clear, actionable information. It provides simulta
- 58% Small-Business
- 31% Mid-Market
12,584 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ERDAS IMAGINE integrates multiple geospatial technologies, intuitively guiding a user through their experience with powerful tools and functionality.
- 43% Mid-Market
- 29% Enterprise
12,584 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Apache Spatial Information System (SIS) is a free software, Java language library for developing geospatial applications.
- 70% Small-Business
- 20% Enterprise
65,927 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
The Geoapify Location Platform offers maps, APIs, and location services that help to build custom location-aware applications. Using our vector and raster map tiles, geocoding, routing and route optim
- 64% Small-Business
- 21% Enterprise
210 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
PostGIS is a spatial database extender for PostgreSQL object-relational database. It adds support for geographic objects allowing location queries to be run in SQL. In addition to basic location aware
- 57% Small-Business
- 43% Mid-Market
27,163 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Maptive is a comprehensive set of mapping tools built with users in mind. Our mapping software provides businesses from small non-profits to enterprise-level corporations with a wide range of geospati
- 65% Small-Business
- 29% Mid-Market
579 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Citymapper is building the best app (http://citymapper.com/apps), with the best routing, and the best data in the cities where we can make a difference.
- 71% Small-Business
- 24% Enterprise
24,129 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Trusted by 100K+ developers, LocationIQ offers a suite of services that provides for powerful geolocation experiences that are reliable, affordable, and scalable. LocationIQ provides: 1. Address APIs:
- Information Technology and Services
- 36% Small-Business
- 36% Enterprise
79 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Create interactive story maps. Customize with photos, videos and words. No coding skills needed. For itineraries, guides, events...
- 64% Small-Business
- 36% Mid-Market
55 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Make maps in Microsoft Excel and further the power of ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise. ArcGIS Maps for Office puts Excel data in the context of location. Use location intelligence to transform you
- 65% Mid-Market
- 24% Small-Business
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ArcGIS Data Interoperability brings spatial data from many sources into the ArcGIS environment for mapping, visualization, and analysis.
- 46% Enterprise
- 31% Mid-Market
190,000 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Designed for interoperability, GeoServer publishes data from any major spatial data source using open standards. GeoServer implements industry standard OGC protocols such as Web Feature Service (WFS),
- Environmental Services
- 52% Small-Business
- 40% Mid-Market
19 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
The built-in GIS functions of the MapViewer allow you to instantly map any and all appropriate data held in PubWorks.
- 79% Small-Business
- 14% Enterprise
42 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
GE's comprehensive suite of integrated tools enable customers to lower the cost of ownership, simplify critical network infrastructures and deliver the flexibility required to meet dynamic network req
- Utilities
- 59% Enterprise
- 24% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ZeeMaps is a company that allows a consumer to make and publish maps that are interactive.
- Information Technology and Services
- Computer Software
- 59% Mid-Market
- 24% Small-Business
1,022 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Global Mapper’s intuitive user interface and logical layout help smooth the learning curve and ensure that users will be up-and-running in no time. To add to the usability, nearly 400 file formats are
- Oil & Energy
- Civil Engineering
- 40% Mid-Market
- 33% Small-Business
1,870 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Geopointe is a Salesforce AppExchange Partner and a leading geolocation application available on the AppExchange. Geopointe provides numerous ways for end-users, managers, administrators, and develope
- Salesforce Admin
- Non-Profit Organization Management
- Financial Services
- 46% Mid-Market
- 39% Small-Business
61 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
eSpatial is cloud-based mapping software that is engineered for the enterprise and designed for the user. We believe mapping should be fast, easy and powerful. With our mapping software, you can easil
- Marketing and Advertising
- 45% Mid-Market
- 29% Enterprise
1,684 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
The TerrSet system incorporates the IDRISI GIS Analysis and IDRISI Image Processing tools along with a constellation of vertical applications.
- 67% Small-Business
- 17% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
SAGA is the abbreviation for System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses. SAGA provides an easily approachable user interface with many visualisation options.
- 56% Mid-Market
- 33% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
GRASS is an open-source GIS package that provides tools and programs that can be sued for data management, image processing, graphic production, spatial modelling, and visualization of GIS data.
- 59% Mid-Market
- 29% Small-Business
30,503 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Esri Demographics helps you understand the characteristics of a population based on a specific location. Esri Demographics are accessible through ArcGIS Online as maps, reports, and data that you can
- 64% Mid-Market
- 27% Small-Business
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Civil Engineer, Surveyor or Architect? Our AutoCAD-based visualisation platform lets you easily assess your project’s site, with both 3D terrain data and aerial photography, speeding up processes and
- Civil Engineering
- 50% Small-Business
- 30% Mid-Market
272 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
HERE is Ovum Location Platform Index’s top-ranked platform for map creation and location data services. Our 20+ APIs and SDKs are built to be used by any size team, and backed by always reliable data
- 50% Enterprise
- 42% Small-Business
14,436 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Living Atlas of the World is the foremost collection of global geographic information from Esri and its partners, including maps, apps, and data layers used to support critical decision making.
- 30% Mid-Market
- 30% Enterprise
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Mapware is the future of drone mapping software. Generate bigger, better 3D maps in the cloud. With Mapware’s easy-to-use interface, anyone can turn 2D drone photos into photorealistic 3D environments
- 80% Small-Business
- 27% Mid-Market
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Fielda is a Low-Code and Easy to use Mobile Data Collection and Workflow management platform built specifically for field activity. Whether your organization is doing Field Asset inspection, Device In
- 53% Small-Business
- 40% Mid-Market
151 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
With iMapBuilder you can create interactive HTML5 maps or images, and custom Google Maps without coding.
- 50% Mid-Market
- 33% Small-Business
862 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Map Maker Pro is if for people that need to make maps. It is not an atlas or simply a map viewing program. It is for people that need to add information to maps or create new maps.
- 67% Small-Business
- 17% Enterprise
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Maptoolkit, developed by Toursprung GmbH, provides a suite of geospatial APIs and technologies that enable the creation of advanced mapping applications. Services offered include vector and raster
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ArcGIS Experience Builder empowers you to quickly transform your data into compelling web apps without writing a single line of code. Build mapcentric or nonmapcentric apps and display them on a fixed
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Enterprise
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ArcGIS for AutoCAD is a free, plug-in application for AutoCAD that allows you to access and create GIS data by connecting to services from ArcGIS for Server and ArcGIS Online.
- Architecture & Planning
- 53% Mid-Market
- 47% Small-Business
190,000 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Workforce for ArcGIS is a mobile solution that uses the power of location-based decision making for better field workforce coordination and teamwork.
- 80% Small-Business
- 20% Mid-Market
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
cmapit software is designed for non techies, non developers and non GIS enthusiasts that still need to get their work done using the GIS data. Field workers can Learn to create interactive maps with c
- 60% Small-Business
- 20% Enterprise
2,939 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
gisAMPS is integrated GIS mapping for project planning & management.
- 60% Small-Business
- 40% Mid-Market
224 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Urban SDK is geospatial data analytics platform. Our software acts as a system of record for Local Government infrastructure operations, planning and development. Identify, analyze and maintain reg
- 40% Small-Business
- 40% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
what3words is the easiest way to describe any precise location. Every 3 metre (10ft) square in the world has been given a unique address made of 3 random words. what3words addresses are precise, enabl
- 60% Small-Business
- 40% Mid-Market
42,861 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Apache Open Climate Workbench (OCW) is an open source software development project geared towards enabling climate model analysis and evaluation.
- 75% Small-Business
- 25% Mid-Market
65,927 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
GeoPlanner for ArcGIS allows its users to make location-driven decisions on land use, natural resource conservation, forestry management, and landscape architecture.
- 50% Mid-Market
- 50% Small-Business
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ArcGIS Urban is an immersive 3D experience designed to improve urban planning and decision-making. Quickly visualize projects in your local context and leverage location intelligence to drive better d
- 50% Mid-Market
- 25% Small-Business
190,000 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
It provides live conversion of batch addresses into geographic coordinates (address to lat long) or turn coordinates into well formatted address It creates and publishes interactive maps. It supports
- 50% Small-Business
- 25% Mid-Market
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Geospin is a data science startup that supports companies in understanding the spatial components of their data and processes. Using customized Big Data Analytics methods that employ various technique
- 75% Mid-Market
- 25% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Ginkgo is a mapping and data analysis platform for place management. Place managers use Ginkgo to build intelligent geospatial apps and automate workflows for their team. Use Ginkgo as your all-in-one
- 100% Small-Business
1,141 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
GPS Visualizer is an online utility that creates maps and profiles from geographic data. It is free and easy to use, yet powerful and extremely customizable. Input can be in the form of GPS data (trac
- 75% Small-Business
- 25% Mid-Market
68 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Griddle offers engineers and scientists both automatic, interactive, and easy-to-use surface meshing and volume grid generation capabilities for FLAC3D, 3DEC, and many other engineering modeling forma
- 75% Mid-Market
- 25% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
It is easy to work in a variety of formats with gvSIG Desktop, vector and raster files, databases and remote services. There are always available all kinds of tools to analyze and manage your geograph
- 50% Mid-Market
- 25% Small-Business
10,998 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
LandVision, from Digital Map Products, is a property research, analysis, & planning application. Get the information you need quickly and easily to make informed location decisions with these onl
- 50% Mid-Market
- 25% Enterprise
190 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
MapItFast is the way to simplify field mapping and data gathering with a single tap on the screen. Simplify your GPS mapping and let your team collaborate on the same project in a fully synchronized e
- 75% Mid-Market
- 25% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Map Viewer is an easy collaboration tool for viewing and accessing maps and data online!
- 75% Small-Business
- 25% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Over 80% of U.S. businesses report the need to analyze geographic data, but available tools are hard to use and are missing data. PolicyMap is the solution. By bridging the gap between data and ac
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Territory Manager is a geographic sectorization web solution that allows sales managers, schedulers and decision-makers to define powerful omnichannel strategies: balanced sales targets, optimal marke
- 75% Mid-Market
- 25% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Unacast is a proximity and location data platform.
- 50% Small-Business
- 20% Enterprise
6,465 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
FalconView is a multi-platform mapping and mission planning application developed by the Georgia Tech Research Institute for the United States Department of Defense.
- 100% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
105 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Geograma is a Mapping, Location, and Data Services Provider that helps you speed your data monetization ambitions, create new income streams and achieve operational excellence with outdoor maps and in
- 33% Mid-Market
- 33% Small-Business
6,327 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
HERE is Ovum Location Platform Index’s top-ranked platform for map creation and location data services. Our 20+ APIs and SDKs are built to be used by any size team, and backed by always reliable data
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
14,436 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Remote Sensing and GIS software
- 67% Mid-Market
- 67% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Resource management, collaboration and communication solution that maps community services and helps find volunteers when needed
- 67% Mid-Market
- 33% Enterprise
151 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Manifold System is a single, integrated product that provides three major classes of GIS functionality in a single package: as a desktop application, as an objects library for programmers and as an In
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Map Portal is a customizable online-based tool for visualizing, exporting and publishing geospatial data!
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
MuniLogic offers a modular approach to its system design. This modular design provides a clear understanding of the functionality MuniLogic has to offer while providing you the ability to purchase onl
- 33% Mid-Market
- 33% Small-Business
34 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
OrbisGIS is a cross-platform open-source Geographic Information System (GIS) created by research and for research.
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
OSPInSight is an intuitive and user-friendly network management system that enables and empowers your entire organization with network intelligence. You can store valuable and minutely detailed inform
- 100% Mid-Market
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Pinmaps.net is an online map creator that offers an easy way to save map points that are customizable and help user to quickly visualize customer list, next trip or favorite locations.
- 100% Small-Business
132 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Create interactive maps for your business. Parcel data, flood maps, various satellite imagery available on desktop and mobile platforms.
- 33% Enterprise
- 33% Mid-Market
650 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
TNTedit software provides professional interactive tools to create, georeference, and edit project materials consisting of vector, image, CAD, TIN, and relational database objects.
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Vexiza is a Geospatial and Location Data Specialist that helps companies effectively handle immense amounts of information through advanced solutions based on GIS Technology, Cloud, Big Data, and Arti
- Information Technology and Services
- 57% Small-Business
- 29% Mid-Market
111 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
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What is GIS Software?
Geographic information systems, better known as GIS software, are tools that capture, analyze, and display geospatial data to make 2D or 3D maps. These tools act as asset management platforms for the geographic data they capture, meaning GIS technology has the ability to understand patterns and improve operations in land-based operations.
A GIS is a technology rooted in geographic information science that allows users to dig into geospatial data. The first step in this mapping technology is capturing data. These data types include cartographic, photographic, and digital data to provide a complete picture. GIS programs require both hardware and software, such as the desktop needed to display information.
Cartographic data is already in map form and includes information such as the location of rivers, roads, valleys, hills, and more. Data from photographic interpretation analyzes aerial shots of a site. Digital data is collected from satellites that show land use.
All varieties of data can be inputted into GIS mapping tools through data capture. As long as it has been digitized, it can be inputted into a GIS program. Once that data has been inputted, GIS technology can transform it into a map.
Who Uses GIS software?
GIS tools power location-based services. This technology is prevalent in a number of other professions:
GIS Specialist – A GIS specialist is an expert in geographic information systems. They analyze the spatial data stored in the geodatabases within these tools to solve problems related to a specific site or area. For example, a GIS specialist can assess the geospatial data of a region to determine the best escape route and then have the responsibility of mapping out an estimate time needed during a natural disaster. These specialists can create maps of certain areas using GIS technology and use that information to perform duties such as locating special features within a landscape.
A GIS specialist can be a full-time career, as a person in this role can act as a consultant to organizations who can benefit from the data extracted from GIS software. While the majority of this work can be conducted remotely from a computer, GIS specialists are sometimes required to visit a site in order to compare the landscape to the data in the GIS system. Those seeking this career path can obtain a GIS certificate from an accredited program; many universities offer GIS degrees as well.
Urban Planner – An urban planner develops procedures and programs for the use of land. The outcomes are typically mapping out plans to build communities, accommodate growth, revamp local physical facilities, and more. For example, an urban planner might approve plans for a new school to ensure it meets the needs of a growing population. As a community grows and changes, urban planners are there to help manage economic, social, and environmental changes that may arise. Urban planners can be utilized for communities of any size—small towns, large cities, and entire counties.
A great deal of data is needed for an urban planner to make an informed decision. They must stay up-to-date on zoning codes, environment regulations, and legal issues. Urban planners must also stay attuned to the landscape in their area and can utilize GIS technology to analyze and manipulate data. GIS software can be used to overlay a land map with population density indicators, which could show the best use for a piece of land. While an urban planner likely needs to perform site visits, they may also utilize a desktop GIS to analyze this data from their own office.
Environmental Scientist – An environmental scientist assesses the health and stability of a given landscape. This includes a great deal of fieldwork tests and surveys to gather geospatial data, like soil, water, and air samples. The data collected is then analyzed for negative indicators, such as pollution. An environmental scientist’s findings can be collected into an official report that may be presented to policymakers or other organizations concerned about environmental issues.
Environmental scientists rely heavily on GIS applications to succeed in their work. These tools capture the geographic information necessary to effectively map out the health of a physical area. This mapping technology has the ability to capture data from all aspects of a landscape—aerial, water, land—and then display as a variety of different maps. These solutions can also map changes in a specific area, which is hugely beneficial to an environmental scientist as it can fuel a course of action or anticipate future land conditions.
Public Health Professionals – Public health professionals are dedicated to protecting and improving the health of communities. Those in this field are focused more on preventing disease and injury rather than treating it. Public health intersects with a number of more specific fields to improve the health of the community. Epidemiology tracks the distribution and severity of diseases, along with how to prevent them from spreading. Biostatistics applies statistical and mathematical methods to the analysis of public health issues.
Environmental health is concerned with the quality of food supply, water and air pollution, and disease prevention. This is where GIS tools come into play. The use of a GIS and the spatial data it captures can help public health professionals come to decisions as well as predict outcomes. For example, public health officials can use GIS technology to map out potential risk from a contaminated water source. A desktop GIS program can also display information such as drug usage in a certain area.
Law Enforcement – Law enforcement officers can track crime trends within GIS software using crime mapping, which maps, visualizes, and analyzes crime incident patterns within their jurisdictions. These crime hot spots can be identified through the usage of GIS programs. Crime analysts can use a desktop GIS to overlay data sets such as census demographics. With this information, police officers are able to identify physical locations and potentially understand the underlying cause of crime in a certain area. GIS mapping software can also be useful for allocating police officers during emergency situations.
Why Use GIS software?
GIS software is vital for creating maps, but that is not the only application for this technology. These tools capture data that can be utilized by small, mid-sized or enterprise businesses in many fields.
A GIS helps users make more informed decisions. When working with a physical location, you need to understand every aspect of it—air, land, water, surrounding area, and more. A GIS captures this array of data, detailing various aspects of a landscape, and stores it all within one platform. Visualizing this data aids in identifying areas of opportunity and potential issues, such as the best route for an evacuation during an impending hurricane.
The geospatial data stored within these platforms even helps provide answers about things other than the physical landscape itself. Demographics of the surrounding population, social, real-world business problems, and political information can be gathered using a GIS. Features such as overlaying and data visualization connect the dots and create relationships between seemingly unconnected qualities, such populations with geographic features. For example, if a business needs to open up a new storefront, GIS software can be used to find a site of land near a highly populated area. Data can then be manipulated to account for inevitable population change in the surrounding area.
GIS software is specifically designed to visualize data. Reading and understanding statistics and data can be incredibly challenging. Data visualization is a key component of GIS technology, which means that the inputted data will be presented in a clear and comprehensive manner. Using a GIS solution, you can layer your datasets into one image and find the connections between each dataset. Bringing this data to life also allows you to view it from a different perspective, which can provide a fresh insight on a potential problem needing to be solved. You can create multiple maps within GIS platforms, which enables you to track and visualize the change in a certain area over time.
GIS technology can assist in conserving natural resources. GIS software has the ability to manage and maintain agricultural, water, and forest resources. These tools easily manage data on forest conditions as well. The geographic distribution of water resources can be analyzed through GIS technology. These two resources are also connected—as tree cover tends to decrease stormwater runoff.
GIS software allows for better geographic information record keeping. Many organizations are required to maintain thorough geographic records, such government and environmental science agencies. GIS systems are at the foundation of creating policies such as zoning laws, population censuses, and land ownership. Record keeping is vital when creating and upholding these laws, and GIS technology can store the geographic information necessary.
GIS technology can also track the spread of infectious diseases. On top of mapping trends in geographic features, GIS technology is used to follow trends that relate to the spread of disease. Users can leverage desktop GIS solutions to compare geography with other relevant variables and predict where an infectious disease might spread next. This data enables on-the-ground personnel to quickly work to save lives of local residents.
GIS software helps automate previously tedious geographic tasks. Before this technology, gathering data needed for any land, environment, map, pipeline, or city planning could be incredibly time consuming, due to the fact that one platform was unable to capture and store data from various sources. In addition, each data sample was collected and stored individually. However, GIS programs act as a repository for this data and convert it into the correct format, if necessary. GIS technology then takes this one step further and allows users to also design, update, and edit in the same platform where their geographic data is stored. These solutions also provide analysis tools, which gives organizations more time to focus on other urgent and critical tasks.
Governments can use GIS software to plan more cost-effective communities. Governments rely on thorough planning when it comes to building and expanding their communities. However, government organizations, especially smaller municipal ones, can face difficulty when it comes to the economy. Expanding a community while sources are diminishing gets expensive. GIS technology provides a way for government organizations to expand their communities in the most cost-efficient ways possible, as the data provided by GIS software allows them to make more informed choices about decisions such as land usage and locations of physical facilities. Governments can utilize a free GIS solution to continue to drive costs down.
Districts can create more efficient schools with GIS technology. A common issue within communities is needing to redistrict school boundaries as the local population ebbs and flows. GIS programs capture and store addresses for all students at the school. Using feature-based proximity tools, you can manipulate the borders of these zones and a GIS relates the student counts by grade of this proposed boundary. Even after school district zones have been nailed down, these programs can continue to benefit schools. School administrators use GIS technology to analyze the distance students walk to school. If a student lives a certain distance away, GIS tools continue to analyze the data to determine which students are eligible to take school buses. As schools may not a lot of budget dedicated to non-essential technology, they can utilize a free GIS platform for these tasks.
Planning for for natural disasters can be done using GIS technology. One of the main uses of this software is protecting the environment. The flip side of that is protecting citizens from potential dangers of their local environment. GIS tools help with risk management by assessing which areas are at risk for natural or man-made disasters. Communities can then take this data and develop preventive measures. And when natural disasters are unavoidable, GIS technology can still help. These tools aid in the planning of emergency evacuation routes and help estimate the damage from floods. In addition, GIS helps local governments document the needs for federal disaster relief funds.
GIS Software Features
While specific features may vary across different GIS solutions, the following features are typically found in geographic information systems:
Data Capture – This is simply the act of inputting data into a GIS. Relevant data can be grabbed from a number of sources. The software should be able to convert your data to a raster or vector file that will be compatible with your tool.
Remote Sensing Integration – Remote sensing is making measurements of a specific location on the earth through airplanes or satellites. These sensors have the ability to collect data in the form of images. As part of its data capture functionality, remote sensed imagery should easily integrate with a GIS.
Data Warehouse – GIS software stores the data on geographical features and their characteristics. It uses that data to publish maps. Just as GIS solutions capture data in multiple formats, said data is stored in multiple formats as well. Map city data can be stored as points, road data formatted as lines, boundaries as areas, and so on. Storing this information is what allows a GIS to identify features located in a map.
Buffer Zone Querying – Buffer zone querying is the ability to select a point on a map and display any given data within a certain radius. These buffers are used to show an area of influence around a location. For example, a buffer can be used to section off a radius around a school to plan for the transportation of students who live farther away. Some GIS tools may refer to buffer zone querying by other names, such as feature-based proximity tools.
Editing Data – The features of the landscapes you study change, which means your data will change as well. A GIS will enable you to keep up with these changes by allowing you to edit your data. Specific revision features and processes will vary in each tool, but they should all offer the ability to edit your data.
Data Visualization – The data visualization component of a GIS is what brings your data to life, in either a 2D or 3D format. A GIS displays the data you input as an easy-to-read map right on your desktop. This function may allow for additional features, such as adding pop-ups, charts, and infographics to maps.
Geocoding – This feature assigns locations to the addresses you need to keep track of so they may be placed as points on a map. It can be thought of as a interactive digital version of putting a pin on a location on a physical map. Some tools may refer to this feature as address-matching.
Spatial Analysis – Spatial analysis is at the core of publishing a map, and may be one of the key features of a GIS. This ability allows users to dig into their data and make informed decisions, predict patterns, and more.
Overlaying – Overlaying makes it possible to visualize many different forms of data in one image. This function superimposes multiple datasets into one image to identify the relationships between them. Most GIS software provides overlaying capabilities for both vector and raster data.
Publishing Maps – Creating maps is the end goal of GIS software. All of these features, such as overlaying and data editing, contribute to the creation of a map. Once your data is set, you can simply print the map out on a corresponding printer. Some GIS tools may run one final analysis of your data before printing the final map.
Potential Issues with GIS Software
With its wide range of capabilities and applications, GIS technology offers a plethora of benefits. But that does not mean this software does not come without its challenges.
While the data captured and stored in GIS platforms is incredibly beneficial to users, integrating with traditional maps is extremely complex. It can prove difficult to integrate a traditional map with GIS technology. It may not be possible to grab meaningful geospatial information from a GIS, as many only store and analyze the data collected from the platform itself. Reach out to the GIS vendor you select to determine if this integration is possible.
GIS software is expensive. These tools are hugely beneficial to users, as it collects a massive amount of data from various points. It can cost a lot to gather, input, and connect all of this data. Corresponding hardware, along with potentially needing to hire an expert in GIS, continues to drive those expenses up. While they may have some limited features, budget-conscious users can leverage a free GIS for their business.
Data management can be difficult. It’s great that GIS technology allows users to capture and store large amounts of data, but someone has to comb through all that information. Because there is so much data, this could lead to data generalization, which means you may be at risk for losing information. Large amounts of data also require massive storage space, which increases the cost and manpower required to run your GIS.
