This is a comparison of notable GIS software. To be included on this list, the software must have a linked existing article.
The selection of GIS software is a non-trivial task typically undertaken at project commencement. The use of appropriate selection criteria and methodology can be critical to a project's success, with considerations including outlay costs, ease of use, data and system harmonization and maintenance, incorporation of advances in technology, and downstream system integration.[1][2][3]
License, source, & operating system support
[edit] GIS software | Free software | Open source | Windows | Mac OS X | Linux | BSD | Unix | Web | Other |
ArcGIS | Viewer(s) | No | Yes | No[4] | No | No | Yes | Yes | Google Earth Plugin, KML, WMS |
Autodesk | Viewer(s) | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Cadcorp | Viewer(s) | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Deegree | Yes | Yes | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | Yes | No |
Erdas Imagine | Viewers & Plug-ins | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
FME[5] | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | FME Cloud[6] | No |
GeoBase - Telogis | Trial | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Traffic, WMS, ADAS, Routing |
GeoNetwork | Yes | Yes | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | Yes | No |
GeoServer | Yes | Yes | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | No |
GeoTools | Yes | Yes | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | No | No |
GRASS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | via pyWPS[7] | No |
gvSIG | Yes | Yes | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | No | No |
IDRISI | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
ILWIS | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
GeoMedia | Viewer(s) | No | Yes | No | No | No | CLIX | Yes | KML |
JUMP GIS | Yes | Yes | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | No | No |
Kosmo | Yes | Yes | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | No | No |
LandSerf | No | No | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | No | No |
MapDotNet | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Manifold System | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Microsoft MapPoint | Discontinued | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Pitney Bowes MapInfo Pro | Viewer(s) | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
MapServer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | AMP | No |
Maptitude Caliper software | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
MapWindow GIS | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Oracle Spatial | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
PostGIS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
QGIS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Google Earth Plugin, KML, WMS |
RegioGraph | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
RemoteView | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
SAGA GIS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | KLM |
SAP HANA | Free Trial | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Smallworld | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Read-only | OLE, XML, Multiuser, Utility Data Model, Data Translator export/import |
SPRING | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Solaris | No | No |
TerraLib TerraView | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
TNTmips | Viewer(s) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
TransModeler Caliper Software | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
uDig | Yes | Yes | Java | Java | Java | Java | Java | No | No |
GIS software | Free software | Open source | Windows | Mac OS X | Linux | BSD | Unix | Web | Other |
Name | Language | WMS | WFS | GeoRSS | Other |
OpenLayers | JavaScript | Yes | Yes | Yes | support for navigation, icons, markers, and layer selection. |
Leaflet | JavaScript | Yes[8] | Yes | No | support for navigation, icons, markers, layers, GeoJSON |
MapDotNet | JavaScript/HTML5 | Yes | Yes | Yes | digitizing, wkt rendering, draggable icons and content, geospatial queries (intersection, overlapping) |