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)
^ Idrizi, B.; Zhaku, S.; Izeiroski, S.; Kabashi, I.; Nikolli, P. (2014). "Defining methodology for selecting most appropriate GIS software". Survey Review . 46 (338): 383– 389. doi :10.1179/1752270614Y.0000000116 . ^ Eldrandaly, Khalid (2007). "GIS software selection: a multi criteria decision making approach" (PDF) . Applied GIS . ISSN 1832-5505 . ^ Appleton, Katy; Lovett, Andrew; Sünnenberg, Gilla; Dockerty, Trudie (2002). "Rural landscape visualisation from GIS databases: a comparison of approaches, options and problems". Computers, Environment and Urban Systems . 26 (2– 3): 141– 162. doi :10.1016/S0198-9715(01)00041-2 . ^ "ArcGIS Pro in Mac OS X" . esri.com. Retrieved 2022-07-07 . ^ "FME Downloads" . Safe Software . Retrieved 5 November 2022 . ^ "Harness the Power of FME Server in the Cloud" . Safe Software . Retrieved 5 November 2022 . ^ "PyWPS" . PyWPS.org. Retrieved 2018-07-24 . ^ "Archived copy" . Archived from the original on 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2014-08-06 .{{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link )