30 Best GIS Software Applications [Rankings]

1

ArcGIS Pro

ArcGIS Pro modernizes GIS with a ribbon interface, 64-bit processing and 3D integration. It’s a massive overhaul with a focus on quickness, ingenuity and cartography. Even though ArcGIS Pro is a big machine with lots of moving parts, it earns top spot.

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

2

QGIS

QGIS 2 was one of the largest community efforts and open source progress in the history of GIS. And because it was community-driven, it became wildly innovative and inventive. Even though QGIS 2 is completely open source, it still rivals the best. But now, full support has shifted to QGIS 3.

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

3

ArcGIS Explorer Desktop

ArcGIS Desktop is cutting edge in GIS. It raises the bar to the next level by doing what other GIS software can’t. Its success is that it’s expandable. From field apps to modeling and scripting, ArcGIS is a powerhouse for all things GIS.

#PDF Editor #PDF Tools #PDF Creator 1 social mentions

4

Hexagon Geomedia

Hexagon GeoMedia has 40+ years of history. But lately, it’s taken a bit of a slide. Nevertheless, it’s still solid as GIS software. Especially, when you pair it up with ERDAS Imagine, you get arguably the best suite in remote sensing.

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

5

MapInfo Professional

At its core, MapInfo Professional is all about locational intelligence. And just like GeoMedia, it’s been a tale of shrinking market share from its rivals. But don’t get fooled. MapInfo is still a well-rounded GIS software suite with more of a business decision-making focus.

#Maps #Mapping And GIS #Maps & Navigation

6

FME

Feature Manipulation Engine FME® isn’t a full-fledged GIS package. Instead, it wrangles and slays your data like a Jedi. It’s extremely powerful and has a surprisingly active community. In fact, its yearly World Tour is a blast to attend. But just don’t use FME® for making maps.

#Data Integration #ETL #Integrations Platform As A Service

7

Global Mapper

If your definition of “GIS” is limited to desktop applications, you’re not reading the winds correctly. I rarely use a desktop GIS, and yet I “do GIS” all day. (When I do use one, it’s QGIS or Global Mapper.) Much more important are the tools I actually use: Postgres with PostGIS being the mainstay, complemented by a suite of Python libraries for the server (SQLAlchemy/GeoAlchemy, Shapely, Fiona, rasterio, numpy, scipy, Matplotlib, tools for writing Mapbox vector tiles, reading/writing GeoJSON, and accessinging GDAL), and JavaScript for the client (lots of small GeoJSON-related packages, Leaflet, Leaflet-draw, Mapbox GL, OpenLayers3). Desktop GIS is dying.

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

8

gvSIG

If you eat, sleep and breathe GIS, gvSIG is free and open source GIS software. Its features may surprise you. For example, it has a field app, 3D capabilities and a desktop application. But it’s light on documentation. Especially, anything in English.

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS

9

GRASS GIS

GRASS GIS is one of those suites that let you geoprocess until the night falls. It’s a loaded gun with sophisticated tools. It’s so powerful that you can unleash GRASS GIS in QGIS as a separate toolbox. But its clunky interface and stubborn map projection rules hold it back.

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS 8 social mentions

10

Whitebox GAT

WhiteBox GAT is the diamond in the rough. If you need terrain and hydrological analysis, then it’s a superb choice. The LiDAR support is out-of-this-world. But it also has 360+ plugin tools. It deserves a higher ranking. But it’s just not strong in mapping, editing and data management.

#Maps & Navigation #Tool #Maps

11

Cadcorp SIS

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

12

GE Smallworld Network Inventory

#Network Scanning #Inventory Software #Inventory Management

13

Manifold

Manifold System is something you can just pick up and get accustomed to quickly. Its highlights are its intuitive interface, programmability and 64-bit processing. Manifold GIS has a solid set of tools. But without the high price tag.

#Maps #Project Management #Mapping And GIS 83 social mentions

14

Maptitude

Maptitude (from Caliper Corporation) you say provides “little support for advanced geoprocessing”!!!!! Have you ever tried using it? Maptitude is based on a platform that produces TransCAD and TransModeler — the 2 most used transportation GIS software.

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

15

TatukGIS Editor

TatukGIS is straightforward and well-rounded. Its leading features include its state-of-the-art editing, format support and scripting environment. Fun fact: The origin of TatukGIS is based on Tatuk Lake in British Columbia, Canada.

#Maps #Mapping And GIS #Maps & Navigation

16

AutoCAD Map 3D

If you started using Autodesk, AutoCAD Map 3D has the same look and feel to it. Basically, AutoCAD Map bridges the gap between CAD and GIS. You get map layouts, data management and editing capabilities. By linking CAD and GIS, you get the best of both worlds.

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

17

GoldenSoftware Surfer

#Office & Productivity #Tool #Web App

18

ILWIS

The 80s are making a comeback. As part of it, ILWIS is still embracing the era. But if you need remote sensing tools, it’s a decent place to look. There’s also 3D visualizations and stereo imaging. Despite its desperate need for makeover, ILWIS is versatile in specific niches.

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS

19

SAGA GIS

The name of the game for SAGA GIS is geoscience. If you go down this rabbit hole, you may get lost. Documentation lacks do much that you don’t even know the input and output. But it has some of the rarest tools you’ll ever find in GIS software.

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS

20

GeoDa

GeoDa is a specialist in statistical tools. As you work in this open source GIS software, you explore spatial statistics. Through state-of-the-art geo-visualizations and geo-simulations, it’s the ultimate tool for spatial modeling.

#Maps & Navigation #Maps #Web Mapping 1 social mentions

21

Bentley Map

Bentley Map combines the power of CAD with the strengths of traditional GIS. For example, it offers robust inter-operability, overlay tools and high quality cartographical output. It’s not only for 2D. But you can perform GIS analysis in 3D too.

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

22

Clark Labs TerrSet

#Maps #Mapping And GIS #Web Mapping

23

MicroImages

#Mapping And GIS #Maps #Heatmaps

24

MapWindow GIS

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS

25

uDig

Volunteers world-wide work on this open source desktop application. Most of the focus for uDig is on database viewing and editing. Even today, updates continue to roll in. But the interface really just needs a fresh coat of paint.

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS

26

OpenJUMP GIS

You’ve got two tickets to the OpenJump show. Would you go? In short, Jump GIS is good at doing the basics. It started as a tool for data conflation. Then, it grew into a modest size open source project. Despite its light functionality, developers still support the project.

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS

27

gtri.gatech.edu FalconView

FalconView is a flight simulator so it’s unfair to compare in this list of GIS software. If you want to do fly-throughs, Georgia Tech built it for this purpose. Otherwise, you can render features in 3D like LiDAR and elevation.

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS

28

OrbisGIS

OrbisGIS is still a work-in-progress. It’s now released as a cross-platform open source GIS software package. Specifically, OrbisGIS is designed by and for research.

#Maps #Maps & Navigation #Mapping And GIS

29

Diva GIS

Diva GIS is an open source GIS software package that’s simple and light-weight. Biologists use it for mapping biological richness and diversity distribution. It’s functional. But there’s not a lot here for mapping and functionality.

#Maps & Navigation #Maps #Web Mapping