Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Equator VS PostGIS

Compare Equator VS PostGIS and see what are their differences

Equator logo Equator

Equator is online mapping software that allows anyone to find, create and publish maps in minutes. One globe, unlimited maps.

PostGIS logo PostGIS

Open source spatial database
  • Equator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-03
  • PostGIS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-18

Equator features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Equator offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface that caters to both beginners and experienced users, which helps facilitate a smooth user experience.
  • Customizable Tools
    The platform provides a range of customizable tools that allow users to tailor the software to their specific project needs, enhancing productivity and precision.
  • Collaboration Features
    Equator includes collaboration features that enable multiple users to work together seamlessly on the same project, improving workflow efficiency.
  • Real-Time Data
    Offers real-time data integration, allowing users to access up-to-date information and analytics, which is crucial for making informed decisions quickly.

Possible disadvantages of Equator

  • Subscription Costs
    The platform may be expensive for individual users or small businesses due to its subscription-based pricing model, which might not fit all budgets.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, some users may encounter a learning curve when first using Equator, particularly if they are not familiar with similar tools.
  • Internet Dependence
    Since it is a web-based platform, reliable internet connectivity is necessary for full functionality, which may be a limitation in areas with poor internet access.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    Equator has limited functionalities when offline, which can be a drawback for users who need to work in areas without internet access.

PostGIS features and specs

  • Open Source
    PostGIS is open-source, meaning it is free to use and has a strong community support for development and troubleshooting.
  • Integration with PostgreSQL
    PostGIS extends PostgreSQL, a robust relational database management system, providing powerful geospatial capabilities along with traditional SQL features.
  • Rich Geospatial Functions
    PostGIS offers a comprehensive range of geospatial functions and data types, making it suitable for complex spatial queries and analyses.
  • Cross-platform Support
    Being cross-platform, PostGIS can run on various operating systems including Windows, Linux, and macOS, offering flexibility in deployment.
  • Active Community and Documentation
    PostGIS benefits from an active user community and extensive documentation, which aids in learning and problem-solving.
  • Scalability
    Built on PostgreSQL, PostGIS inherits its scalability features, which support large datasets and extensive query capabilities.
  • Customization and Extension
    PostGIS's open architecture allows for customization and the development of extensions to meet specific geospatial needs.

Possible disadvantages of PostGIS

  • Complexity
    The setup and maintenance of PostGIS can be complex for users without prior experience in PostgreSQL or geospatial databases.
  • Performance Overhead
    For extremely large datasets and very high-performance needs, the additional geospatial functionality can introduce some performance overhead.
  • Learning Curve
    There is a significant learning curve associated with mastering PostGIS, particularly for users who are not familiar with GIS or SQL.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running intensive geospatial queries can be resource-intensive, requiring significant memory and processing power.
  • Limited Advanced GIS Features
    While PostGIS offers extensive GIS features, it may fall short compared to specialized GIS software for certain advanced spatial analytics or visualization tasks.
  • Dependency on PostgreSQL
    As PostGIS is an extension to PostgreSQL, users are dependent on PostgreSQL updates and limitations, which might not always align with geospatial needs.

Analysis of PostGIS

Overall verdict

  • Yes, PostGIS is highly regarded for its capabilities in managing and analyzing spatial data. It is a powerful tool for those needing advanced spatial functionalities and is often recommended due to its open-source nature and extensive community support.

Why this product is good

  • PostGIS is considered a robust spatial database extender for PostgreSQL, offering extensive support for geographic objects, which enables it to manage and analyze spatial data efficiently. It provides a wide range of functions for spatial queries, including geometry and geography data types, and it supports spatial indexing and topological relationships. Its integration with PostgreSQL ensures reliability, scalability, and performance, making it a popular choice for GIS professionals.

Recommended for

  • Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals
  • Organizations managing spatial databases
  • Developers building applications requiring spatial data processing
  • Environmental scientists and urban planners
  • Businesses needing location-based data analysis

Equator videos

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PostGIS videos

Como Instalar o PostgreSQL com PostGIS | ALL com GEO

More videos:

  • Review - Paul Ramsey: This Is PostGIS
  • Review - A New Dimension To PostGIS : 3D

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Equator and PostGIS)
Maps
22 22%
78% 78
Mapping And GIS
31 31%
69% 69
Database Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Web Mapping
30 30%
70% 70

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Equator and PostGIS

Equator Reviews

The Top 10 Alternatives to ArcGIS
Equator Studios was built from the ground up to cover the basics of GIS, hiding the complexities in a user-friendly and accessible browser based web app. Our teams philosophy is that if you can’t do it with a simple drag, drop, or slide, then we must return to the drawing board until you can. We don’t like to waste our time, or yours, on difficult to understand manuals or...

PostGIS Reviews

The Top 10 Alternatives to ArcGIS
For those in the engineering and GIS community, PostGIS is a well-known open source extension for the PostgreSQL database that allows for spatial data to be stored, managed, and queried. The software enables users to conduct complex geospatial analyses and – because it is built on top of the powerful open-source database PostgreSQL – it can handle large datasets with ease....

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Equator should be more popular than PostGIS. It has been mentiond 4 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Equator mentions (4)

  • DIY drone mapping of land
    Prior to purchasing a drone, check out the free lidar point cloud and photogrammetry data available online. One site to check out is equatorstudios.com. The mapping platform allows for free downloads of this data. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Hit the ground running
    Prior to going through the process of purchasing a drone and getting your license, check to see if there is free data available for your site already. Equator is a mapping platform that houses thousands of free LiDAR datasets. They also convert the LiDAR point clouds to DEMs or to contour lines at any resolution that can be exported as shapefiles for whichever GIS platform you are using. https://equatorstudios.com/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Running ArcPro on Mac?
    We're developing Equator Studios (https://equatorstudios.com/) as a cross-platform alternative to Arc. What kind of work do you do? Source: over 2 years ago
  • How close is ArcGIS Pro to be available for MacBooks?
    Http://equatorstudios.com/ works on Mac! Source: over 2 years ago

PostGIS mentions (1)

  • Efficient Distance Querying in MySQL
    This is an interesting article about strategies to use when traditional indexes just won't do, but for the love of the index please use MySQL's (or postgres' or sqlite's) built in spatial index for this particular class of problems. It will does this sort of thing much, much more efficiently than 99% of in house solutions. https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/spatial-types.html... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Equator and PostGIS, you can also consider the following products

OSGeo - QGIS is a desktop geographic information system, or GIS.

Slick - A jquery plugin for creating slideshows and carousels into your webpage.

ArcGIS - ArcGIS software is a data analysis, cloud-based mapping platform that allows users to customize maps and see real-time data ranging from logistics support to overall mapping analysis.

Sequel Pro - MySQL database management for Mac OS X

what3words - Geocoding system for the simple communication of locations with a resolution of 3 m

DataGrip - Tool for SQL and databases