Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

PostGIS VS Azure Maps

Compare PostGIS VS Azure Maps and see what are their differences

PostGIS logo PostGIS

Open source spatial database

Azure Maps logo Azure Maps

Add maps, search, routing, and traffic capabilities to your apps with Microsoft Azure Maps--geospatial services APIs that pair with IoT and Enterprise systems.
  • PostGIS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-18
  • Azure Maps Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-13

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.

Azure Maps features and specs

  • Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem
    Azure Maps integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services like Azure IoT, Power BI, and Dynamics 365, providing a cohesive environment for developers using the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • Global Coverage
    Azure Maps offers global geographic coverage, ensuring that users can access mapping data from virtually anywhere in the world.
  • High Scalability
    Built on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, Azure Maps can easily scale to accommodate large volumes of requests, making it suitable for enterprises with high demands.
  • Rich API and SDK Support
    Azure Maps offers a comprehensive set of APIs and SDKs, providing developers with advanced capabilities for geolocation, routing, and data visualization.
  • Security Features
    Azure Maps benefits from Microsoft's robust security features, including data encryption, compliance certifications, and secure access controls.

Possible disadvantages of Azure Maps

  • Cost Considerations
    Azure Maps may have higher costs compared to other mapping services, especially for businesses with extensive usage requirements.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    For users new to Microsoft's cloud services, the wide array of features and integration options in Azure Maps can be overwhelming and complex to implement effectively.
  • Limited Offline Support
    Azure Maps primarily relies on an online connection, and its offline capabilities are limited, which may be a downside for applications requiring offline access.
  • Dependence on Microsoft's Ecosystem
    While integration with Microsoft services is a pro for some, it can also be a con for businesses that do not use or wish to commit to the Microsoft ecosystem, as this may limit interoperability with non-Microsoft products.
  • Availability in Some Regions
    Although Azure Maps has global coverage, certain advanced features or data sets may not be available in all regions, which could be a limitation for some users.

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

Azure Maps videos

Introducing Azure Maps Creator

More videos:

  • Review - Indoor Maps with Azure Maps

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PostGIS and Azure Maps)
Maps
62 62%
38% 38
Database Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Web Mapping
64 64%
36% 36
Mapping And GIS
66 66%
34% 34

User comments

Share your experience with using PostGIS and Azure Maps. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

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....

Azure Maps Reviews

Farewell, Google Maps
On the first glance, it seems that almost all providers would provide satisfactory experience as far as centre of Warsaw is concerned. One exception might be Azure Maps, which was made available just in the previous months. To be fair, Microsoft claims that perceived emptiness of its maps is intentional and for the benefit of its large corporate partners, who like to overlay...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Azure Maps should be more popular than PostGIS. It has been mentiond 3 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.

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

Azure Maps mentions (3)

  • Understanding Mapbox API Integration: A Deep Dive
    Azure Maps: Microsoft's enterprise mapping solution featuring strong integration with Azure services, robust geospatial analytics, competitive compliance certifications, and specialized capabilities for IoT applications. - Source: dev.to / 14 days ago
  • Do I get wet feeds? Draw a flood map using Azure Maps Elevation API
    To start, we need to know which areas of land are almost below sea level so that we can plan and take additional actions. To make this visible we can use Azure Maps and use the Azure Maps Elevation Service to make a basic flood map. The Azure Maps Elevation Service provides pole-to-pole coverage with <4M absolute and <2m relative accuracy. The elevation data represents a digital terrain model (DTM), man-made... - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago
  • Create your own indoor maps using Azure Maps Creator
    By using the same technology for mapping outdoors we can use Azure Maps also for indoor mapping solutions. Azure Maps is a collection of geospatial services APIs and SDKs that use fresh mapping data to provide geographic context to web and mobile applications. Azure Maps Creator is the service that facilitates the creation of indoor maps using your own building drawings. Azure Maps has SDKs for Web, Android, and... - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

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

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

Maptitude - Maptitude is a mapping software that is fitted with GIS features that avail maps and other forms of data regarding the surrounding geographical areas. Read more about Maptitude.

Sequel Pro - MySQL database management for Mac OS X

Esri ArcGIS - ArcGIS provides contextual tools for mapping and spatial reasoning so you can explore data & share location-based insights. ArcGIS is the heart of the Esri Geospatial Cloud. Try ArcGIS for free with 21-day trial.

ArcGIS Pro - Explore ArcGIS Pro resources such as tutorials, videos, documentation, instructor-led classes & more. Find answers, build expertise and connect with the ArcGIS Pro community.

DataGrip - Tool for SQL and databases