This is a comparison of notable GIS software. To be included on this list, the software must have a linked existing article.
License, source, & operating system support
GIS software |
Free software |
Open source |
Windows |
Mac OS X |
Linux |
BSD |
Unix |
Web |
Other |
ArcGIS |
Viewer(s) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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 |
CAPAWARE |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Chameleon |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
AMP |
No |
Deegree |
Yes |
Yes |
Java |
Java |
Java |
Java |
Java |
Yes |
No |
Erdas Imagine |
Viewers & Plug-ins |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
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[1] |
No |
gvSIG |
Yes |
Yes |
Java |
Java |
Java |
Java |
Java |
No |
No |
IDRISI |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
JViews Maps (By Rogue Wave, formerly ILOG) |
Viewer(s) |
No |
Java |
Java |
Java |
Java |
Java |
Java & DHTML/Ajax |
Live/active symbol overlays |
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 |
Panorama |
No |
No |
"GIS Map 2005" |
No |
"GIS Panorama" |
No |
No |
No |
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 |
Pure server
Map servers
Name | Language | WMS | WFS | WFS-T | WCS | WMC | SLD | FES | Other |
ArcGIS Server |
.NET/Java |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
SOAP, REST, KML |
MapServer |
C |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Deegree |
Java |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
GeoServer |
Java |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
MapDotNet |
C#/.NET |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
SOAP and REST feature and map services |
Manifold System |
ASP C# |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
client and server |
GeoMedia WebMap |
style="background:#9F9;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"|Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
style="background:#F99;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no"|No |
|
Pure web client
Libraries
Name | Language | WMS | WFS | GeoRSS | Other |
OpenLayers |
JavaScript |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
support for navigation, icons, markers, and layer selection. |
Leaflet |
JavaScript |
Yes[2] |
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) |