Google Maps vs QGIS

ArcGIS

Google Earth Pro

Scribble Maps

Mapbox

Surfer

V-Alert

Compare Google Maps and QGIS based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Mapbox is the location platform preferred by developers for adding geospatial features to mobile and web applications. Mapbox provides global map data, real-time traffic, address search, routing, and navigation directions. Performant and scalable, Mapbox is trusted by leaders across industries.

Surfer is a 2D and 3D mapping and modelling tool, which helps display data while maintaining accuracy and precision. Users can communicate information related to geology, environmental, hydrology, construction and more.

Scribble Maps is a web mapping visualization software, which helps hobbyists, students, government, and the military, annotate maps, filter and analyze data, plot territories, optimize routes, and more.

Google Maps is a web-based service that enables users to find local businesses, view maps, get driving directions, and more

3D Imaging

Color Codes/Icons

Data Visualization

Geocoding

Geographic Maps

Geolocation

Labeling

Location Tracking

Map Creation

Map Sharing

Route Optimization

Spatial Analysis

Google Maps

Android

Web-based

iPad

iPhone

Application Developer

Some highways, the instruction can be unclear which causes me to take the wrong exit or wrong lane.

Student

Google Maps is a superior directions service due to its ability to provide biking directions, while still maintaining the same (or better) quality of directions to its competitors.

Behavior tech

My only issue is the arrow has problems with calibration. So sometimes it shows me that I'm heading a direction that I'm not headed and I end up getting lost.

Front desk staff 

Great experience I would highly recommend it to anyone family or friend cause I know it would be a great experience.

Delivery driver

The app has some issues with crashing at very bad times(when I have no idea where I am). Also this app has taken me to the wrong house very often.

Sales Associate

It constantly updates to give you the most accurate traffic conditions and best driving route. You can navigate hands free which is super important while operating a vehicle.

Program Lead

I use google maps for my daily commute and I find it pretty accurate and user friendly. It is simple to use and helps me with the best route to the destination.

Marketing Specialist

It's ability to provide not only overall views and directions, but the street view option is wonderful, especially when our drivers are having difficulty finding a house.

The only downside is that if you do not have data and you have not downloaded the map of the area you are in, you will not be able to navigate.

Teacher

I also like the built in sharing features so that people can know my progress. The alerts for speed traps is also nice.

Operations / Dispatch

Popular application, ease of use, lots if information can be gleaned from the different views (satellite, streetview, etc.).

Frontend Developer

I use google map to navigate unkown terrains, it works greatly for that, I can go to an entirely new city without fear of getting lost.

PM Assistant

A helpful tool, with no costs at all so its worth overlooking at the cons.

Product Director

Easy to setup and can be a simple setup for any beginner developer. Community support and overall help from peers.

Company Representative 

I like the features, the value for money and also how easy it is to use.

Supply Chain Manager 

Additionally, the app has integrated search functionality, which makes it easy to find nearby restaurants, gas stations, and other points of interest.

Easily integrates and useful on so many levels.

Project Coordinator

I like the user-friendliness most. I like the community input capacity, the warnings about police or traffic/accidents, and the accuracy of the estimated time of arrival.

Google Maps screenshot: Pinpoint places or businesses and get information

Google Maps screenshot: View routes and start GPS navigation

Google Maps screenshot: Google Maps Street View

Google Maps screenshot: Find businesses nearby or in another city

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Non Profit

Public Administrations

Small Business

ArcGIS by Esri is an integrated suite of geographic information system (GIS) software, providing a compliant platform for spatial analysis, data management, and mapping, with ArcGIS Online offering a web-based solution accessible anywhere, anytime for the creation & sharing of 3D map visualizations

Google Earth Pro is a free desktop tool for PC, Mac, and Linux devices. It provides advanced mapping features plus access to historical images. Users can import and export GIS data.

Earthvisionz is a GIS data aggregator that pulls in sensor data from thousand of IOT devices giving full situational awareness of anything threating or damaging assets 24/7 365.

QGIS is a Geographic Information System (GIS) application, licensed under the GNU and supports various vector, raster, and database formats and and projections without converting to an internal or common format.

Activity Dashboard

Data Capture and Transfer

Data Collection

Data Import/Export

Data Mapping

Interoperability

Reporting & Statistics

Reporting/Analytics

Third-Party Integrations

QGIS

Linux

Windows

GIS Analyst

I love the efficiency of it and that you can download it anywhere in the world via the QGIS Project page. The QGIS Community are kind and ethical and are ready to help users.

CAD Technician/Construction Supervisor

Having the ability to integrate many different file types is a great feature that makes this software awesome.

Easy to use, for free, the people that runs the software are awesome, you can choose to pay to help the development, the best.

Head Assistant - International Student and Scholar Services

One of my favorite aspects of QGis is clearly that it is an open software that has several benefits. It is very well updated and well taken care of.

Geographer

Greater efficiency and improved geographic information recordkeeping lead to cost savings.

The support community is also great making it easy to get solutions to any issues you may have.

Junior Product Owner

I like that this software is open source, yet has a lot of powerful features, most of which I have not gotten around to exploring.

QGIS is a must have for anyone doing spatial analysis or GIS related work. Its free and comes with a lot of capabilities similar to other products like ARC-GIS.

Environmental Engineer

A few months ago I started a course to become professional and 4 months ago I got a new job opportunity thanks to my knowledge and skill with the tool.

Especialista 

A positive experience is easy to use and the elements are available to the user.

GIS Analyst and Cartographer 

The GUI is great and adding data to your data frame is much more easier (click a button and then select which data type you want to add within a single window e.g. Raster,  Vector etc.).

Budget friendly option for Geospatial professionals plus easy to use tools for other professionals in the field of Environment or planning for their mapping work.

Easily connectable to other applications even including hardware GPS devices through plugins and has an easy integration with Excel Databases and supports most Excel Database formats.

Founder/ Managing Director

This is a full-featured, intuitive GIS software with many devoted users who develop add ons for some many situations. The software is updated regularly.

It is not a very intuitive tool and some of its features are hard to complete.

Founder - CEO

I did not find anything that is not easy to use, maybe I have not yet encountered such a problem.

It presents some translation errors in its other pre-defined languages, but it does not get in the way of using it.

Economist

It is not the easiest platform for geodata analysis in the market, however this is mostly due the high number of features that QGis has.

Google Maps vs QGIS Comparison (2026)

Google Maps

QGIS

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives