Geographic Information System (GIS) software is designed to analyze, display, manage, store, and retrieve all kinds of spatial and geographic data. The system enables you to produce maps and graphs of geographic info for presentation and analysis.Show more This makes it a useful application to visualize spatial data and to create decision support solutions that your organization can utilize. GIS software is leveraged in a wide range of industries including insurance, manufacturing, banking, supply chain, retail, real estate, media, and entertainment. For instance, retail businesses use this system to find the best locations for their outlets. Start by checking our leader Maptitude, and other recommended solutions in this category.Show less
To prepare this ranking of best GIS Software we have evaluated 74 leading tools currently present on the market, comparing their features, how easy are they are to learn, customer service, available integrations with other systems as well as mobile support using our unique SmartScoreTM rating system. This list has been developed by Louie Andre, our SaaS expert responsible for the GIS Software category.
CloudRank™ system is a unique algorithm that our research team uses to evaluate GIS Software solutions in a detailed and accurate way. The Spring 2022 edition of the ranking was prepared by Louie Andre, our leading expert in the field of GIS Software, who has authored 1380+ product reviews in this category. The goal of CloudRank™ is to present an unbiased, multi-layered perspective on GIS Software, considering a wide range of metrics and factors, and educating potential customers about both opportunities and challenges associated with each piece of software.
In order to achieve full objectivity the position in our CloudRank™ is based on:
We’ve calculated a score for each product based on the average experience shared by our users in their product reviews and arranged the list in three tiers. You can see the methodology below on how the calculations were made.
Regardless of their tier, all products included in our CloudRank™ are popular, quality products considered top-performers by our team of experts. Make sure you read a more detailed review of each solution to find one that will work best for your specific needs and budget.
Show lessMARKET POSITION
A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.
TOTAL score
A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.
Market Position
A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.
Total Score
A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.
CloudRank™ tier
Based on product's total score.
Rising Star
Contender
Front Runners
Here is a list of all 24 GIS Software solutions evaluated with our CloudRank™ analysis. We have compared their features, user satisfaction, market presence and other key factors in an in-depth analysis you can find below:
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Our report covered 24 most popular products from the GIS Software category. We’ve analyzed their features, performance, integration, customer support, pricing, and several other key buying factors and combined it with feedback from user reviews to come up with the current list of best solutions:
Google Maps is an online mapping platform that lets users see maps in satellite imagery and aerial photos, as well as in interactive Street View. The mapping platform also includes real-time traffic reports as well as route-planning options for traveling via car, bike, public transport or on foot. Google Maps offers advantages for use in business by letting people find and connect with you, increase location visits, and build credibility through reviews.
Google Maps is free to use on the web with a browser or on mobile apps in both Android and iOS platforms. Enterprise use is managed with APIs or SDKs on pricing plans that start as low as $2 per 100 requests. Google Maps can be used with other similar Google products such as Street View, Google Earth, Local Guides, and Google My Business.
Since its initial launch in 2005, Google Maps continues to be used by over a billion people every month. There are also more than five million active apps and websites that use the Google Map Platform. In fact, 86% of people search for business locations on Google Maps.
Most users of GIS Software solutions confirm that in most cases these tools allow them to reach the following business goals:
The Spring 2022 version of the report includes a total of 24 GIS Software products that were compared and analyzed by our team. We selected them based on the following factors:
Geospatial data has come a long way in its original use as an aid to map and inventory natural resources. Today, Geographical Information Systems or GIS are used to help predict the weather; manage and automated smart homes, appliances, and buildings; oversee logistics and fleet management; and aid decision-making for smart energy solutions. Here are the current trends impacting the use of GIS in 2022.
Statista
Geographic Information Systems generate lots of data. Raw data in and of itself is not useful unless it can be manipulated into granular trends, insights, and patterns from which informed decisions can be made. Combining geospatial data with machine learning, and big data analytics shortens the time required to extract data and use it to augment operational performance.
Big data in GIS is not a new trend. We already see this in action with location analytics for territory mapping to maximize sales opportunities for businesses and map applications that offer alternate routes to get you to your destination in the shortest time possible. GIS has been used to track and monitor outbreaks for the West Nile and Ebola viruses in the previous decade. The Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard uses ArcGIS to track coronavirus cases globally. Compiling data from 188 countries and regions.
The meeting of GIS and big data has limitless potential applications. The trend is pushed by the lowered costs of hardware and software and an increase in expertise and innovation on the topic. GIS market revenue in the US is projected to reach $2.250 billion in 2025. Some of the challenges emerging from GIS and big data include understanding how to leverage the large streams of data points from disparate sources and how to effectively use it. Another is identifying data scientists and hiring them to apply creative solutions to harness the usefulness of the data
Statista
Mentioned in the previous GIS trend, hardware costs for GIS technology has been going down. Along with improved cost-effectivity, technology has also become smaller and more efficient in data collection. The miniaturization of devices and sensors with interconnectivity has led to wider spread use of the Internet of Things (IoT). Conservative estimates put the number of active connected devices in 2019 at 27 billion.
Use cases for GIS and IoT include an increase in self-driving vehicles, creating a safer space for road travel; drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) applications can be used for agricultural crop management, search and rescue in times of disasters, or mitigate crime. IoT use is increasingly embraced with the US ranking first among 79 countries in Huawei’s Global Connectivity Index of 2019. The US also leads in spending and IoT deployment with $194 billion with China trailing a close second with $182 billion.
Coordination/clash detection Visualization Project planning Estimating Visual mock-ups Prefabrication Selling/presentations Take-offs Scheduling Value analysis Code compliance Facility management other JBKnowledgePurpose of BIM use in the US construction sector in 2019
Coordination/clash detection: 60.5
Visualization: 49
Project planning: 46.5
Estimating: 38.3
Visual mock-ups: 36.1
Prefabrication: 33.4
Selling/presentations: 33
Take-offs: 32.7
Scheduling: 28.5
Value analysis: 11.7
Code compliance: 11.2
Facility management: 10.3
other: 15.9
Geospatial data enriches Building Information Modeling (BIM). Going beyond the obvious of mapping out the terrain prior to construction, GIS-enabled BIM technology provides the architectural, engineering, and construction team a complete bird’s eye view of the project. The design process becomes alive with AR and VR capabilities. Giving more spatial awareness for the design process, meet compliance metrics and budget estimates.
Decisions can be made about possible setbacks because the project looks beyond design and functionality but also takes into account the whole construction decision-making process. This shortens the construction lifecycle, increasing project efficiency, and cost-effectivity.
GIS -assisted BIM technology can also be used in creating indoor maps for complex buildings. Interactive layouts with all entry and exit points clearly mapped out are useful for emergency responders in times of calamities and possible terror attacks.
GIS software helps to visualize spatial and geographic data and enables you to create easy-to-understand charts and graphs. Therefore, it finds use in a wide range of industries. However, it can be confusing to select the best GIS software for your specific business needs from the plethora of desktop and cloud-based applications out there. We help you do knowledgeable comparisons and make the right selection by giving you pointers on the key features and benefits to look for.
The best GIS software vendors offer a free trial to enable you to get acquainted with the software’s tools and find out if they match your needs. Therefore, do your homework and shortlist suitable solutions in this category. On our part, we recommend you try out ArcGIS, SuperGIS Desktop, Simple GIS Client, Bentley Map, and Maptitude.
Geographic information tools are used by government agencies, businesses in many industries, land use planners, health organizations, environmental scientists, research institutions, communities, indigenous people, and others.
Geographic information tools can be classified into the following types:
Location as a Service
In the past, GIS was mostly used by oil and gas, utilities, telecommunications, and government sectors. This is changing and today tech companies and large retailers are enjoying the benefits of understanding and using geospatial data. The basics of GIS and its uses have improved significantly. Now, it is the age of services-based GIS. GIS professionals are connecting directly with consumers using web-based platforms that offer visualizations that are easy to access and understand.
Sophisticated Analytics
Businesses that place importance on location can benefit from spatial analysis. For example, geospatial analysis is useful for site selection. Retailers that want to launch new stores need information on hospitable demographics as well as on similar ventures that have proved to be successful. This information can be loaded on a map in order to do statistical analysis which can help to make decisions about the locations of new stores. Maps are easy to understand and GIS professionals can use web-based services to create charts, graphs, and maps, and effortlessly perform analytics.
A recent survey by GIS Professional throws light on the issues faced by users of GIS software. In the survey, 32% identified data accuracy and 31% named efficient data management as main challenges. In addition, 12% named open source and open data as both a trend and a challenge. 8% named location privacy as an issue to be wary about.
The respondents also identified two other concerns: the high cost of proprietary software solutions and the use of GIS by people who do not have a proper understanding of the technology. The availability of open source data and software is creating new users who understand the advantages of GIS but lack the knowledge to use the system properly. This lay user group opens up a new market for GIS software vendors. However, these providers need to compete with free open source GIS alternatives that are preferred by companies that wish to reduce costs.
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Disaster recovery and security are two key elements that need to be considered by SaaS purchasers when analyzing potential providers.
Many SaaS vendors do not have a disaster recovery site. Therefore, ask the following questions to your shortlisted providers: How do you test your disaster recovery processes? What is your recovery time? How often do you test? Do you have discrete infrastructure; are your chief site and your disaster recovery site positioned in different geographical locations?
You need to be aware that many SaaS providers do not use enterprise-grade infrastructure to deploy SaaS apps. Many systems have multiple providers. For example, there may be a firewall provider, an Internet provider, and a few others too in the mix. If a problem rears up, there is a lot of finger-pointing. This issue is common with on-premise IT platforms. The solution is to decrease the number of vendors so that there is answerability to ensure they take responsibility about performance.
Ask the potential SaaS vendors the following queries about security: Is your organization SAS70 compliant? What security processes are used at your facilities? What security audits and principles does your firm follow? Who manages access and identity management, web application firewalls, log file management, and network connectivity?
Needless to say, take your time to research thoroughly and get the answers to the above questions before you invest in an apt SaaS system.
The best GIS is ArcGIS. It’s a robust geographical information system that uses maps for data extrapolation and analysis. It has powerful analytics for businesses to explore information and share insights, with complete contextual tools regarding spatial reasoning and mapping for any kind of industry.
Data. GIS provides new data sets for different countries with access to the latest available geographic information.
Territory. Businesses need territory creation tools that help to handle data tables and to visually represent and manipulate service areas.
Routing. These give the ability to design accurate stops and to manage, compare, and manipulate routes.
Logistics. A distance and drive-time feature that creates an Excel table that shows the costs of travel between any numbers of locations. You can quickly find out the nearest and backup locations ranked by distance or travel time.
Reports. Top GIS software applications enable you to intuitively and quickly create top quality reports in PDF and MS Excel file formats.
Interoperability. Quality GIS platforms support the most recent data standards and a range of file formats including those for MS Excel, MS MapPoint, and Google Maps.
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