Free and Open-Source GIS Software

Open-Source GIS refers to GIS software that is freely available for use, modification, and distribution under open licenses. It is supported by global communities of developers and users who contribute to its improvement, ensuring continuous innovation and transparency. Open-source GIS is valued for its cost effectiveness, customization capabilities, and interoperability.

Esri contribute to open-source software events, libraries, tools, and apps. Esri employees have developed over 500 open-source projects on GitHub, most of them licensed under Apache 2.0; regularly contribute to third-party projects like GDAL.

Popular open-source GIS tools include QGIS (for desktop GIS), GRASS GIS (for advanced geospatial analysis), and GeoServer (for serving spatial data via web services). These platforms are widely adopted in academia, government, and industry due to their flexibility and lack of licensing costs.

Benefits of Open-Source GIS:

• ✅ Free to use – No licensing fees
• ✅ Community-driven – Regular updates and plugins
• ✅ Customizable – Access to source code
• ✅ Standards-compliant – Supports OGC standards (WMS, WFS, WCS, etc.)
• ✅ Interoperable – Works with a variety of file formats (GeoTIFF, Shapefile, GeoJSON, etc.)

Now start to create Mapping to use free and Open-Source GIS Software’s. It is freely available, just Download and Install it and use to your project. Below list of best open source (OS) GIS software free download.

List of Free and Open-Source Desktop GIS Software’s

1. QGIS

QGIS (Quantum GIS) is a professional GIS application, user friendly Free Software. The QGIS is an official project of the Open Source Geo-spatial Foundation (OSGeo). It runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, Windows and also Android.

Now Latest version Release QGIS 3.34.

Download QGIS

Features:

• A free Geospatial functionally
• Support all data types
• Huge plugin library extends functionality

2. GRASS GIS

GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) is a free and open-source Geographic Information System (GIS) software suite used for geo-spatial data management and analysis, image processing, graphics and maps production, spatial modeling, and visualization.

Latest Release: GRASS GIS 7.8.3 with Python 3, PROJ 6 and GDAL 3 support.

Download GRASS

Features:

• Advanced image processing
• Perform large geospatial data analysis
• Specializes in terrain manipulation

3. gvSIG

gvSIG The largest professional network of open source Geo-matics. A new model of development based on knowledge sharing, solidarity, and cooperation.

Release gvSIG 2.5 Desktop version.

Download gvSIG

Features:

• More than 300 Geoporcessing tools are available
• Animation and 3D mapping
• Remote sensing Image processing

4. SAGA

SAGA (System for Automated Geo-scientific Analyses) has been designed to be easy and effective implementation of spatial algorithms and it’s easily approachable user interface with many visualization options.

Release latest version SAGA 7.6.3

Download SAGA

Features:

• Automated Geoscientific Analyses
• Geodata processing and analysis
• New functions with a very effective API

5. ILWIS

ILWIS (The Integrated Land and Water Information System) is a remote sensing and GIS software which integrates image and it delivers a wide range of features including import/export, digitizing, analysis and display of data, as well as production of quality maps.

Now Release ILWIS 3.3

Download ILWIS

Features:

• Land and Water management
• Advance image processing (Ortho photo)
• Integrated raster and vector design

Open-Source Web GIS Software

Comparison Table