How to Do GIS for Free: 6 Best Open Source & Free Tools

When you have the idea of drawing a world map, the choice of GIS software becomes crucial. ArcGIS and GlobalMapper, as world-renowned commercial GIS software, enjoy high recognition within the industry. Although obtaining usable versions of them in China is not difficult, it is worth mentioning that with free GIS software, you can also achieve all related operations, providing a practical solution for drawing world maps.
This article has compiled six free GIS software options to help WebGISers complete their work more effectively.

1. QGIS QGIS (formerly known as Quantum GIS) is an open-source, cross-platform desktop geographic information system (GIS) software. Since its development began in 2002, it has gained widespread recognition globally. It supports various mainstream geospatial data formats, including vectors (such as Shapefile, GeoJSON), rasters (such as GeoTIFF), and databases (such as PostGIS). It integrates algorithms from open-source libraries like GRASS and SAGA, offering rich spatial analysis tools such as buffer analysis, overlay analysis, and terrain analysis. QGIS also supports functional expansion through plugins, with thousands of officially certified plugins available to meet specific needs in fields like hydrology, forestry, and urban planning. Additionally, QGIS runs on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it a strong competitor to commercial software like ArcGIS. It is widely used in scientific research, urban planning, environmental monitoring, business analysis, and many other fields.
2. GRASS GIS GRASS GIS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) is a free, open-source, full-featured geographic information system software. Since its development was initiated by the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory in 1982, it has become one of the longest-maintained and most comprehensive open-source GIS. It supports raster, vector, and geospatial data processing, encompassing advanced functions such as spatial modeling, data visualization, terrain and ecosystem modeling, and hydrological analysis. It provides both a graphical user interface and a command-line interface, and supports programming interfaces like Python. It includes over 400 core modules and more than 100 community-contributed modules. It can run independently or serve as a backend analysis engine for software like QGIS and R. It is widely used in academic research, business analysis, and government agencies (such as NASA, NOAA, USDA, etc.). Its modular design and powerful data interoperability make it a complete solution in the field of geospatial analysis.
3. GISBox GISBox is a domestic one-stop 3D GIS processing platform developed by Hangzhou Duosuan Technology Co., Ltd., focusing on the processing, tiling, service publishing, and visual scene construction of geographic data. Its core functions are free to use. It supports one-stop conversion for various mainstream GIS file formats (such as GeoTIFF, OSGB, 3DTiles, etc.), provides real-time editing functions for oblique photography (OSGB format) (including riverbed lowering, terrain alignment, etc.), and allows users to publish image, terrain, and oblique photography services for free (supporting protocols like 3DTiles, Terrain, WMTS). Its built-in lightweight service can compress ultra-large models for second-level loading, while supporting the aggregated publishing and unified management of multiple services, significantly improving data management efficiency. As a lightweight tool, GISBox features a simple and intuitive interface with low operational barriers, suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, individual developers, and projects requiring rapid implementation. It demonstrates efficient and convenient application value, especially in fields like digital twins, urban planning, and disaster emergency response.
4. gVSIG gVSIG is an open-source geographic information system (GIS) software renowned for its powerful functions, flexible scalability, and cross-platform compatibility (supporting Windows, Linux, macOS, etc.). It provides comprehensive geospatial data management, editing, analysis, and visualization capabilities. It supports various vector and raster data formats and integrates tools for map drawing, spatial querying, geoprocessing, and 3D visualization, meeting diverse needs from basic cartography to complex spatial modeling. Its modular design allows users to extend functionality through plugins (such as network analysis, remote sensing processing, etc.). It also has an active open-source community that continuously promotes technological innovation and localization adaptation. It is widely used in fields like urban planning, environmental management, and disaster emergency response, representing a practical and innovative representative in the open-source GIS domain.
5. SAGA GIS SAGA GIS is a free, open-source geographic information system software focused on geospatial data processing and analysis, excelling particularly in terrain analysis, geological exploration, and environmental monitoring. It supports various multi-source data formats such as rasters, vectors, and point clouds. It offers powerful functions including terrain elevation analysis, hydrological simulation, spatial statistics, remote sensing image processing, and complex geographic modeling, with hundreds of built-in professional algorithm modules. Its modular design allows users to flexibly invoke functions through a graphical interface or scripts. Although its interface is traditional and relies on command-line operations, its computational efficiency is high. It is often used integrated with QGIS and is an ideal tool in scientific research and engineering for processing DEM, remote sensing data, and conducting geomorphological and ecological analyses.
6. OpenJump GIS OpenJump GIS is a lightweight, open-source geographic information system based on Java development, supporting cross-platform operation. It is compatible with over 60 vector formats (such as Shapefile, GeoJSON) and over 40 raster formats, can seamlessly connect to 9 types of spatial databases (like PostGIS), and supports 4,326 coordinate system transformations. The software boasts efficient data processing capabilities, capable of quickly loading large datasets. It provides 27 topological editing tools and 45 spatial analysis functions (such as buffer analysis, overlay analysis), supporting geometry repair and attribute-linked editing. Through its plugin mechanism, modules such as CAD editing and script automation can be extended, making it suitable for scenarios like data maintenance, terrain analysis, and teaching research.