QGIS Cloud

QGIS Cloud is a hosted mapping service built around projects made in QGIS Desktop. It is a strong fit for QGIS users who need to publish maps and spatial data online, but less suited to teams seeking a standalone mapping workspace.

Its appeal is the path from desktop project to hosted map, with database and OGC service capabilities alongside it. Free is narrowly useful for public, non-commercial work; commercial use or restricted maps require Pro.

Overview

Publishing begins in QGIS Desktop with the QGIS Cloud plugin, which uploads data and publishes maps. QGIS Server renders maps to match their desktop project styling, a practical advantage for users who want the online version to retain the cartography they have already built. The trade-off is a workflow anchored in QGIS Desktop, rather than a general-purpose hosted map editor.

QGIS Cloud provides PostgreSQL databases extended with PostGIS, which users can manage with pgAdmin or QGIS Database Manager. WMS and WFS provide ways to share maps and data, while WFS-T adds support for edits. A WebGIS client and mobile client broaden access; background layers can come from WMS, WMTS, XYZ, OpenStreetMap, Bing, and Google Maps. Printing supports resolutions up to 1200 dpi, useful when maps need to work on paper as well as on screen.

Database access is password protected and encrypted. That does not make Free appropriate for private maps: maps and services published under Free are public. Pro adds restricted access for maps and WMS, an important distinction for projects that cannot be openly published.

Key features

Desktop-to-web publishing

The plugin-based upload and QGIS Server rendering make QGIS Cloud especially coherent for existing QGIS Desktop projects. Users keep the project styling in the published map instead of rebuilding it for a separate web mapping workflow.

Hosted spatial data and services

PostGIS databases and familiar management tools make the hosted data layer accessible to GIS users already working with PostgreSQL tools. WMS, WFS, and editable WFS-T make the service useful for sharing data and supporting edits, not just displaying a static map.

Clients and print output

The included WebGIS and mobile clients give published work more than one route to viewers. Support for common background map sources and printing up to 1200 dpi adds flexibility, though the Free plan’s public-only rule remains a decisive constraint for sensitive work.

Pricing

QGIS Cloud is freemium. QGIS Cloud Free costs nothing and includes unlimited public maps, one PostGIS 3.1 database, 50 MB total storage, and 10 concurrent database connections. Its terms restrict use to non-commercial and non-government activity, so it suits experiments and openly shared personal or community projects, not professional or government deployment. “Unlimited” maps does not mean unlimited data: the single database and 50 MB cap are modest.

QGIS Cloud Pro has custom pricing; the plan is billed at 65 Euro/month. It provides restricted access for maps and WMS, SSL support, 10 PostGIS 3.1 databases, 500 MB total storage, and 20 concurrent database connections. Daily database backups, WebGIS client editing, and viewer logo and CSS customization round it out. The larger allowance and privacy controls make Pro the relevant option for commercial or government applications, but the 500 MB total remains a bounded storage allowance.

Free gives up private map access, SSL support, backups, WebGIS client editing, and viewer customization. Pro’s published billing term is monthly; no separate trial term is stated for QGIS Cloud.

Platforms

QGIS Cloud is listed for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, as well as an extension. Its hybrid deployment and mobile apps suit publishing from desktop GIS while making maps accessible on mobile devices and in a browser.

Who it's for

Choose QGIS Cloud if QGIS Desktop is already central to your mapping work and you want hosted publication that retains project styling, with PostGIS and OGC services in the same service. Free is best kept to testing and non-commercial, non-government maps that can be public. Commercial or government users, or anyone needing restricted maps, should consider Pro.

Look elsewhere if the need is a private hosted map on a no-cost plan, if a desktop-independent authoring workflow is essential, or if the storage allowances do not fit the project.

Pros and cons

• Pro: QGIS Server preserves QGIS Desktop project styling, avoiding a separate styling pass for published maps.
• Pro: PostGIS, WMS, WFS, and editable WFS-T support data management and sharing as well as map display.
• Pro: Pro adds restricted map access, backups, client editing, and viewer customization for more controlled deployments.
• Con: Free maps and services are public, and Free is limited to non-commercial and non-government use.
• Con: Free’s 50 MB and one-database allowance, and Pro’s 500 MB and 10-database allowance, may constrain data-heavy projects.
• Con: Publishing depends on QGIS Desktop and its plugin, which is a poor match for users seeking an independent web mapping workspace.

Alternatives

Browse GIS Software for more options in the category.

• Felt is worth considering for users who want unlimited maps and sharing on its free Personal plan, but that plan excludes own data file uploads and is for personal use only.
• QGIS is the direct choice for free, open-source desktop GIS under GNU GPLv2+ when hosted publishing is not required.
• GIS Cloud is an alternative for teams considering QGIS or ArcMap publisher plugins; its Track plan is $5 a month per asset.
• GPXSee is another free software option.
• GRASS GIS is another free and open-source GIS option.
• NextGIS Web may suit users considering an annual hosted plan: Mini is €180 a year, billed annually, with one user, 10 GiB storage, unlimited layers, one tracker, and one collector.
• Google Earth Engine is another option for readers comparing GIS and geospatial services.
• SuperMap GIS is another option for readers comparing GIS software.

Verdict

QGIS Cloud is the right choice for QGIS Desktop users who want a direct route to hosted maps, PostGIS data, and OGC sharing. Its strongest reason to choose it is the close carry-over of QGIS project styling; its strongest reason to look elsewhere is the public-only, non-commercial Free tier, while Pro’s storage remains limited to 500 MB total.