Cesium ion
7.2#4 in geo toolsFrom $149 a monthFree planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted
VisitCesium ion vs Global Mapper
Global Mapper
6.9#1 in point cloud softwareFrom $599 a yearAndroidiOSWindows
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | Cesium ion | Global Mapper |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Hallowell, Maine, United States |
| Integrations | Cesium ion integrations support data creation and capture workflows and streaming to CesiumJS and other visualization engines. | The product supports data exchange with ArcGIS formats and can export to Avenza Maps for offline field use; MAPublisher provides a workflow with Adobe Illustrator. |
| Purpose | Cesium ion uploads 3D geospatial content, optimizes it as 3D Tiles, hosts it, and streams it to devices. | Global Mapper is a desktop GIS application for geospatial data processing, spatial analysis, geodetic workflows, and deployment-ready mapping. |
| Support | Community accounts receive support through the Cesium community forum, while paid plans include support from Cesium experts and through the forum. | Technical support is included with Global Mapper purchase and covers the current software version; the policy lists security patches, bug fixes, feature enhancements, and standard support. |
Cesium ion plans
- CommunityFree
- Commercial (individual)$149 a month
- Premium (individual)$499 a month
- Commercial (team)$524 a month
- Premium (team)$874 a month
- Cesium ion Self-HostedPriced on request
Global Mapper plans
- Essentials$599 a year
- Advanced$1,199 a year
- Professional$2,199 a year
Pick Cesium ion if…
Cesium ion suits people and organizations working with 3D geospatial data who need to host and stream processed content. Self-Hosted may suit deployments in disconnected or air-gapped environments.
Pick Global Mapper if…
Global Mapper suits GIS professionals, surveyors, engineers, government agencies, utilities, environmental consultants, and public safety organizations. Its plans include tools for users working with geodetic data, lidar, or imagery.