Overview

GIS Cloud is a mapping and field-data platform for teams that build maps, collect location-based information, and share it with selected users or the public. It suits utilities, infrastructure operators, and other organizations with field crews or spatial data to manage. Its strongest case is bringing map editing and offline collection into one workflow; its paid plans have organization-level storage caps that matter for larger projects.

Key features

Map editing and data sources

Map Editor handles vector and raster formats, multiple layers and basemaps, and drawing points, lines, and polygons. Connections include WMS, WFS and WMTS, PostgreSQL and Oracle, Excel and CSV, plus Bing, OpenStreetMap, and Mapbox. That range can help teams bring spatial and business data together, while the plan's storage limits may constrain organizations with large datasets. GIS Cloud also supports advanced spatial analysis, web mapping, and dashboard building.

Field collection and offline work

Mobile Data Collection lets teams create custom forms and gather points, lines, and polygons on Android and iOS. Collections can be made offline, stored on the device, and synced automatically when connectivity returns—a useful fit for fieldwork in areas with unreliable coverage. AI Form Fill can suggest values from photos or voice, with a user able to review, edit, or revert suggestions before saving.

Sharing, tracking, and integration

Teams can keep maps private, share them with collaborators, or publish them publicly. Track focuses on asset locations, reports, historical playback, geofences, and alerts. QGIS and ArcMap publisher plugins preserve symbology, while REST and JavaScript APIs support connections and GIS-enabled web applications. The Geocoder is limited to beta customers, so it is not a dependable option for teams that need general access to that feature.

Security and deployment

GIS Cloud says it has been ISO 27001 certified since November 2025, encrypts data in transit, and uses role-based permissions. Data is hosted on AWS in the US by default, with EU and Australia regions and on-premises deployment offered as options. The company says customer data is not used to train AI models and that Anthropic is contractually prohibited from doing so. Solution consultants reply to demo, question, or project inquiries within one business day.

Pricing

GIS Cloud is freemium, with a free plan, paid plans from $5/mo, and a 14-day trial. The entry-level paid offer is Track at 5.00 USD per month, priced per asset; it includes real-time location and reports, historical playback, geofences, and alerts. It fits asset monitoring rather than map editing or survey work.

Map Viewer costs 12.00 USD per month billed annually. It adds private access to shared maps and data, custom branding, mobile and web apps, and plain-language map questions. Mobile Data Collection is 25.00 USD per month billed annually, with unlimited projects and survey forms, 10,000 vector features and 1 GB media storage per organization, AI Form Fill, and Map Viewer access. Its storage caps are the key trade-off for teams collecting at scale.

Map Editor costs 75.00 USD per month billed annually. It includes 200,000 vector features and 1 GB of other storage per organization, WFS and WMS access, Ask AI, and Map Viewer access. Map Portal costs 79.00 USD per month billed annually, adding a custom domain and branding, 50,000 public map views, and a no-code app builder. These plans target different jobs: editing and analysis, field surveys, or public-facing maps.

Publisher plugins and On-premises & Crowdsourcing have custom pricing; the latter is billed on demand and includes firewall or on-premises installation, an ISO 27001 security review, and a complete crowdsourcing solution.

Platforms

GIS Cloud supports web, Android, iOS, APIs, and self-hosted deployment. Mobile apps and cloud deployment suit distributed teams; self-hosting is an option for organizations that need deployment behind their own firewall.

Who it's for

GIS Cloud is aimed at teams managing water and pipeline networks, electric utilities, telecommunications, roadworks, tree inventories and inspections, retail operations, smart cities, natural resources, and public city maps. It is a strong fit when spatial editing and field capture need to feed the same mapping workflow. It is less compelling for a team that only needs basic forms and does not need GIS-specific mapping, integrations, or offline spatial collection.

Pros and cons

Pros: Offline point, line, and polygon capture syncs automatically after connectivity returns, supporting field work outside reliable coverage.
Pros: Vector and raster editing plus connections to databases, standards-based services, spreadsheets, and basemaps make it useful for mixed GIS data workflows.
Pros: Cloud, self-hosted, and regional hosting options give organizations deployment choices.
Cons: Mobile Data Collection and Map Editor impose organization-level storage limits, which can constrain high-volume collection.
Cons: Geocoder access is restricted to beta customers, limiting its availability for routine use.
Cons: Most listed monthly prices are billed annually, so the displayed monthly rate is not a month-to-month term.

Alternatives

For a broader directory comparison, browse GIS Software or Mobile Forms Software. Choose Jotform instead when a freemium forms tool on web and mobile is the priority; its free Starter plan includes five forms and 100 monthly submissions. mWater offers a free platform with unlimited standard use, forms, users, surveys, and integrations, making it an alternative for teams that value those allowances. DataScope has a free tier capped at 100 actions per month, 10 users, three forms, five assets, and one-year storage, which may suit smaller, bounded workloads. KoboToolbox is another freemium option, including a Starter plan for private companies, for-profit organizations, and personal use. Monival offers a free Community tier with up to three forms, 100 submissions per month, five enumerators, offline mobile app, and OData / Power BI feed. Survtapp has a free tier capped at three users, 100 responses per month, five MB storage, two kiosk devices, three forms, and 120-day retention. CommCare is open source, with its web platform under BSD and Android app under Apache 2.0. Ona Data has a free tier with 500 form submissions, one private and one public project, ten private forms, and community support.

Verdict

Choose GIS Cloud if your organization needs editable maps, offline field collection, and sharing or publishing in one platform, especially for asset-heavy operations. Its integration range and deployment options are meaningful advantages for GIS teams. Look elsewhere if the work is mainly lightweight form capture, if the organization-level storage caps are too restrictive, or if you need Geocoder access now.

	GIS Cloud	MapReader
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$5/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, self-hosted, Web	—
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Deployment	cloud	desktop
Spatial analysis	advanced	—
Web mapping	Yes	—
Dashboard builder	Yes	—
Raster data support	Yes	Yes
Mobile apps	Yes	No

GIS Cloud vs MapReader

GIS Cloud

MapReader