QGIS Cloud

QGIS Cloud is a hosted service for putting QGIS Desktop maps and spatial data online. It suits GIS users who want to carry desktop projects into web publishing; its free tier is only for public, non-commercial and non-government work.

The main draw is a direct route from a QGIS project to hosted maps, databases and standard GIS services. Pro is the relevant choice for commercial or access-restricted publishing, but readers should weigh its custom pricing against the specific database and access limits.

Overview

Publishing starts in QGIS Desktop, where the QGIS Cloud plugin uploads data and publishes maps. QGIS Server renders them in the style of the desktop projects, which preserves existing cartography instead of requiring a separate styling workflow. The trade-off is that this is a QGIS-centered publishing service, not a standalone mapping workspace.

QGIS Cloud pairs that workflow with PostgreSQL databases extended with PostGIS. Users can manage those databases with pgAdmin or QGIS Database Manager, and share maps and data through WMS and WFS; WFS-T supports edits. A WebGIS client and mobile client extend access beyond the desktop, while support for background layers from WMS, WMTS, XYZ, OpenStreetMap, Bing and Google Maps gives published maps several familiar basemap options. Printing up to 1200 dpi is useful when output needs to serve print as well as web use.

Database access is password protected and encrypted, but Free maps and services are public. Those protections do not make the free tier suitable for private publishing; Pro adds restricted access for maps and WMS.

Key features

Publishing and services

The close match between QGIS Desktop styling and the hosted map makes QGIS Cloud a practical choice for teams already maintaining projects in QGIS. WMS, WFS and editable WFS-T provide ways to expose maps and data to other GIS workflows, rather than limiting publication to the included clients.

Spatial data and output

Hosted PostGIS databases give users spatial-data storage alongside publishing, with external management through pgAdmin or QGIS Database Manager. High-resolution printing and mobile access broaden the uses of the service, though the database quotas and connection caps vary by plan.

Pricing

QGIS Cloud Free

Free costs nothing and includes unlimited public maps for non-commercial and non-government use, one PostGIS 3.1 database, 50 MB total storage and 10 concurrent database connections. It is a useful starting point for testing or modest public projects, but the public-only visibility and narrow use terms rule it out for commercial, government or restricted maps.

QGIS Cloud Pro

Pro has custom pricing, billed at 65 Euro/month. It includes restricted access for maps and WMS, SSL support, 10 PostGIS 3.1 databases, 500 MB total storage, 20 concurrent database connections, daily database backups, WebGIS client editing, and viewer logo and CSS customization. The extra databases, storage and editing make it the more capable publishing tier, while its stated storage and connection limits still matter for larger deployments.

Free is the fit for eligible public work; Pro is for organizations that need restricted maps, commercial or government use, or expanded database capacity. The move to Pro is not just a quota upgrade: it changes the access and use case.

Platforms

QGIS Cloud supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows and web access, with an extension-based publishing workflow in QGIS Desktop. Its hybrid deployment and support for web mapping and raster data suit mixed desktop and mobile publishing setups.

Who it's for

QGIS users who already style and manage maps in QGIS Desktop are the clearest audience: they can publish through the plugin while retaining project styling and using hosted PostGIS and OGC services. Free fits public, non-commercial experiments and projects. Commercial and government users, or anyone needing restricted map access, should consider Pro; those seeking a mapping workspace not centered on QGIS Desktop should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

Pro: QGIS Server preserves desktop project styling online, reducing the work of reproducing a map for web publication.

Pro: PostGIS databases plus WMS, WFS and editable WFS-T cover both hosted spatial data and service-based sharing.

Pro: High-resolution printing, mobile access and multiple background-layer sources support varied presentation needs.

Con: Free maps and services are public, and the plan excludes commercial and government activity.

Con: Free storage is capped at 50 MB with one database and 10 concurrent connections, limiting larger or busier projects.

Con: Pro's 500 MB storage and 20 concurrent connections remain defined caps, despite adding databases and editing.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, browse GIS Software.

Felt is worth considering for personal free mapping if unlimited maps and sharing matter more than uploading your own data files.

GIS Cloud is another freemium option with QGIS and ArcMap publisher plugins and a separate Track plan priced at $5 a month per asset.

StatSilk offers a non-commercial StatPlanet Cloud plan at $495 a year with unlimited users, which may suit readers comparing a priced cloud mapping option.

SuperMap GIS is a paid GIS alternative with a free trial.

NextGIS Web is a freemium, web and self-hosted option; its Mini plan costs €180 a year and includes 10 GiB storage and unlimited layers.

Maptitude is a paid alternative with a desktop purchase and an online annual plan.

QGIS is free and open source, and is the natural choice for readers who need desktop GIS rather than hosted publishing.

GRASS GIS is a free and open-source GIS alternative.

Verdict

Choose QGIS Cloud if your maps already live in QGIS Desktop and you want hosted publishing with PostGIS and OGC services while keeping project styling intact. Free is a sensible route for public, non-commercial work, but commercial or private publishing requires Pro. Look elsewhere if you need a general-purpose mapping workspace or the stated Pro storage and connection limits do not suit your project.