Mapbox Studio vs QGIS
Mapbox Studio
mapbox.com
QGIS
qgis.orgSide by side
| Figure | Mapbox Studio | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Spec score · GIS Software | 8.6 (#4) | 7.9 (#24) |
| Spec score · GIS and Mapping Software | 8.3 (#1) | 7.7 (#7) |
| Spec score · Geo Tools | 8.4 (#3) | 7.7 (#13) |
| Audience | Mapbox describes its services as serving industries including logistics, delivery, automotive, retail, travel, manufacturing, and enterprise software. | QGIS describes itself as a tool for everyone and invites organizations to find local user groups and support providers. |
| Founded | 2010 | 2002 |
| Platforms | Studio styles can be used with Mapbox SDKs for web, iOS, Android, and embedded devices. | The download page lists QGIS for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. |
| Purpose | Mapbox Studio is a suite of applications for designing custom map styles and managing location data. | QGIS provides spatial visualization and decision-making tools, including tools to create, edit, analyze, and publish geospatial information. |
| Security | Mapbox says it is SOC 2 Type 2 and SOC 3 compliant and serves its APIs over HTTPS and TLS 1.2 or higher by default. | QGIS says desktop and server are written to limit SQL injections and other known security vectors, and QGIS Server has been hardened against SQL injections. |
| Support | Mapbox lists self-serve resources, account help, and technical assistance among its support options. | QGIS provides community support through its Discourse forum, GIS StackExchange, chat channels, and local user groups. |
Plans
Mapbox Studio
- Mapbox GL JS (Map Loads)Free
- Mapbox StudioFree
- Maps SDKs for MobileFree
- Pay-as-you-goFree
- Static Images APIFree
In their own words
Mapbox Studio
Mapbox Studio is a suite for designing custom map styles and managing location data. You can upload and edit Shapefiles, GeoJSON, and CSV data, which Studio converts into vector tiles. Style controls cover colors, typography, road width, point-of-interest density, sky, 3D buildings, and terrain. Studio can visualize point, line, and polygon data through options such as choropleths and scaled point maps. You can add your own fonts, icons, and textures to a map design. Published styles can be used through Mapbox SDKs and APIs; a stylesheet can also be downloaded or a high-resolution image exported for print. Component styles work with Maps SDK for Web v1.0+, iOS v5.0+, and Android 8.0+. Users cannot author their own Style Components, and components cannot be restored after they are ejected from a style. The plan costs nothing and is available to all Mapbox users, though related API and custom tileset usage may be billed separately. Mapbox says it was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in San Francisco.
QGIS
QGIS is free, open-source software for creating, editing, analyzing, visualizing, and publishing geospatial information. Its layout designer produces print maps, while reporting tools can assemble atlases and reports containing maps and tabular material. It includes hundreds of analysis tools and supports visual workflows that can be reproduced. QGIS works with many data sources and formats and can use or create web services based on industry standards. More than 2,000 community-developed plugins add capabilities. QGIS Server publishes projects and layers through OGC-compatible WMS, WMTS, WFS, and WCS services. The download page offers a Long Term Release for users who prefer stability over the latest features. The project lists third-party mobile field apps, including QField, Mergin Maps, and IntraMaps Roam; these are separate from QGIS mobile apps. QGIS is licensed under GNU GPL version 2 or later and has community support through forums, GIS StackExchange, chat channels, and local user groups. The free plan costs nothing.