NimbleMapHonest comparison
QGIS is the full GIS. NimbleMap is for when you just need to see the file.
QGIS is free, powerful, and the right tool for real map analysis work. NimbleMap is a free Mac and Windows map app for the times that is more than you need — open a Shapefile, GeoPackage, NetCDF or GeoTIFF, stack layers, and export a picture. Files never leave your computer.
Side by side
NimbleMap or QGIS?
QGIS is the free, full GIS, and a very good one. NimbleMap is for the times it is more than you need.
NimbleMap is enough when you want to
- See what is in a file and where it is
- Check that two layers line up
- Colour, filter and label by a value
- Join a spreadsheet to places by name
- Run a quick analysis from a card: an area within a distance, points counted in each area, the part of a layer inside another
- Export a finished map image for a slide or report
Use QGIS when you need to
- Edit shapes or attributes
- Georeference a scanned map
- Dissolve, chain geoprocessing tools into models, or run advanced analysis
- Choose or define a map projection yourself
- Build a multi-page print layout or use plugins
Browser viewers are quicker still for a one-off look, but they need the file uploaded or held in a browser tab. NimbleMap keeps files local and handles large ones.
NimbleMap is an independent project, not affiliated with Apple, Esri or the QGIS project.
Questions
Common questions
Is NimbleMap a simple QGIS alternative?
For viewing and light analysis, yes. For editing, advanced geoprocessing and print layouts, stay with QGIS.
Can I open map files without GIS training?
Yes. Drag a Shapefile, GeoPackage, NetCDF, GeoTIFF, GeoJSON, KML, GPX or lat/lon CSV into NimbleMap. No project to create.
Which formats?
See Shapefile, GeoPackage, GeoTIFF and NetCDF.