ArcGIS Pro: Esri's professional desktop GIS. QGIS: Free and open-source desktop GIS for Windows, macOS and Linux.
| ArcGIS Pro | QGIS | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Desktop GIS | Desktop GIS |
| Pricing model | Paid | Open source |
| Starts at | See website | Free |
| Free tier | Free trial; personal use licence available | — |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Software licence | — | GPL-2.0+ |
| API | — | — |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Made by | Esri | — |
| Commercial use | Check terms | Allowed |
| Export / print images | Check terms | Allowed |
| Offline / caching | Check terms | Allowed |
| Visits from MapTools | 9 | 9 |
| Visit | Visit |
ArcGIS Pro features
- 2D and 3D mapping
- Extensive geoprocessing tools
- Extensions for spatial, network and image analysis
- Publishing to ArcGIS Online and Enterprise
QGIS features
- Vector and raster editing and analysis
- Processing toolbox with hundreds of algorithms
- Print layouts and atlases
- PostGIS, WMS, WFS and vector tiles
- Python plugins
The software is free for any use. Basemaps and data you load keep their own licences.
QGIS alternativesSummary based on public information. Check each provider's current pricing and terms.