CARTO: Cloud-native location intelligence on your data warehouse. GRASS GIS: Open-source GIS for advanced raster, vector and terrain analysis.
| CARTO | GRASS GIS | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Web GIS & Cloud Platforms | Desktop GIS |
| Pricing model | Enterprise | Open source |
| Starts at | See website | Free |
| Free tier | Free trial | — |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Software licence | — | GPL-2.0+ |
| API | Yes | — |
| Platforms | Web, API, JavaScript | Windows, macOS, Linux, Python |
| Made by | CARTO | — |
| Commercial use | Check terms | Allowed |
| Export / print images | Check terms | Allowed |
| Offline / caching | Check terms | Allowed |
| Visits from MapTools | 8 | 8 |
| Visit | Visit |
CARTO features
- Runs on BigQuery, Snowflake, Redshift, Databricks
- Builder for maps and analysis
- Spatial indexes (H3, quadbin)
- Developer tools and APIs
- Data Observatory datasets
GRASS GIS features
- Raster and terrain analysis
- Hydrological modelling
- Image processing
- Python and command-line scripting
Summary based on public information. Check each provider's current pricing and terms.