---
title: "Best GIS Software - 2026 Reviews & Pricing"
description: "Find the best Geographic Information System (GIS) Software for your organization. Compare top Geographic Information System (GIS) Software systems with customer reviews, pricing, and free demos."
source_url: "https://www.softwareadvice.com/cafm/gis-comparison/"
page_type: "subcategory"
language: "en"
---

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GIS Software

Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee.

# Best GIS Software of 2026

Updated October 28, 2026

## GIS FAQs

-   How do I choose the right GIS software for my business?
    
    There is not yet enough advisor-call evidence to highlight clear decision factors for choosing GIS (geographic information system) software, but a common theme in these conversations is that buyers often focus on how the tool supports mapping, spatial analysis, and the ability to organize large sets of location-based data. As more teams share their needs and challenges, more specific considerations may emerge around features, deployment, or integration requirements.
    
-   What should businesses watch out for when choosing GIS software?
    
    There is not yet enough advisor-call evidence to highlight common challenges or priorities that buyers our advisors talk to should watch for when choosing GIS (geographic information system) software. As more buyers share their questions and concerns, clearer trends may emerge around deployment choices, features, or industry-specific needs.
    
-   What is GIS software and what does it do?
    
    GIS software, short for geographic information System, lets organizations create, analyze, and display geographic data on digital maps. According to our advisors, buyers use these tools to visualize locations, examine patterns, and generate maps for planning or reporting. Day-to-day users often include engineers, planners, or field staff who need to view and update spatial information tied to specific sites or assets. Common functions include mapping, spatial analysis, and organizing large sets of location-based data.
    

On this page

1.  FrontRunners
2.  Popular Comparisons
3.  Buyers Guide
4.  Frequently Asked Questions
5.  Related Software

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155 results

### Compare Products

Showing 1 - 25 of 155 products

#### Company Size

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-   501-1000
    
-   1000+
    

#### Pricing Options

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### Compare Products

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**Recommendations**: Sorts listings by the number of recommendations our advisors have made over the past 30 days. Our advisors assess buyers’ needs for free and only recommend products that meet buyers’ needs. Vendors pay Software Advice for these referrals.  
  
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**Average Rating**: Sorts listings by overall star rating based on user reviews, highest to lowest.  
  
**Alphabetically (A-Z)**: Sorts listings by product name from A to Z.

### [Asset Essentials](/cafm/asset-essentials-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.4/5
- Reviews: 287
- Best for: Small businesses
- Free trial: Not available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Asset Essentials by Siemens is a cloud-based maintenance solution that generates operational insights from asset and work order management activities. The solution collects and

[Read more](/cafm/asset-essentials-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- For Schools: 5/5
- Purchase Order Management: 5/5
- Fixed Asset Management: 5/5
- Third-Party Integrations: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Facility Scheduling: 3/5

[See all features](/cafm/asset-essentials-profile/#key-features)

---

### [MaintainX](/cmms/maintainx-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.8/5
- Reviews: 1,080
- Starting price: $25.00/month
- Best for: Enterprise businesses
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

MaintainX, Inc. is an Autodesk company extending the Autodesk Operations Solutions vision to connect design, make, and operate.

MaintainX is a maintenance and asset management

[Read more](/cmms/maintainx-profile/)

##### What users love

- Centralized maintenance operations hub
- Responsive and helpful support team
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface

##### To take in mind

- Premium features increase costs
- Paperless features need refinement

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Historical Reporting: 5/5
- Audit Trail: 5/5
- Repair Tracking: 5/5
- IT Asset Tracking: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Single Sign On: 3/5
- Customizable Dashboard: 3.3/5
- Calibration Management: 3.6/5
- Access Controls/Permissions: 3.6/5

[See all features](/cmms/maintainx-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### Essential

- Price: $25.00/month
- $20/mo/user on annual billing.

##### Premium

- Price: $75.00/month
- $65/mo/user with annual billing.

##### Enterprise

- Price: Custom
- Pricing available upon request
- For enterprises

[See full pricing details](/cmms/maintainx-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [EZO EAM](/cmms/ezofficeinventory-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.6/5
- Reviews: 1,546
- Starting price: $44.75/month
- Best for: Mid-size businesses
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Every Asset. Right Hands. Right Time. Right State.

EZO EAM is a cloud-based enterprise asset management (EAM) platform with a native CMMS, built for mid-to-large multi-site

[Read more](/cmms/ezofficeinventory-profile/)

##### What users love

- Comprehensive inventory tracking tools
- Simple setup and daily operation
- Intuitive and adaptable interface design

##### To take in mind

- Tedious and restrictive asset handling
- Slow loading and lag issues
- Challenging and clunky navigation

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Sales Reports: 5/5
- Supply Chain Management: 5/5
- Asset Library: 5/5
- Categorization/Grouping: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Asset Kitting: 2/5

[See all features](/cmms/ezofficeinventory-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### Essential

- Price: $44.75/month
- For 100 items, Unlimited Users.

Value Included:

Up to 5000 Stock Units

Asset tracking &

##### Advanced

- Price: $52.25/month
- For 100 items, Unlimited Users.

Everything in Essential Plan plus:

Up to 15,000 Stock

##### Premium

- Price: $57.50/month
- For 100 items, Unlimited Users.

Advanced plus:

Up to 30,000 Stock Units

Self-serve Request Portal

[See full pricing details](/cmms/ezofficeinventory-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [CleverMaps](/location-intelligence/clevermaps-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.7/5
- Reviews: 25
- Starting price: €0.00
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Location Insights you can trust.

CleverMaps is a map-based analytics platform transforming how the world is using data to solve location-related problems. CleverMaps empowers

[Read more](/location-intelligence/clevermaps-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Publishing/Sharing: 5/5
- Scorecards: 5/5
- Data Connectors: 5/5
- Benchmarking: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Customizable Dashboard: 4/5

[See all features](/location-intelligence/clevermaps-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### Discover

- Price: €0.00
- Free trial

[See full pricing details](/location-intelligence/clevermaps-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [UpKeep](/cmms/upkeep-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.6/5
- Reviews: 1,331
- Starting price: $20.00/month
- Best for: Small businesses
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

UpKeep is the CMMS platform trusted by 4,000+ companies - from small operations to global giants like McDonald’s, Caterpillar, and Chevron to manage maintenance, safety, and

[Read more](/cmms/upkeep-profile/)

##### What users love

- User-friendly and intuitive design
- Efficient work order processing
- Centralized preventive maintenance tracking

##### To take in mind

- Expensive plans and limited flexibility
- Complex and limited asset handling
- Cumbersome diGital document processes

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Calibration Management: 5/5
- Disposal Management: 5/5
- Procurement Management: 5/5
- Task Management: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Warranty Tracking: 1/5
- Document Storage: 3/5
- Check-in/Check-out: 3/5

[See all features](/cmms/upkeep-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### Essential

- Price: $20.00/month

##### Premium

- Price: $55.00/month

##### Professional

- Price: Custom
- Pricing available upon request

[See full pricing details](/cmms/upkeep-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [AeroMegh](/artificial-intelligence/aeromegh-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.7/5
- Reviews: 61
- Starting price: $199.00/month
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

AeroMegh is a SaaS Platform that Transforms Drone Data into Actionable Insights. 
AeroMegh offers three products that enable flying and capturing drone data, processing drone data,

[Read more](/artificial-intelligence/aeromegh-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Spatial Analysis: 4.7/5
- Map Creation: 4.6/5
- Data Visualization: 4.5/5

[See all features](/artificial-intelligence/aeromegh-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### Basic

- Price: $199.00/month

[See full pricing details](/artificial-intelligence/aeromegh-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [Cyanic Job Book](/construction/cyanic-job-book-profile/)

- Overall rating: 5/5
- Reviews: 1
- Starting price: $10.00/month
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Cyanic Job Book enables land surveyors and construction enterprises to manage work hours, completed jobs, billing and more. Users can update work hours via mobile devices, allowing

[Read more](/construction/cyanic-job-book-profile/)

#### Pricing

##### Basic

- Price: $10.00/month

[See full pricing details](/construction/cyanic-job-book-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [EarthCache](/cafm/earthcache-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4/5
- Reviews: 3
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

EarthCache is a cloud-based platform which provides comprehensive APIs for developers working across oil and gas, energy, agriculture, construction, mining or forestry sectors to

[Read more](/cafm/earthcache-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Image Management: 5/5
- Remote Access/Control: 4/5
- Spatial Analysis: 4/5

[See all features](/cafm/earthcache-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### Basic

- Price: Custom
- Pricing available upon request

[See full pricing details](/cafm/earthcache-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [OpenGov Enterprise Asset Management](/cmms/cartegraph-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.6/5
- Reviews: 28
- Free trial: Not available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Proactively manage your assets, simplify work orders, plan capital improvement projects, and make the most of your resources with OpenGov’s Enterprise Asset Management software,

[Read more](/cmms/cartegraph-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Configurable Workflow: 5/5
- Third-Party Integrations: 5/5
- Activity Dashboard: 4.5/5
- Asset Tracking: 4.5/5

##### Worst rated features

- IT Asset Tracking: 1/5
- Asset Lifecycle Management: 4/5
- Real-Time Updates: 4/5
- Fixed Asset Management: 4/5

[See all features](/cmms/cartegraph-profile/#key-features)

---

### [Trimble Cityworks](/product/450480-CityWorks/)

- Overall rating: 4.4/5
- Reviews: 27
- Starting price: $1,995.00one time
- Free trial: Not available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Trimble Cityworks is a geographic information system (GIS)-centric asset lifecycle management system. It is designed to help local governments, utilities, airports, and public

[Read more](/product/450480-CityWorks/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Activity Tracking: 5/5
- Self Service Portal: 5/5
- Data Visualization: 5/5
- Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Reporting & Statistics: 3.6/5
- Inventory Management: 3.7/5

[See all features](/product/450480-CityWorks/#key-features)

---

### [Nrby](/project-management/nrby-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.2/5
- Reviews: 33
- Starting price: $299.00/month
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Nrby's location intelligence software allows you and your team to digitize existing manual processes to improve the efficiency and accuracy of your data. Easily capture, share and

[Read more](/project-management/nrby-profile/)

#### Pricing

##### Basic

- Price: $299.00/month

[See full pricing details](/project-management/nrby-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [LandVision](/accounting/landvision-profile/)

- Overall rating: 3.7/5
- Reviews: 11
- Starting price: $8,400.00/year
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

LandVision is a cloud-based real estate management solution designed to help medium to large businesses perform map-based research and analysis of properties. Its drag-and-drop

[Read more](/accounting/landvision-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Contact Management: 1/5
- Location Tracking: 1/5
- Map Sharing: 1/5
- Data Mapping: 1/5

##### Worst rated features

- Internet Mapping: 1/5
- Map Creation: 1/5
- Data Import/Export: 1/5
- Geographic Maps: 1/5

[See all features](/accounting/landvision-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### Basic

- Price: $8,400.00/year

[See full pricing details](/accounting/landvision-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [Rosmiman](/cafm/rosmiman-iwms-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.1/5
- Reviews: 48
- Free trial: Not available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

ROSMIMAN IWMS Global Site is a collaborative, comprehensive and integrator system for managing real estate assets where the various roles of system users can interact and relate

[Read more](/cafm/rosmiman-iwms-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Inspection Management: 5/5
- Vendor Management: 5/5
- Calendar Management: 4/5
- Predictive Maintenance: 4/5

##### Worst rated features

- Historical Reporting: 2/5
- Asset Lifecycle Management: 3/5
- Compliance Management: 3/5
- Scheduling: 3.5/5

[See all features](/cafm/rosmiman-iwms-profile/#key-features)

---

### [Simpro](/cafm/simpro-enterprise-profile/)

- Overall rating: 3.9/5
- Reviews: 151
- Free trial: Not available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Simpro is the leading AI-first field service management software for residential and commercial trades. Our mission is simple: double trades business profitability. Built for the

[Read more](/cafm/simpro-enterprise-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Lead Management: 5/5
- Accounting: 5/5
- Technician Management: 5/5
- For HVAC Companies: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Timesheet Management: 1/5

[See all features](/cafm/simpro-enterprise-profile/#key-features)

---

### [LocationIQ](/cafm/locationiq-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.9/5
- Reviews: 131
- Starting price: $49.00/month
- Best for: Value for money
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

LocationIQ is a cloud-based geographic information system (GIS) tool that helps businesses visualize location data on maps and convert them into street addresses using geocoding

[Read more](/cafm/locationiq-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Map Sharing: 4.9/5
- Internet Mapping: 4.8/5
- Census Data Integration: 4.8/5
- Geocoding: 4.7/5

[See all features](/cafm/locationiq-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### GeoCoding Lite

- Price: $49.00/month
- The plan handles 10,000 requests/day is available for $588 when billed annually

##### Developer Plus

- Price: $99.00/month
- The plan handles 25,000 requests/day and costs $1188 per year when billed annually

##### Starter

- Price: $200.00/month
- The plan handles 60,000 requests/day and charges $2400 per year

[See full pricing details](/cafm/locationiq-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [Smarty](/address-verification/smarty-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.9/5
- Reviews: 91
- Starting price: $17.00/month
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Small address mistakes can create big problems—billing errors, shipping delays, compliance risk, and flawed property decisions. Smarty’s address data intelligence helps

[Read more](/address-verification/smarty-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5
- Data Extraction: 5/5
- Geolocation: 5/5
- Geocoding: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Data Import/Export: 3.3/5
- Reporting/Analytics: 3.7/5
- Data Enrichment: 4/5

[See all features](/address-verification/smarty-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### US Address Validation Per Lookup Annual Plans

- Price: $17.00/month
- Every US address validation plan has legendary support, lightning-fast speeds, and cloud-based

##### US Address Autocomplete

- Price: $20.00/month
- Give your customers a dropdown with only valid addresses for faster checkout, increase conversion

##### US Rooftop Geocoding

- Price: $45.00/month
- Smarty's rooftop accurate geocoding API makes spatial analysis easy by giving you the precise

[See full pricing details](/address-verification/smarty-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [Maptitude](/cafm/maptitude-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.8/5
- Reviews: 88
- Starting price: $420.00/year
- Free trial: Available
- Free demo: Available

#### Overview

Maptitude GIS and mapping software is the most capable and cost-effective solution to:

➡ Optimize sales territories, vehicle routes, and site locations
➡ Visualize, analyze, and

[Read more](/cafm/maptitude-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Color Codes/Icons: 5/5
- Internet Mapping: 5/5
- Map Creation: 5/5
- Ad hoc Reporting: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Map Sharing: 4/5
- Geotargeting: 4/5

[See all features](/cafm/maptitude-profile/#key-features)

#### Pricing

##### Desktop Subscription

- Price: $695.00/year
- Subscribe and save! Stay up-to-date with support and the latest software and data.

##### Desktop No Subscription

- Price: $995.00one time
- The only map software that does not require a subscription!

##### Online

- Price: $420.00/year
- $420 for additional users.

[See full pricing details](/cafm/maptitude-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

---

### [Google Maps](/cafm/google-maps-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.7/5
- Reviews: 1,853
- Best for: Geolocation
- Free trial: Not available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Google Maps is a cloud-based GIS software that allows businesses to create and manage maps, in addition to providing navigation services. It is used by businesses of all kinds,

[Read more](/cafm/google-maps-profile/)

##### What users love

- Reliable and precise geolocation
- Flexible route planning choices
- Comprehensive mapping capabilities

##### To take in mind

- Outdated and incomplete road data
- Occasional direction inaccuracies
- Battery drain and mobile limitations

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Driver Management: 5/5
- Dispatch Management: 5/5
- Geolocation: 4.8/5
- Geographic Maps: 4.7/5

##### Worst rated features

- API: 4/5

[See all features](/cafm/google-maps-profile/#key-features)

---

### [smappen](/cafm/oalley-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.9/5
- Reviews: 32
- Starting price: $0.00/month
- Free trial: Not available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

Smappen is franchise territory mapping software built for franchise development teams who need to design viable, defensible territories — without GIS expertise.

What you can do:
-

[Read more](/cafm/oalley-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Multi-Location: 5/5
- Map Creation: 5/5
- Color Codes/Icons: 5/5
- Geolocation: 5/5

##### Worst rated features

- Census Data Integration: 4/5

[See all features](/cafm/oalley-profile/#key-features)

---

### [BOSS811](/public-works/boss811-profile/)

- Overall rating: 4.8/5
- Reviews: 78
- Starting price: $2,500.00/year
- Free trial: Not available
- Free demo: Not available

#### Overview

BOSS Solutions delivers cloud-based software platforms that help organizations streamline utility damage prevention, excavation response, field locating operations, and service

[Read more](/public-works/boss811-profile/)

#### Features

##### Best rated features

- Performance Metrics: 5/5
- Statistical Analysis: 5/5
- Geocoding: 5/5
- Map Sharing: 5/5

[See all features](/public-works/boss811-profile/#key-features)

---

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## Popular Comparisons

[

QGIS vs Google Maps

](https://www.softwareadvice.com/cafm/google-maps-profile/vs/qgis/)[

MaintainX vs EZO EAM

](https://www.softwareadvice.com/cmms/ezofficeinventory-profile/vs/maintainx/)[

Asset Essentials vs UpKeep

](https://www.softwareadvice.com/cafm/asset-essentials-profile/vs/upkeep/)[

Esri ArcGIS vs Google Earth Pro

](https://www.softwareadvice.com/artificial-intelligence/arcgis-profile/vs/google-earth-pro/)

## Your Guide to Top GIS Software, September 2021

Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated GIS products in North America.

[Learn how products are chosen](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal-page/frontrunners-methodology/)

#### Explore FrontRunners

-   [LocationIQ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/cafm/locationiq-profile/)

“Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use.

“Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money.

Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Managing large scale construction projects and tracking assets across multiple locations requires clear communication and accurate data. Without both, your chances of accidentally bursting a pipe or severing utility cables rises sharply.

Geographic information systems (GIS) offer the platform to collaborate with multiple workers on a map with several customizable layers and icons so users can pinpoint the exact information they need, visualized how they want.

This guide is designed to describe the capabilities and benefits of a GIS and help you determine the features you need.

Here's what we'll cover:

[What Is a Geographic Information System?](#WhatIsaGeographicInformationSystem)

[Common Features of Geographic Information Systems](#CommonFeaturesofGeographicInformationSystems)

[Common Integrations With Geographic Information Systems](#CommonIntegrationsWithGeographicInformationSystems)

[Benefits of Geographic Information Systems](#BenefitsofGeographicInformationSystems)

[What Type of Buyer Are You?](#WhatTypeofBuyerAreYou)

## What Is a Geographic Information System?

A GIS is a platform for managing and tracking information and assets spread across a geographical area. Because of its versatility, a GIS is used by several types of organizations.

The system is most valuable when used collaboratively so that multiple people can add and edit accurate asset and location details. In this way, a GIS serves as an evolving repository of asset data.

_A view of underground water pipe system in ArcGIS from ESRI_

Utility companies, municipal and county governments, civil engineers, cartographers, health organizations and even schools are using GIS software to visualize information combined with geographic data.

## Common Features of Geographic Information Systems

At its core, a GIS offers a customizable map interface to overlay assets and other details, but it also offers multiple ways to edit and manage the data. These capabilities may include:

| Feature | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Web mapping | Create, edit and share geographic maps and add multiple unique layers, each with customizable data for a specific type of asset, such as water pump locations or linear assets. Most modern GIS products store maps in the cloud and are accessible from any web-enabled device. |
| Data visualization | Notate maps in various ways, using icons to display different types of assets and locations, color coded areas, text labels, legends, topographical layers and more. Maps can be layered to view different kinds of data simultaneously. |
| Asset management | Embeddable details for each asset label, including information typically stored within a maintenance-focused system: age, type, materials, repair history and remote or on-site condition readings. |
| Work order management | Trigger work orders for assets on the map with associated location data included so field technicians know exactly where to perform the task. |
| Routing | Fleet vehicle routing capabilities help field workers get to a job location quickly to save time and prevent more costly repairs. |
| Analysis and reporting | Generate reports and visualize data to answer important operational questions about the health of assets, efficiency of field workers or which area generates the most work requests. |

---

## Common Integrations with Geographic Information Systems

Integrations play a big role in the value of a GIS. Whatever your specific use case, it's important to evaluate vendors by the system's ability to integrate with software you need, such as:

-   **Maintenance management (CMMS), facilities management (CAFM) or enterprise asset management (EAM)** systems complement your location data with the ability to track repair histories, condition-based maintenance, depreciation of assets and manage preventive maintenance.
    
-   **Automated vehicle location (AVL)** software offers GPS capabilities to a GIS platform so users can locate and assign a task to the most properly equipped field worker to prevent a catastrophic failure.
    
-   **Customer information system (CIS)** is software often used by utility providers to manage customer data. Pairing this with a GIS can improve accuracy of the metering and billing process.
    
-   **Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)** is an industrial control protocol used in many industries, including utility production and distribution, and can be used in tandem with a GIS for remote asset monitoring capabilities.
    
-   **Social media integration**, a newer source of data, uses mentions from social channels to identify problems. For example, if enough people tweet with a specific hashtag in a specific area, GIS users can find potholes, leaks or other issues more quickly.
    

## Benefits of Geographic Information Systems

GIS users can experience several accuracy, efficiency and cost-saving benefits, such as:

**More accurate location information.** A primary benefit of using a GIS system is removing the guesswork from locating a buried asset, such as a water pipe or cable, so that crews don't accidently damage critical infrastructure.

**Quicker response to failures.** A GIS with GPS enabled helps governments and other organizations dispatch workers who are nearby and have the tools necessary to complete a task. Routing assistance makes sure the field worker can reach the site of a failure as soon as possible to minimize costs and damages.

**Evolving platform for data.** As work orders are completed and new assets are installed, data is added to the GIS platform. Over time, it becomes a valuable repository for data that can be utilized for years.

## What Type of Buyer Are You?

Depending on your organization's specific use of the GIS, you'll find some functionality more useful than others. Inquire about demos for these features to make sure they're easy to use and scalable for your business.

**Government organizations** with road crews need to identify road problems quickly. Social media integration allows the public to be your eyes and ears for roadway issues, so make sure the system can import and process various types of data to catch problems as soon as possible.

**Utility companies** want to track distribution infrastructure and replace pipes before a leak occurs to avoid costly damages. Evaluate asset management capabilities—they should alert companies to infrastructure that is due for inspection or repairs.

**Civil engineers** must use all information possible to plan new roadways or structures, and a GIS can help by displaying easements, topography details and other geographic data that could hinder construction. Ask vendors about the types of map layers available and how they interact.

### Related GIS Software

-   [3D CAD Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/3d-cad/)
-   [Engineering CAD Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/engineering-cad/)