QGIS Cloud

QGIS Cloud is a hosted Web-GIS platform for publishing QGIS maps, spatial data, and services online. Users install its plugin in QGIS Desktop, upload data, and publish maps served with QGIS Server that retain their desktop project styling. The service provides PostgreSQL databases extended with PostGIS, manageable through compatible tools such as pgAdmin and QGIS Database Manager. Maps and data can be shared as WMS, WFS, and WFS-T services, with WFS-T supporting edits. QGIS Cloud includes web and mobile clients and map printing at resolutions up to 1200 dpi. Free accounts allow unlimited public maps for non-commercial, non-government use, with one PostGIS database, 50 MB total, and 10 concurrent database connections. Free maps and services are public. QGIS Cloud Pro is billed at 65 Euro/month and offers restricted map and WMS access, SSL support, 10 databases, 500 MB total, and 20 concurrent connections. The service also lists daily database backups, WebGIS client editing, and viewer logo and CSS customization with Pro. QGIS Cloud is provided by Sourcepole AG.

QGIS Cloud provides a route from QGIS Desktop projects to web maps and services, with database and printing tools. Free use is public and restricted by purpose, while commercial and government users are directed to Pro.

The free option is for testing and non-commercial, non-government activity. The maker directs commercial or government use to QGIS Cloud Pro.

QGIS Cloud is a hosted service for publishing maps and spatial data from QGIS Desktop. It is best suited to GIS users who want their existing projects online with database and OGC service support. Free works for public, non-commercial activity; commercial or restricted-access publishing points to Pro.

Overview

Publishing starts with the QGIS Cloud plugin in QGIS Desktop, which uploads data and publishes maps. QGIS Server renders them to match the desktop project’s styling, a meaningful advantage when preserving established cartography matters. The trade-off is a workflow built around QGIS Desktop, not a standalone hosted mapping workspace.

The service supplies PostgreSQL databases extended with PostGIS, manageable through pgAdmin or QGIS Database Manager. WMS and WFS let users share maps and data, and WFS-T supports edits. A WebGIS client and mobile client provide ways to view published work; background layers can draw on WMS, WMTS, XYZ, OpenStreetMap, Bing, and Google Maps. Printing reaches 1200 dpi, making the service useful for output beyond screen viewing.

Database access is password protected and encrypted, but Free maps and services are public. That distinction matters: database protections do not make a public map private. Pro can restrict access to maps and services.

Key features

Publishing and data services

Keeping publication within the QGIS Desktop workflow can save users from rebuilding a map for a separate web editor. PostGIS databases and WFS-T add practical data-management and editing options, while WMS and WFS support service-based sharing. These capabilities will matter most to people already working with QGIS and compatible GIS tools.

Clients and printing

The included WebGIS and mobile clients make published maps accessible beyond the desktop authoring environment. High-resolution printing up to 1200 dpi is a notable complement for users who need print output, although it does not change the public-access restriction on Free.

Pricing

QGIS Cloud Free

Free costs nothing. It allows unlimited public maps for non-commercial, non-government use, with 1 PostGIS 3.1 database, 50 MB total storage, and 10 concurrent database connections. This is a workable entry point for testing and modest public projects, but the purpose restriction rules it out for commercial and government use, and public maps are unsuitable when access must be limited.

QGIS Cloud Pro

Pro has custom pricing, billed at 65 Euro/month. It includes restricted access for maps and WMS, SSL support, 10 PostGIS 3.1 databases, 500 MB total storage, 20 concurrent database connections, daily database backups, WebGIS client editing, and viewer logo and CSS customization. The higher storage and connection limits suit heavier use, while access controls and commercial eligibility make Pro the relevant option for organizations that cannot publish publicly. Its monthly charge and fixed capacity still warrant checking against the size and connection needs of a project.

Platforms

QGIS Cloud supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and is offered as an extension. Its hybrid deployment combines hosted publishing with databases managed through compatible tools.

Who it's for

QGIS Cloud is a strong fit for QGIS Desktop users who want to publish styled maps, share OGC services, and manage spatial data in hosted PostGIS databases. Free suits testing and non-commercial public work within its 50 MB and 10-connection limits. Commercial and government users, or anyone who needs restricted map access, should consider Pro instead.

Pros and cons

• Pros: QGIS Server preserves desktop project styling online, reducing the need to recreate maps for publication.
• Pros: PostGIS databases, WMS, WFS, and editable WFS-T support a broader data workflow than map viewing alone.
• Pros: Free permits unlimited public maps, giving non-commercial users room to publish multiple projects.
• Cons: Free maps and services are public and the plan excludes commercial and government activity.
• Cons: Free is capped at one database, 50 MB, and 10 concurrent connections, which may constrain larger projects.
• Cons: Pro is the route to private access and organizational use, with a stated billing term of 65 Euro/month.

Alternatives

QGIS is the better choice for users who need free, open-source desktop GIS rather than hosted map publishing; its QGIS plan costs nothing under GNU GPLv2+.

GIS Cloud is worth considering for users seeking a freemium mapping service with a free trial and publisher plugins for QGIS and ArcMap. Its Track plan is $5 a month per asset.

Felt may suit personal users who want unlimited maps and sharing at no charge, provided they do not need their own data file uploads; its Personal plan is personal-use only.

StatSilk, GPXSee, Mapbox Studio, NASA WorldWind, and SuperMap GIS are other options to compare.

For more options, see GIS Software.

Verdict

Choose QGIS Cloud if your work already lives in QGIS Desktop and you want a direct route to styled web maps, hosted PostGIS data, and OGC services. Its clearest advantage is continuity from desktop project to published map; its decisive limitation is that Free is public and restricted to non-commercial, non-government use. For private or organizational publishing, Pro is the relevant plan, while users who do not need hosted publishing should look elsewhere.