Whether you're mapping biodiversity, tracking land use change, or visualising catchment health, choosing the right GIS software can make a big difference. Two of the most popular tools are QGIS and ArcGIS — but which one is better suited for environmental and agricultural work?
This post compares the pros and cons of QGIS and ArcGIS, especially for organisations doing sustainability-focused projects in Aotearoa.
What Are QGIS and ArcGIS?
QGIS (Quantum GIS) is a free, open-source GIS platform. It’s supported by a global community of users and developers and widely used across government, academia, and non-profits.
ArcGIS is a commercial GIS suite developed by Esri. It includes powerful desktop tools (like ArcGIS Pro), as well as online mapping, dashboards, and data integration features. It’s widely used in industry and large-scale organisations.
QGIS: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Free and open source: No licence fees, making it accessible for community groups and small organisations.
- Customisable: Supports plugins and scripting (Python) for advanced custom workflows.
- Strong community: Plenty of forums, guides, and international user support.
- Great for desktop mapping: Offers most standard GIS functionality out of the box.
- Lightweight install: Works on most systems without heavy hardware requirements.
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve for beginners without a GIS background.
- Less polished UI compared to ArcGIS Pro.
- Limited built-in online sharing (although workarounds exist).
- Data management can be clunky for large or complex datasets.
ArcGIS: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Professional-grade tools with advanced analysis, data processing, and visualisation features.
- Strong integration with online tools like ArcGIS Online, StoryMaps, and dashboards.
- Great for collaboration within larger teams and cross-platform use.
- Trusted by institutions: Widely used by councils, consultancies, and national agencies.
Cons:
- Expensive licensing: Especially for small organisations, farms, or non-profits.
- Proprietary system: Less flexibility for custom development or open data formats.
- Heavier system requirements: May run slower on older machines.
- Steeper cost to scale: You may pay extra for extensions or extra seats.
Which Should You Use?
It depends on your goals and resources.
Choose QGIS if you:
- Need a cost-effective solution
- Want full control over your data and setup
- Are doing community, conservation, or non-profit work
- Have a GIS consultant or someone confident with open-source tools
Choose ArcGIS if you:
- Work within a larger organisation or government body
- Need built-in publishing and web mapping tools
- Prioritise ease of use and professional polish
- Already use other Esri products or have an enterprise licence
What We Use at Millie Taylor Sustainability
We work with both.
QGIS is ideal for quick mapping, storytelling, and small-to-medium projects. It’s especially valuable for community-based environmental work and sustainability reporting where budget matters.
ArcGIS shines when we’re working with organisations that already have Esri systems in place, or when we need to create polished dashboards and complex map-driven reports.
Whether you're using QGIS, ArcGIS, or need help choosing the right tool, we’re here to make the data clear, the maps meaningful, and the story credible.
Need Help Mapping Your Impact?
We help environmental and agricultural organisations across New Zealand use GIS to bring their sustainability work to life. From one-off maps to full data storytelling, we can work in the software that suits your needs.