Side by side

ArcGIS Pro vs Global Mapper

Both stand on gis and mapping software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Choose Global Mapper if your work needs broad geospatial format support, spatial analysis, or specialized geodetic and lidar tools. Essentials starts at $599 per year, while advanced production and point cloud capabilities require higher plans. Look elsewhere if you need a free plan or web mapping, which Global Mapper does not provide.

Visit Global Mapper

The facts

	ArcGIS Pro	Global Mapper
Free plan	No	A free trial
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Not published	Android, iPhone, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Not published	Essentials: $599 a year
Plans published	None	3
Maker	Esri	Not published
Website	esri.com	bluemarblegeo.com
On gis and mapping software	#11 of 14	#7 of 14

ArcGIS Pro: what it does well

Global Mapper: what it does well

Reads more than 300 formats without add-ons or extra licenses.
Professional includes lidar, point cloud, and drone photogrammetry tools.
GeoCalc provides more than 12,000 geodetic definitions.
AI-assisted extraction identifies roads, buildings, vegetation, and power lines.
Supports offline workflows and air-gapped subscription access tokens.

What to know first

No free plan is available.
Professional starts at $2,199 per year.
Current download compatibility is stated for 64-bit Windows systems.

Alternatives to ArcGIS Pro Alternatives to Global Mapper The whole list