Surfer Alternatives

Surfer is described as 'Full-function contouring, gridding, and 3D surface mapping software. It is used extensively for terrain modeling, bathymetric modeling, landscape visualization, surface analysis, etc' and is an app in the online services category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Surfer for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Web-based, Android, Linux and iPhone apps. The best Surfer alternative is QGIS, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Surfer are Plus Codes, ArcGIS, what3words and Global Mapper.

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Surfer alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. QGIS icon
     115 likes
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    A fully featured, user friendly, open source Geographic Information System (GIS) with similar power to ArcGIS and MapInfo.

    56 QGIS alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
     
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    1
    8
    Comments about QGIS as an Alternative to Surfer
    Aerson Moreira
    Positive
    0

    Been using for the last 5 years in substitution of ArcGIS. The GIS environment is top, but the map layout mode is still shallow and hard to manipulate. If it looked and worked more like an Inkscape environment-like I believe it would be a perfect improove.

    Surfer Icon
    QGIS icon
    • Most users think QGIS is a great Surfer alternative.

    • QGIS is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & Linux alternative to Surfer.

    • QGIS is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Surfer.

    • QGIS is Free and Open SourceSurfer is Paid and Proprietary
  2. Plus Codes icon
     2 likes
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    A plus code address looks like a regular address, but with a short code where the street name and number would be. These addresses exist for any location, even for places where there are no roads.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
     
    • Plus Codes is the most popular Web-based & Self-Hosted alternative to Surfer.

    • Plus Codes is Free and Open SourceSurfer is Paid and Proprietary
  3. ArcGIS icon
     18 likes
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    ArcGIS offers unique capabilities and flexible licensing for applying location-based analytics to your business practices.

    52 ArcGIS alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
     
    • ArcGIS is the most popular iPhone, iPad & Android Tablet alternative to Surfer.

    • ArcGIS is the most popular commercial alternative to Surfer.

    • ArcGIS is Paid and ProprietarySurfer is also Paid and Proprietary
  4. what3words icon
     3 likes
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    What3words encodes geographic coordinates into 3 dictionary words (for example, the Statue of Liberty is located at planet.inches.most). what3words is different from other alphanumeric location systems and GPS coordinates in that it displays 3 words rather than long strings of...

    39 what3words alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
     
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    1
    Comments about what3words as an Alternative to Surfer
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    Doesn't perform the same functions at all. Surfer deals with geographical data and plotting it into easily understood forms. what3words is about location.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Surfer Icon
    what3words icon
    • what3words is Freemium and ProprietarySurfer is Paid and Proprietary
  5. Global Mapper icon
     3 likes
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    Global Mapper is a cutting-edge GIS software that provides both novice and experienced geospatial professionals with a comprehensive array of spatial data processing tools, with access to an unparalleled variety of data formats.

    19 Global Mapper alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  6. GRASS GIS icon
     26 likes
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    GRASS GIS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) is an open source, free software (FOSS) Geographical Information System (GIS) with raster, topological, vector, image processing, and visualization functionality.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  7. Equator icon
     9 likes
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    Equator is online mapping software that allows anyone to find, create and publish maps in minutes. One globe, unlimited maps.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
     
  8. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Spatial Feature Server by MapET is an ESRI Geoservices REST Implementation and works with all ESRI Rest API's. The source of published data is the spatial extension of the major RDBMS, such Oracle, Microsoft SQLServer, MySQL, PostgreSQL.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  9. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Azimap is a web GIS developed on open source principles and offers GI professionals with the tools to visualise, analyse and share their spatial data on the web.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once or Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
    • Azimap GIS is the most popular SaaS alternative to Surfer.

    • Azimap GIS is Freemium and ProprietarySurfer is Paid and Proprietary
  10. TdhGIS icon
     Like
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    Vector Based Spatial Analysis.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  11. GeoSheets icon
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    GeoSheets is a free add-on for Google Spreadsheets that makes it simple to do lightweight GIS tasks like geocoding, address normalization, distance calculations and creating customized and embeddable maps.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Google Drive
     
  12. Topocal icon
     1 like
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    TopoCal is a CAD software capable of creating digital models of any topographic project making the most of the great power of the software. The program is available in 6 languages: Spanish, Portuguese, German, English, Italian and French.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
12 of 12 Surfer alternatives