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, contour mapping, and watershed mapping' 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 ArcGIS, Plus Codes, what3words and Global Mapper.

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Surfer alternatives are mainly GIS Software but may also be Map Services or GPS Navigation Services.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Surfer.
Surfer iconSurfer
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Surfer is a full-function contouring, gridding, and 3D surface mapping software. It is used extensively for terrain modeling, bathymetric modeling, landscape visualization, surface analysis, contour mapping, and watershed...

More about Surfer
Surfer alternatives page was last updated Feb 11, 2022
  1. QGIS icon
     109 likes

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

    56 QGIS alternatives
    QGIS main window while editing a project

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD

    QGIS Features

    1. Microsoft 365 (Office)  icon  Microsoft Office integration
    2.  Arc GIS
    3.  Multiplatform
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  Route Planning
    7.  Table manager
    8.  Community-based
    QGIS iconSurfer Icon

    QGIS VS Surfer

    Is QGIS a good alternative to Surfer?
     
    Comments about QGIS as an Alternative to Surfer
     
    Aerson Moreira

    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.

    Positive commentDec 23, 2021
    0
    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. ArcGIS icon
     18 likes

    ArcGIS offers unique capabilities and flexible licensing for applying location-based analytics to your business practices.

    52 ArcGIS alternatives
    ArcGIS screenshot 1

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad

    ArcGIS Features

    1.  Interactive map
    2.  Location Mapping
    3.  Built-in editor
    4.  Works Offline
    5.  Nearby Search
    6.  Route Planning
    7.  Geotagging
    8.  Optimized for Mobile
    9.  Apps with Offline Map
    ArcGIS iconSurfer Icon

    ArcGIS VS Surfer

    Is ArcGIS a good alternative to Surfer?
     
    • ArcGIS is the most popular Web-based, 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
  3. Plus Codes icon
     1 like

    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.

    41 Plus Codes alternatives
    Plus Codes screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted

    Plus Codes Features

    1.  Geocoding
    Plus Codes iconSurfer Icon

    Plus Codes VS Surfer

    Is Plus Codes a good alternative to Surfer?
     
    • Plus Codes is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Surfer.

    • Plus Codes is Free and Open SourceSurfer is Paid and Proprietary
  4. what3words icon
     2 likes

    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...

    40 what3words alternatives
    what3words screenshot 1
    what3words screenshot 2
    +4
    Export position

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch

    what3words Features

    what3words iconSurfer Icon

    what3words VS Surfer

    Is what3words a good alternative to Surfer?
     
    Comments about what3words as an Alternative to Surfer
     
    Guest

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

    Negative commentJan 31, 2019
    0
    Surfer Icon
    what3words icon
    • what3words is Freemium and ProprietarySurfer is Paid and Proprietary
  5. Global Mapper icon
     3 likes

    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
    DEM Data

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Global Mapper Features

    1.  Points of Interest (POI)
    Global Mapper iconSurfer Icon

    Global Mapper VS Surfer

    Is Global Mapper a good alternative to Surfer?
     
  6. GRASS GIS icon
     26 likes

    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.

    37 GRASS GIS alternatives
    Attribute table manager under the Tcl/Tk GUI

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    GRASS GIS iconSurfer Icon

    GRASS GIS VS Surfer

    Is GRASS GIS a good alternative to Surfer?
     
  7. Equator icon
     9 likes

    Equator is online mapping software that allows anyone to find, create and publish maps in minutes. One globe, unlimited maps.

    45 Equator alternatives
    Equator screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Points of Interest (POI)
    4.  Real time collaboration
    5.  Map-Editor
    6.  GIS Data
    Equator iconSurfer Icon

    Equator VS Surfer

    Is Equator a good alternative to Surfer?
     
  8. Spatial Feature Server icon
     3 likes

    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.

    35 Spatial Feature Server alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Spatial Feature Server iconSurfer Icon

    Spatial Feature Server VS Surfer

    Is this a good alternative to Surfer?
     
  9. Azimap GIS icon
     Like this app

    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.

    35 Azimap GIS alternatives

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)

    Azimap GIS Features

    1.  Arc GIS
    2.  GIS Data
    Azimap GIS iconSurfer Icon

    Azimap GIS VS Surfer

    Is Azimap GIS a good alternative to Surfer?
     
    • Azimap GIS is the most popular SaaS alternative to Surfer.

    • Azimap GIS is Freemium and ProprietarySurfer is Paid and Proprietary
  10. TdhGIS icon
     Like this app

    Vector Based Spatial Analysis.

    40 TdhGIS alternatives
    TdhGIS screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux

    TdhGIS Features

    1.  Based on OpenStreetMap
    TdhGIS iconSurfer Icon

    TdhGIS VS Surfer

    Is TdhGIS a good alternative to Surfer?
     
  11. GeoSheets icon
     Like this app

    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.

    32 GeoSheets alternatives
    GeoSheets screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Google Drive

    GeoSheets Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    2.  Excel Add-in
    3. Google Drive icon  Google Drive integration
    GeoSheets iconSurfer Icon

    GeoSheets VS Surfer

    Is GeoSheets a good alternative to Surfer?
     
  12. Topocal icon
     1 like

    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.

    1 Topocal alternatives
    Topocal screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Topocal Features

    1.  Multiple languages
    Topocal iconSurfer Icon

    Topocal VS Surfer

    Is Topocal a good alternative to Surfer?
     
12 of 12 Surfer alternatives