GeoSolutions
Italian company that supports GeoServer, GeoNetwork and GeoNode and develops the MapStore web mapping framework
Quick Overview
| Company | GeoSolutions SRL |
|---|---|
| Category | GIS Software |
| Headquarters | Camaiore (Lucca), Italy |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Italy (EU) |
| Data Location | Wherever you deploy the open-source stack |
| Open Source | BSD (MapStore) |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Yes - the supported products are self-hosted software |
| Main Features | MapStore web GIS (maps, dashboards, GeoStories), enterprise support for GeoServer, GeoNetwork and GeoNode, subscription services with assured SLA, professional training, hosted Cloud GeoNode |
| Pricing | Pricing on request; the software itself is open source |
| Best For | Public bodies and companies building a spatial data infrastructure on open standards |
| Replaces | ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Hub |
Detailed Review
GeoSolutions does not sell one boxed GIS. It sells expertise around four open-source projects that together replace the server and portal side of an Esri deployment: GeoServer to publish data, GeoNetwork for catalogues, GeoNode for portals and MapStore for maps and dashboards.
The company is a Camaiore-based SRL and states ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001 certification on its own pages. For a buyer, the practical effect is a named European supplier with a support contract behind software that would otherwise be community-run.
MapStore as the front end
MapStore is developed by GeoSolutions and released under a BSD licence. It builds maps, dashboards and stories from OGC services (WMS, WFS, WMTS, CSW) and from OpenStreetMap or Bing layers, and works with OpenLayers, Leaflet or Cesium underneath.
It can run out of the box as a geoportal or serve as a base for a custom application, which makes it the closest match here to a configurable ArcGIS Online or Hub site.
Support contracts instead of licences
The commercial model is enterprise support, subscription services with an assured SLA, and training on the four projects. You keep the software and the data; GeoSolutions sells the people who know how to run it at scale.
That suits organisations whose procurement rules want a contract with a supplier rather than a donation to a community project.
Standards and INSPIRE
The company describes its work as dissemination of geospatial data with open standards from the OGC and ISO Technical Committee 211, which underlie the INSPIRE regulations. European public bodies with INSPIRE duties will recognise that vocabulary.
Limitations to Consider
GeoSolutions publishes no prices, and it is a services company rather than a desktop GIS vendor, so analysts who work in a desktop application still need QGIS or Cadcorp SIS. Its About page also lists a US subsidiary, GeoSolutions USA Inc. in Brooklyn, for North American customers; the Italian SRL is named as data controller on the European site, but a buyer should confirm which entity signs the contract.
Who Should Use GeoSolutions
European agencies and companies that want a spatial data infrastructure on open standards and a contract partner for GeoServer, MapStore, GeoNetwork or GeoNode.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Develops MapStore itself under a BSD licence
- Covers GeoServer, GeoNetwork and GeoNode support in one contract
- ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001 stated on its site
- Open standards (OGC, INSPIRE) are the stated core
- No licence fee for the software
Cons
- No public price list
- Not a desktop GIS vendor
- A US subsidiary exists for North America
- Best value only if you run your own infrastructure
Alternatives to GeoSolutions
Other European gis software worth comparing before you decide:
Mapbender
Germany · MIT-licensed WebGIS that publishes maps from one installation
disy Cadenza
Germany · Reporting, analytics and map views for public-sector data
QGIS
Switzerland · Open-source desktop GIS run by a Swiss association
MapTiler
Switzerland · Swiss map hosting, tiles and SDKs, with an on-prem option
See all European gis software or compare them directly against ArcGIS Enterprise on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
For publishing maps, dashboards and stories from OGC services it covers similar ground, and it is configurable without coding. It does not include Esri's hosted data and analysis tools, so check your workflows first.
GeoSolutions states that MapStore is free and open source under a BSD licence.
Its site lists a Cloud GeoNode offering next to enterprise support, subscription services and training. Pricing is not published.