CARTO vs Esri ArcGIS:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Esri ArcGIS had more branded searches than CARTO among GIS software worldwide. Esri ArcGIS had about 316,000 branded searches, while CARTO had 40,500. Esri ArcGIS made up 29.2% of all GIS software searches we track, and CARTO accounted for 3.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about GIS software, Esri ArcGIS appeared in all five answers and CARTO in one. Esri ArcGIS was mentioned before CARTO in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Esri ArcGIS, about 8 searches for every 1 for CARTO
Who does AI mention more?
Esri ArcGIS, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Esri ArcGIS, named ahead of CARTO in every answer
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Top GIS software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Esri ArcGIS appeared in all five answers. CARTO was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Esri ArcGIS was listed before CARTO in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
QGIS1st- Esri ArcGIS2nd
GRASS GIS3rd
Google Earth Engine4th
CARTO5th
Mapbox6th
Maptitude–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- QGIS5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Esri ArcGIS5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- GRASS GIS4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Google Earth Engine3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Mapbox1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- CARTO1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Maptitude0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about GIS software
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which GIS software should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best GIS software options?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best GIS software for map analysis?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“geographic information system”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“gis software”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is CARTO or Esri ArcGIS more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for CARTO and Esri ArcGIS by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven GIS software we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Esri ArcGIS, CARTO. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | QGIS | Esri ArcGIS | Google Earth Engine | Mapbox | CARTO | GRASS GIS | Maptitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 39.5% | 27.8% | 14.5% | 14.5% | 2.9% | 0.47% | 0.32% |
| Nov 2025 | 39.7% | 27.5% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 2.9% | 0.48% | 0.26% |
| Dec 2025 | 40.8% | 28.4% | 12.2% | 15% | 3% | 0.4% | 0.27% |
| Jan 2026 | 42.7% | 25% | 12.8% | 15.6% | 3.1% | 0.42% | 0.28% |
| Feb 2026 | 44.1% | 25.6% | 10.8% | 16.2% | 2.7% | 0.43% | 0.24% |
| Mar 2026 | 40.7% | 28.5% | 12.2% | 14.9% | 3% | 0.4% | 0.26% |
| Apr 2026 | 39.7% | 27.7% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 2.9% | 0.32% | 0.21% |
| May 2026 | 42.9% | 24.9% | 12.9% | 15.7% | 3.2% | 0.34% | 0.15% |
| Jun 2026 | 41.7% | 24.1% | 15.3% | 15.3% | 3.1% | 0.41% | 0.18% |
| Jul 2026 | 41.4% | 24% | 15.2% | 15.2% | 3.7% | 0.4% | 0.15% |
| Aug 2026 | 41.1% | 23.8% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 4.5% | 0.32% | 0.15% |
| Sep 2026 | 41.6% | 29.2% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 3.7% | 0.27% | 0.12% |
How has the CARTO and Esri ArcGIS comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Esri ArcGIS was ahead of CARTO in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, CARTO’s share of searches among GIS software worldwide moved from 2.9% to 3.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 33.1K to 40.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Esri ArcGIS’s share of searches among GIS software worldwide moved from 27.8% to 29.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 316K.
How did search popularity change for GIS software worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Esri ArcGIS gained share of searches among GIS software worldwide, from 23.8% to 29.2%.
In September 2026, CARTO lost share of searches among GIS software worldwide, from 4.5% to 3.7%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using CARTO’s and Esri ArcGIS’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
CARTO
1 branded search term
- carto
Esri ArcGIS
2 branded search terms
- arcgis
- esri arcgis
Other head-to-heads among GIS software
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