CARTO vs QGIS:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, QGIS had more branded searches than CARTO among GIS software worldwide. QGIS had about 450,000 branded searches, while CARTO had 40,500. QGIS made up 41.6% of all GIS software searches we track, and CARTO accounted for 3.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about GIS software, QGIS appeared in all five answers and CARTO in one. QGIS was mentioned before 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, QGIS 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. QGIS 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 QGIS more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for CARTO and QGIS 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 QGIS, 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 QGIS comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- QGIS 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, QGIS’s share of searches among GIS software worldwide moved from 39.5% to 41.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 450K.
How did search popularity change for GIS software worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, QGIS gained share of searches among GIS software worldwide, from 41.1% to 41.6%.
In September 2026, CARTO lost share of searches among GIS software worldwide, from 4.5% to 3.7%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using CARTO’s and QGIS’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.
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