---
title: "Mapping and location platforms: Which are searched most?"
description: "Compare the mapping and location platforms people choose between. Share of Search among QGIS, Esri ArcGIS, Mapbox, Google Maps Platform, CARTO, HERE Technologies and Felt, the mapping and location platforms Brandwave compares worldwide, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/mapping-platforms"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Mapping and location platforms: Which are searched most?

Compare the mapping and location platforms people choose between. Share of Search among QGIS, Esri ArcGIS, Mapbox, Google Maps Platform, CARTO, HERE Technologies and Felt, the mapping and location platforms Brandwave compares worldwide, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: Mapping and location platforms
- **Market**: Global
- **Brands compared**: 7
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: QGIS, 44.1%

## Which brand is most popular in search among mapping and location platforms worldwide?

- In September 2026, QGIS was the most searched among mapping and location platforms worldwide, with an estimated 450K branded searches, 44.1% of all searches for the seven we track.
- Esri ArcGIS is in 2nd place, 13.1 percentage points behind at 30.9%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, QGIS’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide increased from 40.6% to 44.1%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Esri ArcGIS’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide increased from 28.5% to 30.9%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Mapbox’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide decreased from 14.9% to 13.2%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Google Maps Platform’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide decreased from 11.5% to 6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, CARTO’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide increased from 3% to 4%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, QGIS’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide peaked at 45.2% in February 2026 and was lowest at 40.6% in October 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Esri ArcGIS’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide peaked at 30.9% in September 2026 and was lowest at 25.1% in July 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Mapbox’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide peaked at 16.6% in February 2026 and was lowest at 13.2% in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, CARTO’s share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide peaked at 4.8% in August 2026 and was lowest at 2.7% in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, HERE Technologies and Felt held steady: their share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [QGIS vs Esri ArcGIS: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/esri-arcgis-vs-qgis): 44.1% against 30.9% Share of Search.
- [QGIS vs Mapbox: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/mapbox-vs-qgis): 44.1% against 13.2% Share of Search.
- [QGIS vs Google Maps Platform: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/google-maps-platform-vs-qgis): 44.1% against 6% Share of Search.
- [QGIS vs CARTO: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/carto-vs-qgis): 44.1% against 4% Share of Search.
- [Esri ArcGIS vs Mapbox: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/esri-arcgis-vs-mapbox): 30.9% against 13.2% Share of Search.
- [Esri ArcGIS vs Google Maps Platform: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/esri-arcgis-vs-google-maps-platform): 30.9% against 6% Share of Search.
- [Esri ArcGIS vs CARTO: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/carto-vs-esri-arcgis): 30.9% against 4% Share of Search.
- [Mapbox vs Google Maps Platform: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/google-maps-platform-vs-mapbox): 13.2% against 6% Share of Search.
- [Mapbox vs CARTO: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/carto-vs-mapbox): 13.2% against 4% Share of Search.
- [Google Maps Platform vs CARTO: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/carto-vs-google-maps-platform): 6% against 4% Share of Search.

## How did search popularity change for mapping and location platforms worldwide in September 2026?

- In September 2026, Esri ArcGIS gained share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide, from 25.3% to 30.9%.
- In September 2026, Mapbox lost share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide, from 16% to 13.2%.
- In September 2026, Google Maps Platform lost share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide, from 8.5% to 6%.
- In September 2026, CARTO lost share of searches among mapping and location platforms worldwide, from 4.8% to 4%.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Felt worldwide rose 24.1% over 12 measured months, from 2.9K to 3.6K in September 2026.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | QGIS | 44.1% | 450K | +22.3% | QGIS |
| 2 | Esri ArcGIS | 30.9% | 316K | +48.2% | Esri ArcGIS |
| 3 | Mapbox | 13.2% | 135K | 0.0% | Mapbox |
| 4 | Google Maps Platform | 6% | 61.6K | -14.1% | Google |
| 5 | CARTO | 4% | 40.5K | 0.0% | CARTO |
| 6 | HERE Technologies | 1.4% | 14.8K | +22.3% | HERE Technologies |
| 7 | Felt | 0.35% | 3.6K | +24.1% | Felt |

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | QGIS | 450K | 40.6% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | Esri ArcGIS | 316K | 28.5% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | Mapbox | 165K | 14.9% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Google Maps Platform | 128K | 11.5% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | CARTO | 33.1K | 3% | 5 |
| Oct 2025 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.3% | 6 |
| Oct 2025 | Felt | 2.9K | 0.26% | 7 |
| Nov 2025 | QGIS | 450K | 41.6% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | Esri ArcGIS | 311K | 28.7% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | Mapbox | 165K | 15.3% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | Google Maps Platform | 105K | 9.7% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | CARTO | 33.1K | 3.1% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.4% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | Felt | 2.4K | 0.22% | 7 |
| Dec 2025 | QGIS | 368K | 41.4% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Esri ArcGIS | 256K | 28.8% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | Mapbox | 135K | 15.2% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | Google Maps Platform | 88.8K | 10% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | CARTO | 27.1K | 3% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | HERE Technologies | 12.1K | 1.4% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | Felt | 2.4K | 0.27% | 7 |
| Jan 2026 | QGIS | 450K | 43.5% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 264K | 25.5% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | Mapbox | 165K | 15.9% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 105K | 10.2% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | CARTO | 33.1K | 3.2% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.4% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | Felt | 2.4K | 0.23% | 7 |
| Feb 2026 | QGIS | 450K | 45.2% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 261K | 26.2% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | Mapbox | 165K | 16.6% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 75.3K | 7.6% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | CARTO | 27.1K | 2.7% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.5% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | Felt | 2.9K | 0.29% | 7 |
| Mar 2026 | QGIS | 450K | 42.3% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 316K | 29.7% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | Mapbox | 165K | 15.5% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 78.6K | 7.4% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | CARTO | 33.1K | 3.1% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | HERE Technologies | 18.1K | 1.7% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | Felt | 3.6K | 0.34% | 7 |
| Apr 2026 | QGIS | 450K | 42.5% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 313K | 29.6% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | Mapbox | 165K | 15.6% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 78.6K | 7.4% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | CARTO | 33.1K | 3.1% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.4% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | Felt | 3.6K | 0.34% | 7 |
| May 2026 | QGIS | 450K | 44.9% | 1 |
| May 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 261K | 26% | 2 |
| May 2026 | Mapbox | 165K | 16.5% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 75.3K | 7.5% | 4 |
| May 2026 | CARTO | 33.1K | 3.3% | 5 |
| May 2026 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.5% | 6 |
| May 2026 | Felt | 3.6K | 0.36% | 7 |
| Jun 2026 | QGIS | 368K | 44% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 213K | 25.5% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | Mapbox | 135K | 16.1% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 75.3K | 9% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | CARTO | 27.1K | 3.2% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.8% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Felt | 3.6K | 0.43% | 7 |
| Jul 2026 | QGIS | 368K | 43.3% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 213K | 25.1% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | Mapbox | 135K | 15.9% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 82.7K | 9.7% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | CARTO | 33.1K | 3.9% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.7% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | Felt | 2.9K | 0.34% | 7 |
| Aug 2026 | QGIS | 368K | 43.6% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 213K | 25.3% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | Mapbox | 135K | 16% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 71.7K | 8.5% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | CARTO | 40.5K | 4.8% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | HERE Technologies | 12.1K | 1.4% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Felt | 2.9K | 0.34% | 7 |
| Sep 2026 | QGIS | 450K | 44.1% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | Esri ArcGIS | 316K | 30.9% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | Mapbox | 135K | 13.2% | 3 |
| Sep 2026 | Google Maps Platform | 61.6K | 6% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | CARTO | 40.5K | 4% | 5 |
| Sep 2026 | HERE Technologies | 14.8K | 1.4% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | Felt | 3.6K | 0.35% | 7 |

## What is being compared

- **CARTO**: Measured on the search term “carto”.
- **Esri ArcGIS**: Measured on the search terms “arcgis” and “esri arcgis”, summed into one figure.
- **Felt**: Measured on the search term “felt maps”.
- **Google Maps Platform**: Measured on the search terms “google maps api” and “google maps platform”, summed into one figure.
- **HERE Technologies**: Measured on the search term “here technologies”.
- **Mapbox**: Measured on the search term “mapbox”.
- **QGIS**: Measured on the search term “qgis”.

- [CARTO](/demand/global-en/brands/carto)
- [Esri ArcGIS](/demand/global-en/brands/esri-arcgis)
- [Felt](/demand/global-en/brands/felt-maps)
- [Google Maps Platform](/demand/global-en/brands/google-maps-platform)
- [HERE Technologies](/demand/global-en/brands/here-technologies)
- [Mapbox](/demand/global-en/brands/mapbox)
- [QGIS](/demand/global-en/brands/qgis)

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among mapping and location platforms worldwide?

In September 2026, QGIS was the most searched among mapping and location platforms worldwide, with an estimated 450K branded searches, 44.1% of all searches for the seven we track. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Mapping and location platforms: Which are searched most?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/mapping-platforms

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/mapping-platforms. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.