Tool | Platform | Price | Ownership | Difficulty | Exporting | Embedding | Printing | Temporal-Spatial Information | Visual Customizability | Interactive Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
software (Windows); Web-based (ArcGIS Online) | $1,500 (Basic), $7,000 (Standard) | corporate (Esri) | 4 (Advanced) | static image files (.jpg, .png); video files; active maps can only be shared using ArcGIS Online | map data must be ported to an ArcGIS Online map in order to facilitate external embedding | map must be prepared for printing using Layout View and then exported as a print-ready image file | timestamp and timespan data enabled; temporal information is best represented through time-lapse animation function; no timeline functionality native to tool | maps are full-color, choropleth-enabled, and highly adaptable; point representations can be customized by shape, color, and size | Singular, anonymized authorship. Maps can be animated to demonstrate temporal data; pop-up info boxes and hyperlinks can be integrated. | |
Web-based | free | corporate (Google) | 1 (Beginner) | map features can be exported as .kml files | active maps can be embedded in an iframe, the HTML code for which is provided by the "Publish" function | not supported | timestamp data enabled; time-based line graphs are available; visible data can be filtered by time span | medium-low customizability; user must choose between standard Google Maps base maps, and point values can only be represented by a few display options; no visual customization available in Heat Maps; modest visual customizability available for coverage maps | Singular, anonymized authorship is the default, but plural authoring could be facilitated. Customizable tooltip pop-up windows display supplementary information, which may include images. | |
Web-based | free | nonprofit/NGO | 1 (Beginner) | not supported, but it is possible to link to individual pins or user profiles | embedding is only supported for Map View of individual user profiles | not supported | temporal information is required for all materials; map information can be filtered by date; some native timeline functionality | very low; only Google Maps proprietary base maps are available | Tool was designed to facilitate plural authorship. Map data consists of georeferenced multimedia files (images, video, sound) with written annotations available in tooltip pop-up boxes. | |
source code, Web-based | free, open-source | academic | 5 (Expert) | map features can be exported as .kml files | maps can be easily embedded in Scalar books, but other embedding is not supported | not supported | high level of temporal data functionality, including integration of historical photographs and maps and timeline manipulation | low base map customizability due to integration with Google Earth, but very high capacity for addition of historical map layers and multimedia | Facilitates plural author attribution. Designed to facilitate high levels of multimedia interactivity, including timeline sliders. Supports interfacing with Scalar books. | |
| Leaflet (website) | source code | free, open-source | individual | 5 (Expert) | not supported | tool is designed specifically to facilitate the creation of web-based embedded maps, but the code must be created by hand | not supported | no native temporal data display or processing functionality (could be added through additional code) | as a Javascript library, Leaflet is hospitable to customization but exerts no direct control over map appearance; basemaps are not provided and must be derived from external sources | Singular, anonymized authorship. Tooltip pop-up boxes provide supplementary information. Users can show or hide data layers. Other functionality can be added through additional Javascript. |
| Mapbox (website) | software (Windows); software (Mac); Web-based | free to $499/month depending on plan | corporate | 2 (Basic) | map features can be downloaded as .kml files from Mapbox Editor, but image files cannot be exported | embedding HTML code is provided through web-based Mapbox Editor | not supported | no temporal data display or processing functionality | medium customizability in web app, with several basemap options and point values which can be customized by color and shape; high customizability in Mapbox Studio | Singular, anonymized authorship. Tooltips provide only limited supplementary information. No data manipulation or multimedia. |
| Palladio (website) | Web-based | free | academic | 3 (Intermediate) | only point values can be exported as .svg; retention of geocoding data is unclear | not supported | not supported | native timeline functionality; TimeLine and TimeSpan functions offer basic temporal data manipulation | low customizability; maps have a limited selection of basemap options and feature point and/or point-to-point data only; point representations are always dark grey, but size can be proportionally linked to quantitative data | Singular, anonymized authorship. Tooltips give one piece of supplementary information on data points; TimeLine and TimeSpan functions offer manipulation of temporal data. Non-mapping data manipulation functions available. |
| QGIS (website) | software (Windows); software (Mac); software (Linux) | free, open-source | nonprofit/NGO | 4 (Advanced) | static image files only | not supported in base program | map must be prepared for printing using Print Composer | timestamp and timespan data enabled, but cannot be manipulated without the use of a free plug-in (TimeManager); no native timeline functionality | maps are full-color, choropleth-enabled, and highly adaptable; point representations can be customized by shape, color, and size | Singular, anonymized authorship. Interactivity functions are limited in base program, but plugins exist to facilitate the creation of animations. |
Overview
Content Tools
