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Maps · head to head

Atlas.co vs Emlid Studio

Atlas.co logo

Atlas.co

Maps

Browser-based collaborative GIS with published per-seat pricing and a free tier

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Emlid Studio logo

Emlid Studio

Maps

Free desktop GNSS post-processing that works with other manufacturers' receivers as well as Emlid's

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Atlas.co analytical depth is a long way short of a mature GIS: there is no serious raster analysis, network analysis, topology editing or geodetic control, so complex work still goes back to QGIS or ArcGIS.; Emlid Studio it is free but it is not open source, so if Emlid changes direction or ends the product there is no community fork and no way to keep it maintained
  • They diverge on capability: Atlas.co covers Browser GIS, Emlid Studio covers RINEX conversion.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Atlas.co and Emlid Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Atlas.co and Emlid Studio differ
AttributeAtlas.coEmlid Studio
Pricing modelPer user per monthFree of charge, no licence fee
PlatformsWebWindows, macOS

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Atlas.co

  • Browser GIS
  • Workflow builder
  • Geocoding
  • Collaboration
  • Data import
  • Cheap viewer seats
  • Export and embed
  • AI credits

Only in Emlid Studio

  • RINEX conversion
  • Static post-processing
  • Kinematic post-processing
  • Drone PPK geotagging
  • Third party receiver support
  • Emlid Flow point extraction
  • Solution quality reporting

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Atlas.co

  • A renewables developer screening sites against constraint layers who needs an answer this afternoon and has no GIS analyst availablenot Emlid Studio
  • A planning or property team that mainly needs colleagues to view and comment on maps, where $7 viewer seats replace expensive read-only GIS licencesnot Emlid Studio
  • A consultancy producing client-facing maps and embeds without maintaining desktop GIS installs across a distributed teamnot Emlid Studio
  • An analyst with an address spreadsheet who needs geocoding, buffering and a shareable map without learning a desktop GISnot Emlid Studio

Emlid Studio

  • A drone operator whose RTK link dropped to float during a flight and needs to recover centimetre accuracy from the logs afterwardsnot Atlas.co
  • A surveyor establishing a base station coordinate from a two hour static occupation against a national CORS stationnot Atlas.co
  • A research team with mixed brand receivers that cannot justify a manufacturer office suite licencenot Atlas.co
  • An archaeologist geotagging survey photography to a local grid without buying a commercial photogrammetry pipelinenot Atlas.co

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Atlas.co

  • Analytical depth is a long way short of a mature GIS: there is no serious raster analysis, network analysis, topology editing or geodetic control, so complex work still goes back to QGIS or ArcGIS.
  • Geocoding and workflow runs are metered per tier, and a single large address batch can exhaust a month’s Pro allowance in one afternoon, forcing an upgrade for a one-off job.
  • The company is at pre-seed stage with roughly $2m raised and a small team, so buyers embedding it in a business process carry meaningful continuity risk.
  • Annual billing is required to get the advertised prices, which removes the flexibility that would otherwise make a young vendor a low-risk trial.
  • There is no offline or field capability at all, so any organisation whose spatial work includes data collection needs a second tool alongside it.

Emlid Studio

  • It is free but it is not open source, so if Emlid changes direction or ends the product there is no community fork and no way to keep it maintained
  • Support is a community forum with no service level, which is a problem for a commercial survey firm that needs an answer before a deliverable deadline rather than when someone volunteers one
  • It only post-processes; there is no network adjustment, no project management, no least squares reporting suitable as a survey record, so it does not replace an office suite
  • The software exists to sell Emlid receivers, so features that matter to owners of competing hardware are unlikely to be prioritised even though third party RINEX is accepted
  • Results depend on the quality of the base data and on the user understanding fix, float and single solutions, and the interface will happily produce a poor solution without stopping an inexperienced operator

Pricing, plan by plan

Atlas.co

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 3 projects
    • 3 editors
    • 1 GB storage
  • Pro$23/month
    • 10 projects
    • 10 GB storage
    • 10,000 geocoding runs
  • Team$72/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Viewer seats at $7 per month
    • 25,000 geocoding runs
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Unlimited storage and workflows
    • 100,000 geocoding runs
    • White-labelled embeds

Emlid Studio

Free
  • Emlid StudioFree
    • No licence fee and no seat limit
    • Windows and macOS
    • Works with RINEX from non-Emlid receivers

Which should you pick?

Choose Atlas.co if

  • You need browser gis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want workflow builder.
Atlas.co review

Choose Emlid Studio if

  • You need rinex conversion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want static post-processing.
Emlid Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Atlas.co or Emlid Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Atlas.co starts at Free and Emlid Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Atlas.co or Emlid Studio?
Atlas.co starts at Free and Emlid Studio at Free.
Does Atlas.co or Emlid Studio run on more platforms?
Atlas.co runs on Web. Emlid Studio runs on Windows, macOS.
Can I use Atlas.co for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Atlas.co best used for?
Atlas.co is most often used for a renewables developer screening sites against constraint layers who needs an answer this afternoon and has no gis analyst available, a planning or property team that mainly needs colleagues to view and comment on maps, where $7 viewer seats replace expensive read-only gis licences, a consultancy producing client-facing maps and embeds without maintaining desktop gis installs across a distributed team, an analyst with an address spreadsheet who needs geocoding, buffering and a shareable map without learning a desktop gis. Of those, a renewables developer screening sites against constraint layers who needs an answer this afternoon and has no gis analyst available and a planning or property team that mainly needs colleagues to view and comment on maps, where $7 viewer seats replace expensive read-only gis licences are not what Emlid Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Atlas.co do that Emlid Studio cannot?
Atlas.co covers Browser GIS, Workflow builder, Geocoding, Collaboration. Emlid Studio covers RINEX conversion, Static post-processing, Kinematic post-processing, Drone PPK geotagging.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Atlas.co: How much does Atlas.co cost?

Starter is free, Pro is $23 per user per month and Team is $72 per editor per month with viewers at $7, all billed annually. Enterprise is quoted.

Emlid Studio: Is Emlid Studio really free?

Yes, with no seat limit and no paid tier. Emlid makes its money on GNSS receivers.

Atlas.co: Can it replace ArcGIS or QGIS?

For visualisation, light analysis and sharing, often yes. For raster, network or geodetic work, no.

Emlid Studio: Does it work with receivers from other manufacturers?

Yes. It accepts standard RINEX logs, so a base or rover from another brand can be processed.

Atlas.co: What is the viewer seat?

A read-only seat at $7 per month on the Team plan, intended for stakeholders who consume maps rather than build them.

Emlid Studio: Is it open source?

No. It is free of charge but proprietary, so there is no community fork if the product is discontinued.

Atlas.co: Where is the company based?

Oslo, Norway. It was founded in 2021 and has raised around $2m in pre-seed funding.

Emlid Studio: Can I use it as my survey office software?

No. It handles post-processing only. Network adjustment, drafting and deliverable production need other tools.

Atlas.co: Is there a free tier?

Yes, Starter gives three projects, three editors and 1 GB of storage with metered geocoding and workflow runs.

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