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Maps · head to head

Bing Maps vs Global Mapper

Bing Maps logo

Bing Maps

Maps

Web mapping services with street maps, aerial imagery, and APIs for developers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Global Mapper logo

Global Mapper

Maps

A GIS and lidar desktop that still sells a genuine perpetual licence with published prices

From
$700/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bing Maps bing Maps for Enterprise is deprecated and will be retired by 6/30/2025 for free accounts and 6/30/2028 for enterprise accounts; Global Mapper it is Windows only with no macOS or Linux build, so mixed-platform teams end up running a virtual machine and lose graphics performance on large point clouds
  • They diverge on capability: Bing Maps covers Core Functionality, Global Mapper covers Format breadth.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bing Maps and Global Mapper actually diverge.

Attributes where Bing Maps and Global Mapper differ
AttributeBing MapsGlobal Mapper
Starting priceOn request$700/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumOne-time purchase
PlatformsWebWindows

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Bing Maps

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

Only in Global Mapper

  • Format breadth
  • Lidar processing
  • Pixels to Points
  • Coordinate transformation
  • Terrain analysis
  • Scripting
  • Mobile companion

What people use each for

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

Bing Maps

  • Driving directions and turn-by-turn navigation guidancenot Global Mapper
  • Real-time traffic monitoring and road condition updatesnot Global Mapper
  • Commuter route planning with live traffic intelligencenot Global Mapper

Global Mapper

  • A survey office that receives lidar in a different format from every client and needs reliable conversion without writing scriptsnot Bing Maps
  • A consultancy that wants to classify ground points and extract building footprints from a drone survey without an Esri enterprise agreementnot Bing Maps
  • An organisation with an irregular workload that wants to buy the licence outright and skip maintenance in quiet yearsnot Bing Maps
  • A geologist producing volumes, contours and cross sections from terrain data on a standalone office workstationnot Bing Maps

Where each one falls short

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

Bing Maps

  • Bing Maps for Enterprise is deprecated and will be retired by 6/30/2025 for free accounts and 6/30/2028 for enterprise accounts
  • All implementations must migrate to Azure Maps to avoid service disruption

Global Mapper

  • It is Windows only with no macOS or Linux build, so mixed-platform teams end up running a virtual machine and lose graphics performance on large point clouds
  • The interface has grown by accretion over two decades and features are scattered across menus, so new users are slow to find capabilities that are already installed
  • Node-locked perpetual licences are tied to the machine identifier, so a hardware refresh or a failed workstation means a support request rather than a login on a new device
  • Multi-user and web publishing are weak relative to Esri or QGIS with a server stack, so it is a desktop analysis tool and not a platform for sharing data across an organisation
  • Published prices apply to North America and differ elsewhere, so buyers outside that market must go through a reseller and cannot rely on the listed figures for budgeting

Pricing, plan by plan

Bing Maps

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bing Maps review.

Global Mapper

$700/one-time
  • Global Mapper Standard, node-locked$700/one-time
    • Perpetual licence tied to one machine
    • First year of maintenance and support included
    • Renewal 245 USD per year, optional
  • Global Mapper Standard, floating or dongle$1050/one-time
    • Shared between users or carried on a USB dongle
    • Maintenance renewal 365 USD per year
    • Network licence 2,100 USD with a two-seat minimum
  • Global Mapper Pro, node-locked$1750/one-time
    • Adds lidar classification, feature extraction and Pixels to Points
    • Maintenance renewal 610 USD per year
    • Upgrade from Standard version 26 costs 1,050 USD
  • Global Mapper Pro, floating or dongle$2625/one-time
    • Shared or dongle licence
    • Maintenance renewal 915 USD per year
    • Network licence 5,250 USD with a two-seat minimum

Which should you pick?

Choose Bing Maps if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You also want user interface.
Bing Maps review

Choose Global Mapper if

  • You need format breadth.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want lidar processing.
Global Mapper review

Questions people ask

Is Bing Maps or Global Mapper better?
Neither clearly leads. Bing Maps starts at On request and Global Mapper at $700/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bing Maps or Global Mapper?
Bing Maps starts at On request and Global Mapper at $700/one-time.
Does Bing Maps or Global Mapper run on more platforms?
Bing Maps runs on Web. Global Mapper runs on Windows.
What is Bing Maps best used for?
Bing Maps is most often used for driving directions and turn-by-turn navigation guidance, real-time traffic monitoring and road condition updates, commuter route planning with live traffic intelligence. Of those, driving directions and turn-by-turn navigation guidance and real-time traffic monitoring and road condition updates are not what Global Mapper is typically brought in for.
What can Bing Maps do that Global Mapper cannot?
Bing Maps covers Core Functionality, User Interface. Global Mapper covers Format breadth, Lidar processing, Pixels to Points, Coordinate transformation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bing Maps: What happened to Bing Maps for Enterprise?

Bing Maps for Enterprise is deprecated and will be retired. Free account customers can continue using the service until 6/30/2025, while enterprise account customers can continue until 6/30/2028. Microsoft recommends migrating implementations to Azure Maps to avoid service disruptions.

Source
Global Mapper: Is there still a perpetual licence?

Yes. Blue Marble sells perpetual node-locked, floating, dongle and network licences that keep working after maintenance lapses.

Bing Maps: When will Bing Maps for Enterprise be discontinued?

Bing Maps for Enterprise retires 6/30/2025 for free accounts and 6/30/2028 for enterprise accounts. All implementations using Bing Maps for Enterprise REST APIs and SDKs must be updated to use Azure Maps before the retirement dates.

Source
Global Mapper: What is the difference between Standard and Pro?

Pro is an add-on to a matching Standard licence and carries the lidar classification, feature extraction, Pixels to Points photogrammetry and advanced terrain tools.

Bing Maps: What should I use instead of Bing Maps?

Microsoft is transitioning customers to Azure Maps, which provides consumption-based pricing with volume-based discounts and pay-only-for-what-you-use cost structure. Azure Maps offers all mapping features without throttling.

Source
Global Mapper: Do I have to pay maintenance?

Only for the first year, which is included. After that it is optional; without it the software continues to run but you receive no upgrades or support.

Global Mapper: Can it replace ArcGIS?

For desktop format conversion, lidar and terrain analysis, often yes. For enterprise data management, web services and organisation-wide sharing, no.

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