Softwr

Fleet Management · head to head

CalAmp vs SW Maps

CalAmp logo

CalAmp

Fleet Management

Fleet telematics hardware and software provider that went through Chapter 11 restructuring in 2024 and is now privately held by its former lender

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
SW Maps logo

SW Maps

Maps

Free Android GIS data collector that pairs with external RTK GNSS receivers

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SW Maps has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CalAmp the company underwent Chapter 11 restructuring and a change of ownership in 2024, and any multi-year contract should factor in the risk and uncertainty that follows a recent bankruptcy, even a fast one.; SW Maps android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
  • They diverge on capability: CalAmp covers GPS tracking hardware, SW Maps covers Custom feature layers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CalAmp and SW Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where CalAmp and SW Maps differ
AttributeCalAmpSW Maps
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidAndroid
CategoryFleet ManagementMaps

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 CalAmp

  • GPS tracking hardware
  • Telematics Cloud platform
  • Driver behaviour monitoring
  • Asset tracking
  • Partner API access
  • Diagnostic alerts

Only in SW Maps

  • Custom feature layers
  • External GNSS support
  • Offline basemaps
  • Geospatial PDF layers
  • Vector import
  • Photo and media capture
  • Export formats
  • NTRIP client

What people use each for

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

CalAmp

  • A software company or system integrator wanting telematics hardware and a data API to build a custom fleet application on top ofnot SW Maps
  • A fleet needing basic GPS tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full BI-grade analytics suitenot SW Maps
  • An asset-heavy operation needing non-powered trailer and equipment tracking alongside vehicle telematicsnot SW Maps
  • A buyer specifically wanting a hardware-plus-cloud vendor rather than a software-only platform layered on third-party devicesnot SW Maps

SW Maps

  • An NGO or municipal utility mapping water points, pipe networks or road assets on a budget that cannot absorb per-user GIS subscriptionsnot CalAmp
  • A survey team pairing a low-cost RTK receiver with Android tablets to collect centimetre-accurate attributed features without buying field software seatsnot CalAmp
  • A university field course teaching GNSS data collection where every student needs the tool on their own devicenot CalAmp
  • A consultant doing a one-off asset inventory who needs shapefile or GeoPackage output and does not want to start an annual subscription for a three-week jobnot CalAmp

Where each one falls short

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

CalAmp

  • The company underwent Chapter 11 restructuring and a change of ownership in 2024, and any multi-year contract should factor in the risk and uncertainty that follows a recent bankruptcy, even a fast one.
  • Pricing is entirely unpublished and combines hardware and subscription costs, making direct comparison against software-only telematics competitors harder to do cleanly.
  • It has historically leaned on a software partner ecosystem rather than a single polished end-user product, so the buying experience and interface quality vary depending on which partner application sits on top of CalAmp data.
  • Newer, well-capitalised competitors such as Samsara and Motive have captured significant market share with more unified hardware-software products, and CalAmp market position has weakened relative to them.
  • As a private company since 2024, financial transparency that public-market buyers previously had access to (quarterly filings, analyst coverage) is now reduced.

SW Maps

  • Android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
  • There is no back end: no user management, no central project sync, no audit trail. Data lives on the device until someone exports it, and a lost tablet is lost data.
  • No commercial support contract exists, so an organisation with a compliance requirement for vendor support cannot use it for regulated work regardless of technical fit.
  • It is maintained by a small consultancy as a side product of its own project work, so the roadmap follows Softwel’s needs and a feature you depend on may never be prioritised.
  • Form logic is basic compared with dedicated survey platforms: no meaningful skip logic, validation or multi-user assignment, so complex questionnaires quickly outgrow it.

Pricing, plan by plan

CalAmp

On request
  • CalAmp Telematics Cloud$undefined/year
    • Hardware and subscription priced together, no published rate
    • Cost varies by device type, data plan and partner/direct sales channel

SW Maps

Free
  • SW MapsFree
    • All features included
    • External RTK GNSS support
    • Unlimited layers and exports

Which should you pick?

Choose CalAmp if

  • You need gps tracking hardware.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want telematics cloud platform.
CalAmp review

Choose SW Maps if

  • You need custom feature layers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android.
  • You also want external gnss support.
SW Maps review

Questions people ask

Is CalAmp or SW Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. CalAmp starts at On request and SW Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CalAmp or SW Maps?
SW Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for CalAmp and Free for SW Maps.
Does CalAmp or SW Maps run on more platforms?
CalAmp runs on Web, iOS, Android. SW Maps runs on Android.
Can I use SW Maps for free?
Yes. SW Maps has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CalAmp starts at On request.
What is CalAmp best used for?
CalAmp is most often used for a software company or system integrator wanting telematics hardware and a data api to build a custom fleet application on top of, a fleet needing basic gps tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full bi-grade analytics suite, an asset-heavy operation needing non-powered trailer and equipment tracking alongside vehicle telematics, a buyer specifically wanting a hardware-plus-cloud vendor rather than a software-only platform layered on third-party devices. Of those, a software company or system integrator wanting telematics hardware and a data api to build a custom fleet application on top of and a fleet needing basic gps tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full bi-grade analytics suite are not what SW Maps is typically brought in for.
What can CalAmp do that SW Maps cannot?
CalAmp covers GPS tracking hardware, Telematics Cloud platform, Driver behaviour monitoring, Asset tracking. SW Maps covers Custom feature layers, External GNSS support, Offline basemaps, Geospatial PDF layers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CalAmp: Is CalAmp still in business?

Yes. It completed a fast Chapter 11 restructuring in 2024, eliminating roughly $230 million in debt, and is now privately held by Lynrock Lake Master Fund LP.

SW Maps: Is SW Maps really free?

Yes. It is free with no advertising and no paid tier. There is no subscription and no feature paywall.

CalAmp: Does CalAmp sell directly to fleets or through partners?

Both, but a significant part of its business is providing hardware and data APIs to software partners who build the end-user fleet application.

SW Maps: Does it support RTK receivers?

Yes, over Bluetooth or USB serial, with NTRIP correction support, antenna height and per-point fix quality recording.

CalAmp: Is pricing published?

No. Hardware and subscription costs are combined and quoted, varying by device type, data plan and sales channel.

SW Maps: Is there an iOS version?

No. Android only.

SW Maps: Who maintains it?

Softwel, an engineering consultancy in Kathmandu, Nepal, which built it for its own infrastructure projects.

SW Maps: Can we get support?

Not contractually. There is no commercial support agreement, which is the main reason organisations with compliance obligations choose a paid alternative.

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