Softwr

Manufacturing · head to head

Fulcrum vs SW Maps

Fulcrum logo

Fulcrum

Manufacturing

Field operations management for installing, inspecting and maintaining physical work

From
$39/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SW Maps logo

SW Maps

Maps

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SW Maps has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fulcrum monthly pricing only available for first 12 months; after that, annual commitment required; 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fulcrum and SW Maps differ
AttributeFulcrumSW Maps
Starting price$39/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebAndroid
CategoryManufacturingMaps

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 Fulcrum

Nothing recorded that SW Maps does not also cover.

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.

Fulcrum

  • Capturing inspection photos and data completely offlinenot SW Maps
  • Collecting field data in areas without cell coveragenot SW Maps
  • Tagging asset locations with geospatial coordinatesnot SW Maps
  • Automating asset maintenance work order workflowsnot 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 Fulcrum
  • A survey team pairing a low-cost RTK receiver with Android tablets to collect centimetre-accurate attributed features without buying field software seatsnot Fulcrum
  • A university field course teaching GNSS data collection where every student needs the tool on their own devicenot Fulcrum
  • 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 Fulcrum

Where each one falls short

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

Fulcrum

  • Monthly pricing only available for first 12 months; after that, annual commitment required
  • Additional storage costs $2.20 USD per month per 20 GB block
  • Enterprise plan requires minimum of 5 users

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

Fulcrum

$39/month
  • Professional$43/month
    • 100 GB storage
    • 10 data shares
    • Standard email and in-app support
  • Elite$39/month
    • 500 GB storage
    • 50 data shares
    • Priority email, in-app, and phone support
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users minimum 5
    • Unlimited storage

SW Maps

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Fulcrum if

Nothing in the data separates Fulcrum from SW Maps on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Fulcrum 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 Fulcrum or SW Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. Fulcrum starts at $39/month and SW Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fulcrum or SW Maps?
SW Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $39/month for Fulcrum and Free for SW Maps.
Does Fulcrum or SW Maps run on more platforms?
Fulcrum runs on Web. 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. Fulcrum starts at $39/month.
What is Fulcrum best used for?
Fulcrum is most often used for capturing inspection photos and data completely offline, collecting field data in areas without cell coverage, tagging asset locations with geospatial coordinates, automating asset maintenance work order workflows. Of those, capturing inspection photos and data completely offline and collecting field data in areas without cell coverage are not what SW Maps is typically brought in for.
What can Fulcrum do that SW Maps cannot?
SW Maps covers Custom feature layers, External GNSS support, Offline basemaps, Geospatial PDF layers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fulcrum: How much does Fulcrum cost per user?

Professional and Elite plans cost $43 per month for monthly billing or $55 per user per month when billed annually. Enterprise pricing is custom and requires contacting Fulcrum.

Source
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.

Fulcrum: What is Fulcrum's storage limit?

Professional includes 100 GB storage, Elite includes 500 GB storage, and Enterprise includes unlimited storage. Additional storage blocks of 20 GB cost $2.20 USD per month.

Source
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.

Fulcrum: Are there restrictions on monthly billing for Fulcrum?

Monthly pricing is only available during the first 12 months as a Fulcrum customer. After 12 months, the company learns your usage pattern and offers pricing with an annual commitment required.

Source
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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