Softwr

Maps · head to head

Radar vs SW Maps

Radar logo

Radar

Maps

Geofencing, trip tracking, and location-based search APIs that power location features in

From
$0.02/per monthly tracked user
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: Radar no free tier available; 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: Radar covers Core Functionality, 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 Radar and SW Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where Radar and SW Maps differ
AttributeRadarSW Maps
Starting price$0.02/per monthly tracked userFree
Pricing modelusage-basedOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebAndroid

Identical on both: 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 Radar

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

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.

Radar

  • Detecting and preventing fraud with geolocation verificationnot SW Maps
  • Tracking pickups and deliveries in real-time with geofencingnot SW Maps
  • Engaging customers with location-based marketing campaignsnot SW Maps
  • Managing geographic compliance and hyper-accurate location trackingnot 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 Radar
  • A survey team pairing a low-cost RTK receiver with Android tablets to collect centimetre-accurate attributed features without buying field software seatsnot Radar
  • A university field course teaching GNSS data collection where every student needs the tool on their own devicenot Radar
  • 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 Radar

Where each one falls short

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

Radar

  • No free tier available
  • Annual contracts required with committed monthly quotas
  • Volume discounts applied manually; no public discount tiers

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

Radar

$0.02/per monthly tracked user

No published plan breakdown. See the Radar review.

SW Maps

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Radar if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want user interface.
Radar 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 Radar or SW Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. Radar starts at $0.02/per monthly tracked user and SW Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Radar or SW Maps?
SW Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $0.02/per monthly tracked user for Radar and Free for SW Maps.
Does Radar or SW Maps run on more platforms?
Radar runs on iOS, Android, 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. Radar starts at $0.02/per monthly tracked user.
What is Radar best used for?
Radar is most often used for detecting and preventing fraud with geolocation verification, tracking pickups and deliveries in real-time with geofencing, engaging customers with location-based marketing campaigns, managing geographic compliance and hyper-accurate location tracking. Of those, detecting and preventing fraud with geolocation verification and tracking pickups and deliveries in real-time with geofencing are not what SW Maps is typically brought in for.
What can Radar do that SW Maps cannot?
Radar covers Core Functionality, User Interface. SW Maps covers Custom feature layers, External GNSS support, Offline basemaps, Geospatial PDF layers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Radar: What is Radar's core function?

Radar is an all-in-one location platform providing SDKs and APIs for geofencing, trip tracking, geocoding, and location search. It handles 100+ billion annual queries from 100+ million devices.

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.

Radar: Who uses Radar?

Companies like Sleeper, Panera, DICK's Sporting Goods, T-Mobile, and Zillow use Radar's geofencing SDKs and maps APIs for location-based solutions.

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.

Radar: How is Radar's pricing structured?

Radar does not publicly disclose pricing. Custom quotes are required based on usage and requirements, meaning pricing varies per customer.

Source
SW Maps: Is there an iOS version?

No. Android only.

Radar: What are Radar's security and privacy features?

Radar prioritizes enterprise-level security, privacy, and customer support. It maintains high uptime, low latency connections for reliable monitoring of location data across platforms.

Source
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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