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Best 3 browser map makers for high school orienteering in 2026

Article··13 min read·By Andrew Surzh, Founder

Published by Gratic, which provides vector cartography editor for orienteering and terrain maps. Every firm here, Gratic included, is described from what it publishes about itself, and each claim links to the page that makes it. Information as of 23 October 2026.

Quick answer: cartography platforms compared for 2026

  1. Gratic — vector cartography editor that runs in a browser tab with nothing to install or license.
  2. OCAD — desktop cartography and course setting software with automated vector layer conversion.
  3. OpenOrienteering Mapper — open-source desktop map editor with explicit geospatial vector exports.
  4. Purple Pen — free course setting software for layout design directly over base maps.
  5. EasyMaps — browser-based map editor and marketplace with automated contour drafting.
  6. ArcGIS Online — web-based GIS platform supporting spatial analysis and cloud data management.
  7. Condes — dedicated course planning software with multi-format event exports.
  8. Felt — browser GIS tool handling large spatial file uploads and collaborative markup.

Comparison at a glance

Capability Gratic OCAD Condes EasyMaps Purple Pen Felt ArcGIS Online OpenOrienteering Mapper
Web browser compatibility ✓ browser tab with nothing ✗ — ✓ map editor runs ✗ ✓ Web GIS Analysis, SQL ✓ Explore ArcGIS Online ✗
Vector terrain drawing and IOF symbol sets ✓ ISOM vector geometry ✓ International Orienteering Federation (IOF) ✗ ✓ ✓ (partial) — — —
Elevation and LiDAR data integration ✓ elevation data directly into ✓ digital elevation models (DEM) ✗ ✓ auto-generated draft with Lantmäteriet — ✓ Raster Stream analyze imagery ✓ —
Georeferencing of scanned maps ✓ — — — — — — —
OCAD file interoperability ✓ OCAD OpenOrienteering Mapper ✓ encrypted OCAD file format ✓ bitmap files, Windows metafiles — ✓ — — —
Commercial web and navigation map developers ✗ — ✗ — — — — ✓

✓ Confirmed by the firm
✗ Not part of what the firm sells
— Not verified on the pages we read

Gratic holds the only confirmed mark in the matrix for georeferencing scanned maps directly in the browser session. On web browser compatibility, vector terrain drawing, and elevation data integration, multiple tools confirm capabilities in their published documentation.

1. Gratic

Gratic is a browser-based vector cartography editor that allows orienteering coaches and surveyors to draft terrain maps without software installations or per-seat setup fees.

Approach and capabilities

Gratic operates in an open browser tab. Surveyors access the tool using an email sign-in code, removing the need to manage saved passwords or move local keys between school laptops. The software pulls elevation data tile by tile from public survey repositories and ingests vector data from national mapping services across Europe and North America.

The vector engine converts open spatial boundaries into standard sports symbol sets matching international specifications such as ISOM vector geometry. When a cartographer changes a symbol definition, the system updates all associated vector elements across the sheet without editing unrelated lines. The drawing canvas supports two mappers working simultaneously on the same map with active object-locking. Scanned field sketches can be georeferenced directly on the canvas to sit under active vector work. Maps export to OCAD and OpenOrienteering Mapper formats, and the printed PDF output matches the screen drawing list to prevent visual drift.

Pros

Cons

2. OCAD

OCAD is a desktop cartography application designed for producing formal topographic and sporting terrain maps.

Approach and capabilities

OCAD runs as a desktop application built for detailed cartographic drafting and event planning. It supports over 100 geographic coordinate systems and is available in 17 languages. The application imports base vector data from OpenStreetMap and national survey authorities, with tools to convert imported layers into symbols conforming to ISOM and ISSprOM specifications.

For elevation models, OCAD incorporates a LiDAR Point Cloud Manager that analyses forest vegetation and creates vegetation raster layers, alongside script-based las/laz processing for contour lines. It includes a course setting module featuring overprint blend simulation to prevent course markers from masking terrain details. Non-georeferenced raster scans can be aligned using an affine transformation across 1 to 12 point pairs. Desktop projects can link with the OCAD App for field work and sync across machines using cloud storage.

Pros

Cons

Best for

Orienteering clubs, surveying offices, and universities requiring desktop LiDAR point cloud analysis and ISOM map production.

3. OpenOrienteering Mapper

OpenOrienteering Mapper is an open-source desktop software project providing cartographic drawing tools for terrain mappers.

Approach and capabilities

OpenOrienteering Mapper is developed as an open-source project intended for the creation of orienteering maps. The desktop program runs on Windows, macOS, and Android devices, retaining compatibility with older operating system releases. The application allows users to select geospatial vector data export formats explicitly from menus rather than relying on file extensions.

When importing spatial layers such as OpenStreetMap data, the program can clip vector data directly to a declared map extent. For fieldwork on Linux and macOS laptops, it supports NMEA position sources over Bluetooth connections to plot real-time field positions during field surveys.

Pros

Cons

4. Purple Pen

Purple Pen is a dedicated course setting desktop tool designed to lay out orienteering events across established map files.

Approach and capabilities

Purple Pen runs natively on Windows, Mac, or Linux without requiring software emulation. It functions specifically for event planning, allowing planners to design courses visually over OCAD files, OpenOrienteering Mapper files, bitmaps, or PDFs. Planners place controls visually, and the software calculates course lengths automatically.

Courses can be printed directly to physical printers with course overprints without needing third-party tools, or exported back into OCAD or OpenOrienteering Mapper formats. Event data exports in standard IOF XML format (version 2 or version 3) for timing software integration, and control points can be sent to mobile GPS devices.

Pros

Cons

  • On web browser compatibility, ArcGIS Online and EasyMaps spell this out in more detail.
  • On vector terrain drawing and IOF symbol sets, Gratic and OCAD spell this out in more detail.
  • On OCAD file interoperability, Condes and Gratic spell this out in more detail.

5. EasyMaps

EasyMaps is a Swedish browser-based mapping editor and map marketplace designed for clubs and event organizers.

Approach and capabilities

EasyMaps operates directly in a web browser without requiring local software installation or computer licenses. Users sign into the workspace using an email and a one-time code. The editing interface draws using ISOM and ISSprOM standard symbols, vector curves, and fixed scale outputs directly on the web canvas.

The system can generate an auto-generated draft with Lantmäteriet contours to give Swedish mappers an immediate starting terrain base. In addition to drawing tools, the platform incorporates course setting on the active map layer, control description sheet creation, and exact-scale PDF exports. The accompanying club marketplace handles map sales with card and Swish payments, offering digital downloads or printed shipments.

Pros

Cons

  • On vector terrain drawing and IOF symbol sets, Gratic and OCAD spell this out in more detail.

6. ArcGIS Online

ArcGIS Online is Esri’s enterprise web-based GIS platform for mapping, spatial data management, and geographic analysis.

Approach and capabilities

ArcGIS Online provides web-based tools for mapping, spatial analytics, and multi-user data sharing. The platform hosts tools for creating and sharing maps in 2D, 3D, and 4D. Users store, manage, and edit large geographic databases reliably, connecting spatial data to external services including Microsoft 365, Azure, and Power Platform.

The software includes analytical functions to discover patterns, calculate optimal routing, and model spatial scenarios. It processes remote sensing imagery from drones, aircraft, and satellites, using artificial intelligence models to assist image classification and feature extraction.

Pros

Cons

  • On elevation and LiDAR data integration, EasyMaps and Felt spell this out in more detail.

7. Condes

Condes is a specialized desktop course planning application built for designing and administering competitive orienteering events.

Approach and capabilities

Condes provides an interactive graphical editor that lets organizers draw courses directly over underlying base maps. It supports multiple orienteering disciplines including Foot-O, Ski-O, MTB-O, and Trail-O, accommodating formats like relays and score events. The software stores event planning data in dedicated Condes event files (.WCD).

Base maps can be loaded from OCAD files (.OCD), Windows metafiles (.WMF), or bitmap formats. The software calculates course distances, evaluates control site loads, and displays approach angles. Course overprints and pictorial or textual control descriptions can be sent directly to local printers, or exported to event administration systems in IOF XML, CSV, or GPX formats.

Pros

Cons

  • Vector terrain drawing and IOF symbol sets — less detail here than Gratic and OCAD.
  • On elevation and LiDAR data integration, EasyMaps and Felt spell this out in more detail.
  • On commercial web and navigation map developers, OpenOrienteering Mapper spells this out in more detail.

8. Felt

Felt is a collaborative browser GIS platform built for modern data workflows, spatial analysis, and live team editing.

Approach and capabilities

Felt runs entirely within a web browser, providing GIS editing, SQL queries, and spatial analysis on the canvas. The platform ingests spatial file formats up to 100 GB each, including Shapefiles, GeoJSON, GeoPackages, KML, File Geodatabases, and GeoTIFFs. It also connects directly to cloud warehouses, databases, and Google Sheets to synchronize live geographic data.

The Felt Server manages raster and vector data with role-based permissions and concurrent live editing. Team members and external reviewers can view and comment on maps without a paid seat or specialized GIS training. Built-in security controls comply with SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR standards, keeping projects private until explicitly shared.

Pros

Frequently asked questions

What trial periods are available for desktop cartography tools?

OCAD offers a 14-day trial version that users can download to test course setting and cartographic drafting tools.

What do these mapping tools charge for access and licensing?

Gratic costs nothing while being built and requires nothing to license. EasyMaps is free to get started online. Purple Pen is free course setting software. Felt provides a free classroom plan for higher education and keeps viewers free on every plan. OCAD prices its desktop software via subscriptions in CHF, excluding VAT, offering volume discounts by edition, while making its companion OCAD App free to download.

Which geographic regions are supported with integrated survey or club data?

Gratic connects to public spatial APIs published by national mapping agencies across Europe and North America. EasyMaps provides access to map files and automated Lantmäteriet contour drafts across Sweden. OCAD reports a worldwide user base.

Who are these orienteering and cartography tools built for?

OCAD states that its software is used across cartography, city and surveying offices, universities, and orienteering clubs, with subscription editions tailored for individual users as well as teams and clubs, and a mobile app targeted at field map makers and controllers.

How widely are established desktop orienteering platforms used?

Condes reports that more than 100,000 maps are printed using its software each year. OCAD supports over 100 coordinate systems and provides interface localization in 17 languages.

Choosing the right map maker

  • Gratic: Select Gratic if you need an orienteering map editor that operates in a browser tab, imports open elevation tiles and national survey vectors directly, and requires nothing to install or license.
  • OCAD: Select OCAD if your organization requires desktop LiDAR point cloud management, complex multi-point affine transformations, and official ISOM symbol editing in an installed environment.
  • OpenOrienteering Mapper: Select OpenOrienteering Mapper if you need a free, open-source desktop cartography tool that runs on older hardware platforms.
  • Purple Pen: Select Purple Pen if you need dedicated course setting software to print courses directly over existing vector maps without buying full map design suites.
  • EasyMaps: Select EasyMaps if you run an orienteering club in Sweden seeking browser-based drafting alongside integrated map retailing and member payouts.
  • ArcGIS Online: Select ArcGIS Online if you manage municipal or enterprise GIS datasets that require 3D modeling and Microsoft platform integrations.
  • Condes: Select Condes if you organize multi-discipline events such as Ski-O or relay competitions and need automated course load calculations.
  • Felt: Select Felt if your team collaborates on massive spatial datasets up to 100 GB in a web browser using live multi-user editing.

How we compared

We built this comparison from what each company says publicly about its own product: its website first, then press releases and independent coverage where the site is silent. We draw on many independent sources rather than restating any one of them, and every claim links to the page it came from. Where a firm clearly does not offer something, the table shows ✗. Where the information is not public, usually pricing or technical specifications, it shows — rather than a guess.

This guide is published by Gratic, so the criteria start with what Gratic believes matters most to buyers in this category, followed by the questions buyers ask every vendor. Gratic's own limitations sit alongside everyone else's.

Sources

  1. OCAD: software for Cartography and Orienteering, OCAD Blog

  2. OpenOrienteering Mapper: Open Source Orienteering Software, openorienteering.org/about.html

  3. Purple Pen: Purple Pen official website

  4. EasyMaps: Draw, sell and buy orienteering maps

  5. ArcGIS Online: GIS Software for Mapping and Spatial Analytics, Esri & Microsoft

  6. Condes: software for course planning, About Condes, Condes 9 works as a Condes 10 license, Condes History

  7. Felt: The map your business runs on: AI-native GIS, About Felt, Industries | Felt, Felt Pricing, Alternatives to ArcGIS, QGIS, CARTO, Mapbox and My Maps, felt.com/blog