Cloud Vector Drawing Software for Rogaining Races 2026

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 22 October 2026.

Quick Answer: Featured Cartography and Course Software for 2026

1. Gratic: Best for drawing competition-ready terrain maps directly in a browser tab with built-in ISOM symbols and nothing to install or license.
2. EasyMaps: Best for browser-based mapping and course setting using Swedish Lantmäteriet contours with built-in club store payouts.
3. OCAD: Best for comprehensive desktop cartographic production, point-cloud vegetation analysis, and formal event course planning.
4. OpenOrienteering Mapper: Best for free, cross-platform open-source desktop cartography supporting multiple IOF discipline symbol sets.
5. Felt: Best for collaborative cloud GIS styling and terrain raster analysis across multidisciplinary planning teams.
6. ArcGIS Online: Best for scalable cloud geospatial data management, spatial analytics, and multi-tier enterprise workflows.
7. Purple Pen: Best for dedicated, free course setting directly on top of vector or raster background maps.
8. Condes: Best for advanced desktop course planning across multiple navigation disciplines, relay variations, and punch management.

Comparison at a Glance

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

1. Gratic

Gratic provides an in-browser vector cartography editor tailored specifically for orienteering and rogaining terrain maps.

Overview

Gratic provides a browser-based map drawing interface designed to eliminate local desktop installations. Users access projects via an email sign-in code without creating passwords, and the interface runs in standard web browsers across Windows and Mac. It focuses on direct cartographic authoring using standard sport symbol specifications.

Key Features

• Elevation tiles and open vector ingestion: Ingests elevation data tile by tile on demand and vector data directly from national mapping services into active layers.
• Built-in ISOM 2017-2 symbols: Symbols and inks are included in every document from creation, with drawing tools adapting behavior to symbol types (such as smooth curves for contours and right angles for buildings).
• Global symbol editing: Map elements store symbol codes rather than duplicate geometry, allowing global width or style modifications across an entire sheet simultaneously.
• OCAD and OpenOrienteering Mapper file compatibility: Imports existing maps and symbol sets, displaying recognized symbols prior to placing elements on the canvas, while exporting files that open in OCAD.
• Integrated georeferencing: Allows mappers to drop scanned raster images onto the canvas, align anchor points, and begin vector digitization immediately.

Pros

• Operates entirely in a browser tab with nothing to install or configure.
• Renders ISOM standard vector geometry directly in the browser canvas.
• Supports simultaneous multi-layer symbol sets, keeping custom club symbols and standard IOF sets in one document without number collisions.

Cons

• Gratic fits less well for general-purpose GIS and municipal mapping departments.
• Gratic fits less well for commercial web and navigation map developers.

2. EasyMaps

EasyMaps combines in-browser orienteering map drawing, integrated course planning, and a marketplace for digital and print distribution.

Overview

EasyMaps operates as an online map editor and marketplace based in Sweden. It provides club administrators with tools to create maps, set courses, and deliver digital downloads or physical prints to competitors.

Key Features

• In-browser editor: Runs in the web browser without requiring per-computer software installations.
• Lantmäteriet contour integration: Starts drafting directly from auto-generated contour drafts sourced from Lantmäteriet.
• Integrated course design: Allows setting start points, control locations, finishes, and control descriptions on the active map canvas.
• Club marketplace: Clubs sell maps with integrated Swish and card payments, receiving direct payouts.

Pros

• Maps draw to ISOM and ISSprOM standards with curves and exact scales directly in the browser.
• Exports exact-scale PDFs with courses printed on the map.

Cons

• EasyMaps: Gratic and OCAD spell out built-in official IOF symbol sets and cartography standards in more detail.
• EasyMaps: Gratic and OpenOrienteering Mapper spell out licence cost and open-source budget impact in more detail.

3. OCAD

OCAD is a desktop cartographic suite designed for detailed terrain map production, LiDAR analysis, and event course planning.

Overview

OCAD is a Swiss software application used globally by cartographers, surveying offices, universities, and orienteering clubs. It functions as a specialized desktop vector graphics environment supporting over 100 coordinate systems.

Key Features

• LiDAR point cloud management: Analyzes forest vegetation structures and derives custom base maps and contour lines from LAS and LAZ files.
• Automated symbolization: Converts imported vector data from OpenStreetMap, Shapefile, PDF, and DXF into standard map symbols.
• Integrated course setting module: Manages course legs, control descriptions, and overprint color blends.
• Georeferencing tools: References scanned background maps using affine transformations across 1 to 12 point pairs.

Pros

• Includes verified ISOM 2017-2 and ISSprOM 2019 symbol sets.
• Imports spatial layers from national survey authorities and WMS/WMTS services.

Cons

• OCAD: ArcGIS Online and EasyMaps spell out cloud-based browser execution vs installed desktop application in more detail.
• OCAD: Gratic and OpenOrienteering Mapper spell out licence cost and open-source budget impact in more detail.

Best for

OCAD is used in cartography, city and surveying offices, universities, and orienteering clubs, offering editions targeted at individual users as well as companies and teams/clubs.

4. OpenOrienteering Mapper

OpenOrienteering Mapper is an open-source desktop cartography package providing standard symbols for multiple navigation racing disciplines.

Overview

OpenOrienteering Mapper is developed as an open-source program that provides a free desktop alternative to proprietary mapmaking suites. It runs locally on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.

Key Features

• GDAL-based template import: Loads raster images, GPX tracks, geospatial PDFs, and vector files including DXF, OSM, and SHP.
• Standard symbol libraries: Includes symbol sets for ISOM 2017-2, ISSprOM, ISMTBOM, and ISSkiOM 2019.
• OCD format compatibility: Imports OCD map versions 6 through 2018 and exports versions 8 through 12.
• Contour vectorizer: Converts visual lines on raster graphic templates into vector line objects using the built-in CoVe tool.

Pros

• The desktop program is completely free and open source.
• Plain compressed archive packages can be run without local installation from portable storage devices.

Cons

• OpenOrienteering Mapper: ArcGIS Online and EasyMaps spell out cloud-based browser execution vs installed desktop application in more detail.
• OpenOrienteering Mapper: Condes and EasyMaps spell out dedicated course setting and control placement management in more detail.

Best for

OpenOrienteering Mapper has been used to produce maps for classical orienteering, MTBO and radio orienteering races.

5. Felt

Felt provides browser-based collaborative GIS tools focused on spatial data visualization, raster styling, and multi-user map review.

Overview

Felt is an AI-native web GIS platform. It runs entirely inside standard web browsers, enabling real-time collaboration on uploaded spatial datasets and live database connections.

Key Features

• Browser-based raster styling: Applies hillshade and color gradient styling to uploaded digital elevation models and drone orthomosaics.
• Large file ingestion: Supports browser uploads of datasets up to 100 GB per file without requiring manual pre-tiling.
• Database connectivity: Connects directly to Snowflake, BigQuery, and Databricks for spatial SQL queries.
• Elevation profiling: Calculates zonal elevation values and cross-sectional elevation profiles along arbitrary line paths.

Pros

• Operates completely in browser tabs without local GIS clients.
• Offers collaborative real-time annotation and mobile offline field data collection.

Cons

• Felt does not generate contour lines.
• Felt: ArcGIS Online and EasyMaps spell out cloud-based browser execution vs installed desktop application in more detail.
• Felt: Gratic and OCAD spell out built-in official IOF symbol sets and cartography standards in more detail.
• Felt: Condes and EasyMaps spell out dedicated course setting and control placement management in more detail.

Fees

Felt offers a Free plan at $0 per month for 3 seats and 25 viewers, with free viewing and commenting. Paid plans include Team at $199, Business at $599, and Enterprise from $1,250 per month billed annually, with additional paid seats at $49 per month billed annually or $59 billed monthly. Additional usage blocks (1 GB processing, 1,000 map views, or 50 AI credits) cost $5 per month each.

Best for

Felt serves teams in agriculture, government, climate, engineering, and geospatial analytics, as well as planners and engineers assessing site constraints.

6. ArcGIS Online

ArcGIS Online is an enterprise cloud geospatial platform providing web mapping, data management, and spatial analytics.

Overview

ArcGIS Online is Esri's software-as-a-service cloud GIS. It operates in standard web browsers to manage geographic data layers, perform spatial analysis, and publish web map applications.

Key Features

• Cloud GIS workflows: Runs mapping and spatial analysis tools directly in web browsers without local client software installations.
• Custom vector styling: Adjusts colors, symbology, and visual rules across hosted vector tile layers.
• Enterprise data integration: Connects geospatial layers with Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Azure, and Fabric environments.
• Remote sensing ingestion: Processes drone, aircraft, and satellite imagery layers for cloud viewing.

Pros

• Comprehensive cloud storage and layer management accessible across devices.
• Scalable administrative governance and role-based permissions.

Cons

• ArcGIS Online: Gratic and OCAD spell out built-in official IOF symbol sets and cartography standards in more detail.
• ArcGIS Online: Condes and EasyMaps spell out dedicated course setting and control placement management in more detail.
• ArcGIS Online: Gratic and OpenOrienteering Mapper spell out licence cost and open-source budget impact in more detail.

Best for

ArcGIS Online is designed for scalable deployment across small teams and large organizations.

7. Purple Pen

Purple Pen is a dedicated course setting application designed specifically for orienteering event course planning on top of existing map files.

Overview

Purple Pen is free desktop course setting software. It runs natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux without requiring emulation environments, focusing entirely on course design rather than base map vector drafting.

Key Features

• Direct map overprint design: Designs courses visually directly over OCAD files, OpenOrienteering Mapper files, PDFs, or raster bitmaps.
• Synchronized control descriptions: Generates formatted IOF symbolic or textual control description sheets placed on the map canvas or printed separately.
• Course metrics calculation: Automatically calculates leg lengths and counts runner loads across individual controls.
• Competition data export: Exports event data to timing and punching software using IOF standard XML (version 2 or 3).

Pros

• Dedicated, straightforward workflow for placing controls and generating master punch cards.
• Completely free desktop utility for event planners.

Cons

• Purple Pen: ArcGIS Online and EasyMaps spell out cloud-based browser execution vs installed desktop application in more detail.
• Purple Pen: Gratic and OCAD spell out built-in official IOF symbol sets and cartography standards in more detail.
• Purple Pen: Gratic and OpenOrienteering Mapper spell out licence cost and open-source budget impact in more detail.

8. Condes

Condes is a desktop course planning system handling complex competition structures, relay variations, and map overprint exports.

Overview

Condes is an installed course planning program designed for competitive navigation events. It stores all planning data inside dedicated event files (.WCD) and prints maps directly to color printers or export files.

Key Features

• Multi-discipline support: Contains specialized features for Foot-O, Ski-O, MTB-O, and Trail-O competitions.
• Complex course layouts: Handles relay courses (including extended FARSTA variations), loops (butterflies and diamonds), and team allocations.
• Control site analysis: Displays attack angles for controls and calculates competitor traffic loads across course legs.
• Punch pattern generation: Manages pin punch patterns and Emit backup slips alongside standard pictorial descriptions.

Pros

• Advanced management of complex competitive formats and large-scale event rosters.
• Direct visual layout drawing over imported map files.

Cons

• Condes requires users to download and install the software locally.
• Condes: ArcGIS Online and EasyMaps spell out cloud-based browser execution vs installed desktop application in more detail.
• Condes: Gratic and OCAD spell out built-in official IOF symbol sets and cartography standards in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which cartography software options offer a free tier or cost nothing to use?

Gratic reports that it costs nothing while being built. OpenOrienteering Mapper is completely free, open-source software. Purple Pen reports it is completely free software. EasyMaps reports that it is free to get started. Felt provides a free plan at $0 per month for up to 3 seats and 25 viewers, while ArcGIS Online is sold through annual user type licenses, and OCAD publishes subscription pricing in CHF.

Can cartographers test proprietary desktop mapping tools before committing to a license?

OCAD reports that its software can be downloaded as a 14-day trial version.

What file size limits apply to browser-based terrain data uploads?

Felt reports that users can upload files up to 100 GB in the browser without converting digital elevation models to cloud-optimized GeoTIFFs beforehand.

Which geographic regions are supported for data hosting and club maps?

EasyMaps reports hosting maps from clubs across Sweden. Felt reports data hosting options in the US, EU, UK, Canada, and Australia, or within a private AWS VPC. OCAD reports a worldwide user base supporting over 100 geographic coordinate systems.

What sectors and sports disciplines do these mapping tools support?

OpenOrienteering Mapper reports use for classical orienteering, MTBO, and radio orienteering races. OCAD reports use in cartography, city and surveying offices, universities, and orienteering clubs. Felt reports use across agriculture, cities, climate, natural resources, utilities, and engineering. ArcGIS Online is deployed across small teams and large organizations.

What release versions or map production volumes do these tools report?

OpenOrienteering Mapper reports that its current release version is Mapper 0.9.6. Condes reports that more than 100,000 maps are printed with its software every year. OCAD reports availability in 17 languages, while Felt reports raising $35M in investor funding.

Choosing the Right Cartography Partner

• Choose Gratic if you need to draw competition-standard terrain maps directly in a browser tab using open vector layers, elevation tiles, and official ISOM symbols without installing desktop software.
• Choose EasyMaps if you operate in Sweden and want integrated browser drafting, course planning, and online club sales using Lantmäteriet data.
• Choose OCAD if you require advanced desktop cartography with LiDAR vegetation classification, point-cloud contour derivation, and professional map publishing.
• Choose OpenOrienteering Mapper if you need a free, multi-platform desktop vector editor covering foot, sprint, mountain bike, and ski orienteering standards.
• Choose Felt if your team needs cloud-based GIS collaboration to analyze large raster elevation models and thematic spatial layers together.
• Choose ArcGIS Online if you require enterprise cloud GIS governance and broad integrations across corporate analytical workflows.
• Choose Purple Pen if you already have a base map and require a free, dedicated desktop tool to lay out courses and print IOF control descriptions.
• Choose Condes if you manage complex navigation events requiring relay variation algorithms, butterfly loops, and multi-discipline course outputs.

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

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

3. Purple Pen: Purple Pen official website

4. EasyMaps: Draw, sell and buy orienteering maps

5. 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

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

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