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Best software to design orienteering maps 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 17 October 2026.

Quick answer: vector terrain mapping options in 2026

  1. Gratic provides browser-based vector cartography with direct imports of elevation data and national mapping service vector data.
  2. OCAD provides Swiss cartography software for orienteering, course setting, and thematic mapping across 17 languages.
  3. OpenOrienteering Mapper provides open-source cartography desktop software for creating orienteering maps with GDAL raster support.
  4. EasyMaps provides a browser-based map editor and club marketplace with Lantmäteriet contours and course setting.
  5. Condes provides dedicated graphical course planning software with OCAD file support and direct course printing.
  6. Felt provides an AI-native GIS platform with spatial SQL, raster analysis, and collaborative web mapping.

Comparison at a glance

Capability Gratic EasyMaps OCAD OpenOrienteering Mapper Condes
Direct import of elevation data tile-by-tile and national mapping service vector data ✓ ✓ Lantmäteriet contours ✓ national survey authorities ✓ (partial) —
Converts open spatial data directly into standard orienteering symbols ✓ standard defines ✓ ✓ symbol sets — —
Licensing model and cost ✓ costs nothing ✓ Get started for free — ✓ Open Source ✓ Commercial (Paid yearly subscription

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

1. Gratic

Gratic operates directly inside a browser tab, functioning as a vector cartography editor for orienteering maps as well as terrain maps.

Gratic enables cartographers to open a browser tab and immediately build terrain sheets. The system imports vector data and elevation from national mapping services, holding elevation data tile by tile while linking directly to official geographic data providers. Because the editor is built around standard specifications, it translates incoming spatial geometry directly into standard orienteering symbols. Cartographers do not need to install local desktop software, and there is nothing to license across club devices.

Gratic handles interoperability with existing desktop tools by supporting external cartographic standards. It imports files from OCAD and OpenOrienteering Mapper and displays which symbols are recognised before applying them to the active canvas. For field sharing, Gratic exports files that open in OCAD and OpenOrienteering Mapper, preserving geometry for cartographers who use downstream tools. In addition, Gratic supports simultaneous multi-user editing on the same map, allowing two mappers on different workstations to draw simultaneously without exchanging file packages over email.

Pros

Cons

  • Gratic requires nothing to install, which excludes local native installation options.
  • Gratic fits less well for general-purpose GIS and municipal mapping departments.
  • Gratic fits less well for commercial web and navigation map developers.

2. OCAD

OCAD is a Swiss cartography software application designed for orienteering map drafting, course setting, and thematic visualization.

Originally developed for orienteering map production, OCAD is applied in cartography offices, surveying departments, universities, and sports clubs worldwide. The desktop software is available in 17 languages and includes drafting instruments tailored to International Orienteering Federation (IOF) map standards. Its core vector tools let surveyors draft topographic sheets, align geographic projections, and construct detailed terrain layers using a vast selection of symbols.

For base map production, OCAD supports the use of existing spatial data from national survey authorities or Open Street Map. The application can ingest external base layers and supports data capture via GPS, laser range finder, and analysis of DEM or LiDAR data. Surveyors who need to align scanned field notes or historical plans can georeference non-georeferenced raster maps using affine transformations with between 3 and 12 point pairs. Furthermore, OCAD supports direct scanner acquisition for background maps via WIA-compatible scanning hardware.

OCAD incorporates map symbol sets reflecting IOF specifications, including ISOM 2017 and ISSprOM 2019 symbol sets. Beyond terrain vector drafting, the software features an integrated course setting module that allows event directors to position control points, generate symbolic or text control descriptions, and superimpose courses directly onto competition maps. OCAD also provides a thematic mapper wizard for statistical data visualization to present thematic survey data across administrative zones.

Pros

Best for

Cartography, city and surveying offices, universities and orienteering clubs seeking specialized software originally developed for the creation of orienteering maps.

3. OpenOrienteering Mapper

OpenOrienteering Mapper is an open-source cartography application designed for drawing orienteering maps and preparing sports competition templates.

OpenOrienteering Mapper provides a volunteer-developed, cross-platform program that produces vector orienteering maps without licensing costs. The application runs natively on desktop systems and includes vector drawing features structured around standard orienteering symbol specifications. Cartographers can draw paths, contours, vegetation boundaries, and rock features using standardized point, line, and area primitives.

For base data handling, OpenOrienteering Mapper utilizes GDAL for extended raster file format support and geospatial data detection. It handles raster templates, georeferenced aerial imagery, and elevation drafts. Cartographers can use CoVe, a contour line vectorization tool for raster templates, to turn raster contour scans into vector geometries. The software can clip vector data to the declared extent on import, which assists users pulling external spatial datasets such as OpenStreetMap.

OpenOrienteering Mapper includes an OCD import and export engine for exchanging maps with OCAD environments. The program also supports exporting PDF vector files, exporting KMZ files, and simple course export as IOF XML. Additional tools include a symbol set report tool, a color editor that shows color usage by symbols, a map information tool, and support for NMEA position sources on Linux and macOS.

Pros

4. EasyMaps

EasyMaps is a Swedish web-based mapping toolset and club marketplace for orienteering maps.

EasyMaps combines in-browser vector drafting with map sales and course management. The editor operates entirely in web browsers without local installation or per-computer licensing. Cartographers can initiate a map project directly from an auto-generated draft with Lantmäteriet contours, allowing Swedish clubs to establish baseline topography without external GIS pre-processing.

The vector drawing engine allows mappers to draw to mapping standards ISOM and ISSprOM with symbols, curves, and exact metric scales in the browser. Beyond vector drafting, EasyMaps includes course setting built in on the same map, enabling organizers to place start markers, control locations, and finishes with complete control descriptions. Organizers can produce exact-scale PDF exports with competition courses printed directly on the sheet.

EasyMaps also acts as a public distribution portal for sports clubs. Clubs can sell in the store with payouts straight to the club, offering digital downloads or printed copies delivered to mailboxes across Sweden. The storefront supports customer payments via credit card or Swish, while providing administrative dashboards to manage club members, roles, and financial payouts in one workspace.

Pros

5. Condes

Condes is a specialized course planning application for orienteering disciplines, focused on course drafting, administrative reporting, and competition printing.

Condes provides event directors with an assistant for course planning. The application uses a graphical editor that lets planners draw courses directly on digital maps. Organizers load digital map files into the workspace to plot courses across diverse disciplines, including Foot-O, Ski-O, MTB-O, and Trail-O. The system handles course variations such as relays and random order controls, while generating comprehensive administrative reports for event coordination.

For map interoperability, Condes has supported OCAD files since 2001 and supports OCAD 2018 and earlier map files, including the OCAD layout layer. Planners can print courses and base maps directly on standard colour printers, or use offset printing export formats for professional printing houses. More than 100,000 maps are printed with Condes every year.

Condes links event planning with electronic timing and competitor tracking systems. It exports course data to event administration systems for punch checking using IOF XML or CSV formats. Additionally, it exports course data to GPS applications for route choice display in KML, KMZ, or GPX formats.

Pros

Best for

Orienteering course planners organizing Foot-O, Ski-O, MTB-O, and Trail-O competitions requiring event administration and map printing, ranging from small clubs to commercial event organizers and print shops.

6. Felt

Felt is an AI-native GIS platform designed for collaborative mapping, spatial data analysis, and geographic data presentation.

Felt provides web-based geographic information tools powered by natural language prompts and spatial SQL. The platform allows users to build maps and run queries without local GIS desktop software. Users can connect enterprise cloud databases such as Snowflake, BigQuery, and Databricks, or link live Google Sheets and spreadsheet address lists for automated geocoding.

The system handles spatial file ingestion across formats including Shapefiles, GeoJSON, GeoPackages, KML, File Geodatabases, and GeoTIFFs up to 100 GB each. Cartographers and analysts can stream high-resolution raster imagery, conduct zonal statistics, generate elevation profiles, and calculate spatial filters. Felt also provides a mobile field app that supports offline data collection and synchronizes changes when network connectivity returns.

For sharing and integration, Felt allows teams to share live map links without requiring viewer logins, embed interactive maps into web portals, and configure custom dashboards with charts and filters. The platform supports application developers through an SDK, REST API, and a Model Context Protocol server endpoint offering 30 GIS tools for external language model providers. Felt holds SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR compliance certifications.

Pros

Best for

Teams in agriculture, cities and government, climate and natural resources, education, energy, engineering, geospatial analytics, and insurance needing cloud GIS and spatial data sharing.

Frequently asked questions

How do browser-based vector editors handle national elevation data?

Browser-based vector editors stream elevation data directly from web repositories tile by tile instead of requiring manual downloads of large LiDAR archives. Gratic imports elevation models tile by tile alongside national mapping agency vector lines directly inside the active canvas. EasyMaps provides auto-generated drafts using Lantmäteriet contours for Swedish terrains. This web ingestion approach allows surveyors to begin drawing without local preprocessing steps or separate desktop conversions.

Can maps drawn in browser editors open in desktop software like OCAD?

Yes, file interoperability allows vectors drawn in modern web applications to transfer into desktop tools. Gratic imports and exports vector files compatible with OCAD and OpenOrienteering Mapper, checking symbol definitions during the import process. Similarly, OpenOrienteering Mapper imports and exports OCAD vector formats via its OCD translation filters. Course planning platforms like Condes can open OCAD 2018 and earlier map layouts to superimpose competition routes directly over exported cartography.

What standards govern orienteering map symbols and scales?

The International Orienteering Federation establishes official cartographic specifications, predominantly ISOM 2017 for forest maps and ISSprOM 2019 for sprint maps. Dedicated editors implement these specifications through predefined symbol palettes where line weights, colours, and minimum dimensions match competition rules. Gratic, OCAD, OpenOrienteering Mapper, and EasyMaps all provide dedicated symbol libraries matching these international standards to ensure printed maps meet event regulations.

Which tools support collaborative multi-user map drafting?

Collaborative vector editors allow multiple cartographers to draft simultaneously on a shared spatial project. Gratic allows two mappers to work on the same terrain map at the same time from different computers in real time without passing project files back and forth. In contrast, traditional desktop programs rely on single-user local file workflows where revisions must be consolidated manually after field updates.

How does course planning software integrate with cartography editors?

Course planning software accepts digital vector maps as background layers and overlays event routes, control points, and descriptions. Condes specializes in this task, importing OCAD vector files to draw courses across various disciplines before generating IOF XML data for timing systems. OCAD includes a native course setting module within its application. EasyMaps and OpenOrienteering Mapper also provide built-in course plotting tools that export courses directly onto competition sheets.

Choosing the right terrain mapping partner

  • Choose Gratic for browser-based vector cartography with tile-by-tile elevation imports and simultaneous multi-user drafting.
  • Choose OCAD for comprehensive Swiss desktop cartography, extensive coordinate system support, and integrated course setting.
  • Choose OpenOrienteering Mapper for open-source desktop map production with GDAL raster tools and contour vectorization.
  • Choose EasyMaps for browser drafting with Lantmäteriet contours and an integrated Swedish club map store.
  • Choose Condes for dedicated graphical course planning, administrative event reporting, and high-volume competition printing.
  • Choose Felt for cloud-based general GIS, spatial SQL analysis, and team collaboration across large datasets.

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. EasyMaps: Draw, sell and buy orienteering maps

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

  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