# GRASS Reviews **Vendor:** OSGeo **Category:** [GIS Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/gis) **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 17 ## About GRASS GRASS is an open-source GIS package that provides tools and programs that can be sued for data management, image processing, graphic production, spatial modelling, and visualization of GIS data. ## GRASS Reviews ### 1. A very important GIS analysis tool **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Miriam W. | Civil Engineer, Oil & Energy, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 02, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** As a civil engineer my favorite thing about grass is that it is found as a freeware and is quite easy to install and has great support with regards to using it. For me, grass is a tool that is quite easy to use and does not require a lot off training although some people may argue that the learning curve is quite steep. As a gis tool it has great features that I use for the analysis and also integrates exceptionally with other analysis tools. I love also that I can use grass to convert my GPS data to CVS format or shape-files for use in other tools like arcgis. Overall, grass is a very vital and crucial tool in my line of work. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** While I mentioned its an easy tool to use the learning curve for most is quite steep and training anyone on its use is not the easiest thing to do. Also while its a powerful tool it is not as powerful and advanced with regards to geo-database as the arcgis counterpart. **Recommendations to others considering GRASS:** I would very much recommend grass to anyone who feels they need a gis tool that is not demanding and that is simple to use. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Grass is a great tool for GIS analysis and for planning projects. I love that it works with various file formats and is easy to handle, to implement and to use. It also integrates and works exceptionally well with other tools and as such it is a very complete and reliable GIS analysis tool. ### 2. Works splendid as a gis analysis tool **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Brian K. | WASH Expert, Civil Engineering, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 27, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** What i love about grass is that its a very simple tool to implement and use. The current version is quite stable and I love that the developers are keeping it current and up-to date with so many features and tools that come in handy during data analysis. It works so good with other analysis tools and I love that I can easily transfer images from google earth pro onto grass for manipulation. It functions great and doesn't glitch and the support is great with tons of information online that helps me use it even more easily. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** Only that installation or implementation was not exactly as straightforward as I had hoped but I love that it has tons of plugins that are so important during gis data analysis and manipulation and that for me gives it an edge over arcgis. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Grass is a great data gis analysis tool that is found online and is feature rich. Easy to manipulate and use and my experience using it has been quite delightful. ### 3. An inexpensive tool for gis analysis **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Margaret C. | Civil Engineer, Oil & Energy, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 16, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** Grass is a great gis analysis tool that is easy to acquire online, inexpensive and easy to implement and to use. Grass is a feature rich tool that integrates really well with most other tools and software like opti-flow, EPANET and google earth. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** Grass is not as feature rich or as powerful as tools like arc gis. However one thing I love about it over Arcgis is that the price is quite reasonable and also it integrates very well with other tools and software compared to its counterpart. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Grass is a gis analysis tool that integrates gis data and any other data including images from google earth and topo maps very well. It is easy to use as a planning tool because its easy and convenient to edit maps, create simple and complex networks and analyse existing maps using grass. ### 4. As a civil engineer , grass does the trick for me **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Pattie K. | Civil Engineering Intern, Farming, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 22, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** Grass is such an important tool in my career due to the myriad tasks it performs.I love it as a GIS analysis tool because it's a very easy tool to use with a very clean interface.Implementing was easy and it does not take up as much storage as other more bigger tools like arc gis. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** While it's a great tool it is not usually the simplest tool to learn and the curve for learning is steep. Besides that I feel that it's a great tool that integrates so well with other tools and works great. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Grass is a great GIS analysis tool used to analyse gis data especially in the planning of projects. ### 5. Grass is a great tool to analyse geospatial data **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rosy W. | Technical Engineer, Oil & Energy, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 03, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** Implementing grass is quite simple and although it has a steep learning curve its quite fun to use. I have used grass for simple geospatial analysis and simple mapping. It has great tools and intuitive features to perform all required analysis and they function incredibly. I also love that that it has plenty of other pluggins that help perform any kind of analysis exhaustively on maps. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** The learning curve is steep but after learning the tool its very fun to use it. Grass is also not as advanced and powerful and it also does not store as much data as arcgis. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Grass has been very vital in my GIS learning in the mapping works and geospatial analysis. It is quite versatile and comprehensive with its functions. I would recommend it to anyone thinking of using it. ### 6. Software for the management and analysis of geospatial data. **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Exson M. | Director de Linea de Procesos OBPP, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 14, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** I like that it is an open source software that is used for the evaluation and analysis of geospatial data, image processing, production of graphics and maps, spatial modeling and visualization. is an easy to use program that offers multiple options for the management of geographic information for the planning and execution of projects, plans, and programs. I like that it contains specialized tools for the production of graphics and maps that facilitate the presentation of results. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** is a software that does not have the capacity and quality of presentation of the information when compared with argis, I do not like much for the presentation of very important information because the images, maps and graphics are few innovators and creatives, reason that I use it for the planning of specific, temporary and few important projects. **Recommendations to others considering GRASS:** Work on improving the quality and expecialization of the process of managing geographic data. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** for offering the option to be open source software has been an experimental tool in the research processes of the organization solved various problems of expenses. there have been multiple benefits thanks to grass we have been able to identify problems of planning or execution of projects that have resulted in improvements in the performance and value of the organization. Grass I use for the planning of field trips because it allows us to work with maps in a simple way, being an excellent option if we want to make a map quickly. ### 7. The best proffesional GIS tools. **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Grzegorz N. | geolog, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 22, 2018 **What do you like best about GRASS?** This software have every thing you need to edit and analytics geospatial data. What ever you need, you probably find it in this software. I really enjoy fact, than this software is available as a plugin for QGIS. This kind of access make using features very easy to use. GRASS is a stable and professional work environment. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** Interface can be more readable, but we don't have tragedy. This is open source which is characteristic, but support in this kind of software isn't the best and this is how it is here. But when you will know all the possibilities you realize this is very good part of software. **Recommendations to others considering GRASS:** You can use grass package as plugin for QGIS which make easy to integrate this two software and make very complex workflow to create, analysis and read geospatial data. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** If you have many data to analysis you can use GRASS to display it in different, more readable form, just like me. Software make easy to get date which is important and reject the part that is currently unnecessary. The GRASS environment allows for hydrological and environmental analysis. ### 8. Great tool for deep geospatial analysis **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Banking | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 12, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** The features that the tool offers are incredible. You can perform extremely granular analysis using these features that allow for useful and actionable insights into the applicable data set. Additionally, the ability to create custom 3-D imaging allows for a stunning visual presentation layer. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** Customer support is not the best, however that is expected as this is an open source platform. Additionally, the user interface can be tricky for first time users. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** We are solving for the ability to dig deep into our data to determine geographic anomalies and outliers. As we have a multi-national business, these insights are extremely important to ensure we remain efficient and well-managed. We have been able to determine specific country risks that we otherwise would not have been able to. ### 9. Best for Spatial Data Analysis and Geo-spatial Data Analysis **Rating:** 2.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nikhil G. | Part Time Trainer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 14, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** This Software is best for spatial modeling and visualization where using the software we can able to capture the images of location from satellite where we can calculate NDVI and SPI index of soil using this software **What do you dislike about GRASS?** There are many website which support such operation like earthexplorer.usgs.gov which do the same. Functions to apply are not simple as ArcGIS **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I used software for getting p-band image of the location where used I used Image Processing on it for detecting the pattern using it ### 10. Fantastic Free and Open GIS software. **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Mining & Metals | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 13, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** Imports/exports all common formats for GIS (raster and vector). Great hydrologic modeling tools. Awesome community of users and developers. 3D rendering of surfaces is a very useful visualization tool. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** Customer support is not the best, however that is expected as this is an open source platform. **Recommendations to others considering GRASS:** Make sure you have the technical expertise as this is not as user friendly as some other GIS software. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Developed innovative approach to map stream banks using LiDAR, DEMs and slope analysis. Modeled water tables in the wet and dry season using LiDAR based DEMs and soil data (depth to water). Created altered DEMs by filling ditches to show restoration of hydrologic flow. ### 11. Great GIS for images **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sean G. | Data Director, Political Organization, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 13, 2018 **What do you like best about GRASS?** I've used Grass on it's own in the past, however I really enjoy the fact that it is available within QGIS within a plugin. This makes using the best features of GRASS easily accessible. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** Since the software is open source if you have any problems there support isn't the same as if you were paying big bucks for GIS software (esri), however there is plenty of documentation online via forums etc. **Recommendations to others considering GRASS:** Use the software on it's own to explore all of the features. Depending on the type of work you do, you may be able to get the features you need from the GRASS plugin within QGIS. Overall it's a great product. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** geospatial analysis ### 12. Good software for remote sensing **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Research | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 08, 2018 **What do you like best about GRASS?** This is an open source software, and its relatively easy to edit scripts to customize them for ones own needs **What do you dislike about GRASS?** Sometimes its not the most user friendly, but that's likely because its a free program **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use GRASS for remote sensing analysis, and processing satellite data ### 13. Use it w/ Q-GIS **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Non-Profit Organization Management | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 17, 2019 **What do you like best about GRASS?** It plays well with Q-GIS for spatial analysis **What do you dislike about GRASS?** You need it in order to do any spatial analysis in Q-GIS **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Network analysis for water networks of small municipalities ### 14. Great open source GIS, with innumerable capabilities, could be more user-friendly. **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Kostas N. | Cloud Systems Developer, Information Technology and Services, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 21, 2016 **What do you like best about GRASS?** The best thing with using Grass GIS is the functionality that it offers. As reported on their site, Grass GIS is used for geospatial data management and analysis, image processing, graphics and maps production, spatial modeling, and visualization. There are a ton of features that can provide solution to most requests a user can have, and are not included by default in other software (at least not for free). From Remote Sensing and Satellite/LiDAR Imagery management to Hydrology/Groundwater/Wildfire modelling, Grass is able to tackle most challenges that it comes up with. Another great thing is that Grass is, nowadays, a component integrated within QGis, so someone can benefit from all of the Grass tools within QGis, without having to jump from one software to another. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** The UI/UX is a bit difficult to use for someone who is accustomed in using ArcMap and QGis, as it is a bit more complex. Additionally, the data management follows a different logic in contrast to ArcMap and QGis: data cannot simply be "added" but imported, which means that they are stored in another (pre-selected by the user) folder, and then exported back when done with the Grass work. This can be a bit time-consuming for a user. Additionally, Grass GIS covers a broad set of tools, but unfortunately each tool is not going into much depth - there are useful features missing from tools, like Origin ID and Destination ID in network cost isolines. **Recommendations to others considering GRASS:** Grass GIS is one of the most valuable, free and open source GIS software you can find out there. You can solve very complex problems, without having to pay anything - if you enjoy though, donations should be more than welcome :) It is certainly a software that every GIS user should have in their toolbox. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** The business problems I am solving are around spatial data management (creation, editing), geo-processing data management (buffers, intersections etc.), and spatial analysis (network analysis etc.). The problems I am solving using Grass GIS are mostly around advanced spatial analysis, that cannot be solved using other GIS software. ### 15. GRASS GIS - Fantastic Free and Open GIS Software **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mark S. | Senior GIS Analyst | Linux Spatial Database Administrator, Environmental Services, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 27, 2015 **What do you like best about GRASS?** Runs on Linux (also runs on Windows). Stable and high performance. Innovative modules solving real world problems. Imports/exports all common formats for GIS (raster and vector). Great hydrologic modeling tools. Awesome community of users and developers. 3D rendering of surfaces is a very useful visualization tool. The simulations are amazing: an overland flow simulation and soil erosion/deposition module. Links directly to spatial databases such as PostGIS. Modular software approach. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** Recently GRASS added a GUI based map plotting program, which helps with the cartography aspect. **Recommendations to others considering GRASS:** Subscribe to the mailing list and become part of the community. The learning curve can be steep, however, this is mostly true of all sophisticated software. This is commonly said about GRASS, but in all fairness it seems to come from people (myself included) who already knew commercial GIS. Other similar commercial software would require at least the same amount of time invested from a point of knowing nothing about GIS. QGIS is a great companion to GRASS GIS. The QGIS community has incorporated GRASS functions as a toolbox. Very cool integration. Take the time to read the manuals and understand how regions are setup to work with raster data. It's what a large majority of raster analysis questions relate to on the mailing list. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Environmental modeling. Using LiDAR point cloud data, creating high-definition DEMs for terrain analysis and hydrologic analysis. Delineated hundreds of drainage areas and many drainage networks. Applied Strahler ordering to drainage network. Developed innovative approach to map stream banks using LiDAR, DEMs and slope analysis. Modeled water tables in the wet and dry season using LiDAR based DEMs and soil data (depth to water). Created altered DEMs by filling ditches to show restoration of hydrologic flow. Filter LiDAR point clouds to bare earth as input build DEMs. Volumetric cut/fill analysis to guide post land form design. ### 16. GRASS Review **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 31, 2015 **What do you like best about GRASS?** I like the scriptability it provides to users in a Linux environment. At the National Weather Service, we used GRASS to map hydrologic, soil, and geologic information to create flash flood risk maps. The connection from GRASS to bash/korn to the R language was smooth and light weight. The open source nature of this program also provides huge opportunities to not only contribute, but reap the benefits of other scientists contributions. Specific to hydrology, a number of people have created some great tools. **What do you dislike about GRASS?** While powerful and scriptable, it also has a steeper learning curve than, say ArcGIS. ArcGIS has grown into this large industry-standard GIS machine that can do just about anything you want and with a push of a predefine button. GRASS hasn't kept up with the Arc in this regard. **Recommendations to others considering GRASS:** Make sure you have the technical expertise as this is not as user friendly as some other GIS software. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Business problems include integrating hydrologic output with other open source scriptable software, quickly deploying the software to other users (without the need for licensing and the very expensive costs that ArcMap has), and analyzing data in a variety of formats for use in other software. ### 17. GRASS GIS Enthusiast **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Branko H. | GIS Coordinator, Environmental Services, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 22, 2015 **What do you like best about GRASS?** all the advanced GIS processing options available for free **What do you dislike about GRASS?** folder structure dictated by software itself, limited option to user to modify it. **What problems is GRASS solving and how is that benefiting you?** GIS analysis in general. watershed analysis. Great scale of advanced tools and techniques available for free! - [View GRASS pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/grass/reviews?section=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-05-17+13%3A23%3A05+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=253835fa-2bad-42ed-8060-008a3ee79deb&secure%5Btoken%5D=029811214c722dc30af159c3bac4aa0efcfac493f30f7270e86000ca31e8d29f&format=llm_user) ## GRASS Features **Data Management** - Data Capture - Data Storage - Data Manipulation - Data Visualization **Map Creation** - Geocoding - Buffer Zone Query - Overlaying - Publishing **Analysis** - Spatial Analysis - Reporting - Real-Time Streaming ## Top GRASS Alternatives - [Esri ArcGIS](https://www.g2.com/products/esri-arcgis/reviews) - 4.5/5.0 (515 reviews) - [QGIS](https://www.g2.com/products/qgis/reviews) - 4.5/5.0 (145 reviews) - [SAGA GIS](https://www.g2.com/products/saga-gis/reviews) - 4.0/5.0 (17 reviews)