Freelance GIS mapping and analysis business

City and county departments, engineering and planning firms, real estate and development companies, utilities, nonprofits and small businesses that need maps but have no in-house GIS staff.

Fixed price per project or an hourly rate, plus ongoing retainers for clients who need maps updated regularly.

• GIS software such as QGIS or ArcGIS
• Data cleaning and spreadsheets
• Clear map design
• Explaining results to non-experts

• Check software licensing: some GIS products have restrictions on commercial use, and free tools like QGIS may suit you better at first
• Check data licenses before reusing or reselling third-party datasets
• Do not offer legal boundary surveys, which usually need a state-licensed surveyor. Check your state's rules
• Government contracts often have registration and insurance requirements, so check your city or county procurement rules
• Consider professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance, and check whether a business license applies where you live

Startup costs are typically around $300 to $3,000, depending on the computer and software you already have. Free tools like QGIS may suit you better at first, and some GIS products restrict commercial use, so check licensing.

Monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $5,000, depending on how many projects you win and what clients pay. The estimate assumes roughly 8 or more hours a week. Work is paid per project, so income can vary.

Check software licensing for commercial use and data licenses before reusing third-party datasets. Do not offer legal boundary surveys, which usually need a state-licensed surveyor. Also check government procurement rules, errors and omissions insurance, and whether a business license applies.