﻿{"id":14220,"date":"2025-06-20T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/?p=14220"},"modified":"2025-06-14T12:04:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-14T10:04:29","slug":"easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/","title":{"rendered":"Easily add base maps to QGIS: three practical methods compared"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction\"><\/span>Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Adding map backgrounds is a key step in visualizing spatial data with QGIS. Whether it&rsquo;s to contextualize your layers, create a beautiful printable map, or simply to better interpret your data, quickly having a background like OpenStreetMap, Google Satellite, or ESRI Topo is invaluable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we compare three methods for easily integrating a base map into QGIS:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the <strong>QGIS Base Map<\/strong> web service from Mapscaping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the <strong>QuickMapServices plugin<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the <strong>Basemap <\/strong>plugin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contenu <\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Introduction\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#1_QuickMapServices_the_most_comprehensive_plugin\" >1. QuickMapServices: the most comprehensive plugin<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Advantages\" >Advantages :<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Disadvantages\" >Disadvantages:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#2_Basemap_plugin_for_QGIS\" >2 Basemap plugin for QGIS<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Introduction-2\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Installing_the_Basemap_plugin\" >Installing the Basemap plugin<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Main_features\" >Main features<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#How_to_use_it\" >How to use it<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Benefits\" >Benefits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Limitations_and_precautions\" >Limitations and precautions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#3QGIS_Base_Map_a_URL_generator_for_map_backgrounds\" >3.QGIS Base Map: a URL generator for map backgrounds<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Introduction-3\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#QGIS_Base_Map_a_URL_generator_for_base_maps\" >QGIS Base Map: a URL generator for base maps<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Integrate_background_map_into_QGIS\" >Integrate background map into QGIS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Benefits-2\" >Benefits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Limitations\" >Limitations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Conclusion-2\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Comparison_Basemap_vs_QuickMapServices_vs_QGIS_Base_Map_Mapscaping\" >Comparison: Basemap vs QuickMapServices vs QGIS Base Map (Mapscaping)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Which_method_to_choose\" >Which method to choose?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/easily-add-base-maps-to-qgis-three-practical-methods-compared\/#Summary\" >Summary:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_QuickMapServices_the_most_comprehensive_plugin\"><\/span>1. QuickMapServices: the most comprehensive plugin<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>QuickMapServices is probably the most widely used extension for adding map backgrounds. Once installed from the QGIS Plugin Manager, it provides access to a wide variety of sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>OpenStreetMap (and its variants)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Google Maps (roads, satellite, hybrid)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ESRI<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bing Maps<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carto, Mapbox, Yandex, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Advantages\"><\/span>Advantages :<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rich, extensible catalog (via settings \u2192 enable experimental sources)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support for XYZ Tiles, TMS and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/integrating-a-wmts-raster-tile-service-in-qgis-3-and-felt\/\">WMTS<\/a> services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Option to add your own sources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Disadvantages\"><\/span>Disadvantages:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Requires initial manual installation of plugin<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>May be too complex for occasional use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Basemap_plugin_for_QGIS\"><\/span>2 Basemap plugin for QGIS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction-2\"><\/span>Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking to quickly add popular backgrounds to your QGIS projects without searching for URLs or manually configuring XYZ connections? The Basemap plugin is a simple and effective solution. With just a few clicks, it gives you access to backgrounds such as OpenStreetMap, Google, Bing, ESRI, Carto and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Installing_the_Basemap_plugin\"><\/span>Installing the Basemap plugin<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open QGIS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to Extensions &gt; Install\/Manage extensions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Search for Basemap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click on Install.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The plugin is available in the official QGIS repository.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Main_features\"><\/span>Main features<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once installed, the plugin adds a new entry to the Web &gt; Basemap menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available map backgrounds :<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>OpenStreetMap (Standard, HOT, Monochrome)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Google Maps (Roads, Satellite, Hybrid, Terrain)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bing Maps (Aerial, Roads)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ESRI (World Imagery, Topographic, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CartoDB (Positron, Dark Matter)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stamen (Toner, Terrain, Watercolor)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Here Maps, HikeBike, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The plugin uses ready-to-use, automatically integrated XYZ connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_use_it\"><\/span>How to use it<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to Web &gt; Basemap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select a basemap from the list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The background is immediately added as an XYZ tile to your project.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>No additional configuration is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Benefits\"><\/span>Benefits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Simplicity: all in 2 clicks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Accessible: ideal for beginners.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quick to get up and running: no need to copy and paste URLs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rich library of built-in backgrounds by default.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Limitations_and_precautions\"><\/span>Limitations and precautions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some backgrounds (Google, Bing&#8230;) have usage restrictions: be sure to respect license conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Like all XYZ tiles, these backgrounds are rasterized, not vectorized.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An Internet connection is required to display them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Basemap plugin for QGIS is an excellent alternative to QuickMapServices or manual XYZ configurations. It stands out for its simplicity and speed of execution. Whether you&rsquo;re preparing a map for a report or exploring a territory, this plugin will save you time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3QGIS_Base_Map_a_URL_generator_for_map_backgrounds\"><\/span>3.QGIS Base Map: a URL generator for map backgrounds<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Easily add base maps to QGIS with QGIS Base Map (Mapscaping)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction-3\"><\/span>Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Finding and integrating a base map in QGIS is not always intuitive. The QGIS Base Map service, offered by Mapscaping.com, provides a simple solution: copy and paste a ready-to-use XYZ URL to obtain a base map from Google Maps, Bing, ESRI, Carto, OpenStreetMap and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contrary to what its name might suggest, QGIS Base Map is not a plugin, but a free online service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"QGIS_Base_Map_a_URL_generator_for_base_maps\"><\/span>QGIS Base Map: a URL generator for base maps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The site provides a simple web interface:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to mapscaping.com\/qgis-base-map<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose the desired base map from the list:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Google Satellite<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Google Streets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bing Aerial<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ESRI World Imagery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>OpenStreetMap<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carto Light\/Dark<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Copy the URL provided (XYZ format)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Integrate_background_map_into_QGIS\"><\/span>Integrate background map into QGIS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In QGIS, open the Navigator panel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-click on XYZ Tiles &gt; New connection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Give your background a name (e.g. Google Satellite).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paste the URL copied from the site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click on OK.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The background appears in your XYZ Tiles, ready to be added to the map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Benefits-2\"><\/span>Benefits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No plug-in required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Works in all versions of QGIS (&gt;=3.0).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wide choice of backgrounds (including some not included in QuickMapServices).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fast, reliable, no advertising or tracking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Limitations\"><\/span>Limitations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Services such as Google or Bing are subject to conditions of use: for personal use or viewing only.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These are not vector layers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Internet connection required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion-2\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>QGIS Base Map (from Mapscaping) is a simple and useful online tool for enriching your QGIS projects. Whether you&rsquo;re a beginner or an experienced user, it saves you time and gives you access to professional map backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tip: save your favorite backgrounds in a group of XYZ tiles for reuse in all your projects!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comparison_Basemap_vs_QuickMapServices_vs_QGIS_Base_Map_Mapscaping\"><\/span>Comparison: Basemap vs QuickMapServices vs QGIS Base Map (Mapscaping)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Feature \/ Service<\/th><th><strong>Basemap (QGIS plugin)<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>QuickMapServices <strong>(QGIS plugin)<\/strong><\/strong><\/th><th><strong>QGIS Base Map (Mapscaping)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Type<\/strong><\/td><td>Official QGIS plugin<\/td><td>Official QGIS plugin<\/td><td>Third-party web service (basemap.qgis.cloud)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Installation<\/strong><\/td><td>From extension repository<\/td><td>From extension repository<\/td><td>No plugin &#8211; add via URL XYZ<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Add layers<\/strong><\/td><td>Web menu > Basemap<\/td><td>Web menu > QuickMapServices<\/td><td>Copy URL to XYZ connections<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Ease of use<\/strong><\/td><td>Very simple<\/td><td>Simple with a few more options<\/td><td>Requires manual configuration<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Funds included<\/strong><\/td><td>OSM, Google, Bing, ESRI, etc.<\/td><td>Many, many + search engine<\/td><td>Google, OSM, ESRI, Carto, etc.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Customization<\/strong><\/td><td>No<\/td><td>Yes (add customized services)<\/td><td>No (predefined services)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Automatic source updates<\/strong><\/td><td>No<\/td><td>Partial (via Community Sources)<\/td><td>Yes (services maintained by Mapscaping)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Internet connection required<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>License compliance<\/strong><\/td><td>To be verified according to sources<\/td><td>To be verified according to sources<\/td><td>Licenses clearly indicated<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Ideal use case<\/strong><\/td><td>Simple, fast use<\/td><td>Advanced users or varied needs<\/td><td>Easy sharing of QGIS projects + background<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_method_to_choose\"><\/span><strong>Which method to choose?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Criteria<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>QuickMapServices<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Basemap (plugin)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>QGIS Base Map (site)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Number of available backgrounds<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Ease of use<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Requires installation<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>No<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Customization<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td>\u2716\ufe0f<\/td><td>\u2716\ufe0f<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Updates frequency<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td>\u2b50<\/td><td>\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you often work with QGIS and want extensive, customizable access to map backgrounds, QuickMapServices is the obvious choice.<br>For occasional use or simple demonstration, the Basemap plugin or the QGIS Base Map service will do just fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Basemap<\/strong>: ideal for beginners and simple projects &#8211; very quick to set up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>QuickMapServices<\/strong>: more powerful, with a very large catalog and advanced options.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>QGIS Base Map (Mapscaping)<\/strong>: perfect for providing your users with their own base map, without requiring them to install anything.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever your choice, adding a relevant base map is an excellent way of improving the legibility and visual impact of your GIS projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction Adding map backgrounds is a key step in visualizing spatial data with QGIS. Whether it&rsquo;s to contextualize your layers, create a beautiful printable map, or simply to better interpret your data, quickly having a background&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1377],"tags":[3326,3328,1758,1386,3330],"class_list":["post-14220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-qgis-en","tag-basemap-en","tag-connector-en","tag-plugin-en","tag-qgis-en","tag-quickmapservices-en"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/basemap.jpg?fit=442%2C265&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6XU0A-3Hm","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14220"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14220\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}