Data Formulator vs QGIS
A data-driven comparison of two Data visualization apps & tools: popularity, development activity, licensing and installation. Updated .
Data FormulatorAI-assisted tool for transforming data and creating visualizations, from Microsoft Research.
QGISDesktop geographic information system for viewing, editing, analyzing and mapping geospatial data.
Key differences
- Data Formulator has 1.2× as many GitHub stars as QGIS (17.5K vs 14.5K).
- QGIS had more development activity over the last 12 months: 6,488 commits vs 930.
- Data Formulator is licensed under MIT; QGIS under GPL-2.0.
- Data Formulator is written primarily in Python, QGIS in C++.
- QGIS is the older project: its repository was created in 2011, Data Formulator's in 2024.
By the numbers
- Data Formulator
- QGIS
Show data as a table
| Metric | Data Formulator | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 17,525 | 14,461 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 930 | 6,488 |
| Contributors | 36 | 343 |
| Forks | 1,724 | 3,539 |
Development activity
Commits per month to each default branch, last 12 complete months.
- Data Formulator
- QGIS
Show data as a table
| Month | Data Formulator | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 40 | 445 |
| Nov 2025 | 42 | 468 |
| Dec 2025 | 48 | 601 |
| Jan 2026 | 38 | 603 |
| Feb 2026 | 129 | 691 |
| Mar 2026 | 146 | 630 |
| Apr 2026 | 231 | 615 |
| May 2026 | 136 | 630 |
| Jun 2026 | 22 | 551 |
| Jul 2026 | 66 | 268 |
| Aug 2026 | 32 | 346 |
| Sep 2026 | 0 | 640 |
Side by side
| Attribute | Data Formulator | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| Description | AI-assisted tool for transforming data and creating visualizations, from Microsoft Research. | Desktop geographic information system for viewing, editing, analyzing and mapping geospatial data. |
| Category | Data visualization apps & tools | Data visualization apps & tools |
| License | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | C++ |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Latest release | 0.8b1 () | final-3_44_15 () |
| Last commit | ||
| Repository created | ||
| Open issues | 54 | 5,443 |
| Install | pip install data-formulator | – |
Which should you choose?
Popularity and activity are only part of the story. Consider which ecosystem you work in, the chart types and interactions you need, how much data you render, and whether the license fits your project. Both tool pages list alternatives if neither is quite right.
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Data Formulator
AI-assisted tool for transforming data and creating visualizations, from Microsoft Research.
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QGIS
Desktop geographic information system for viewing, editing, analyzing and mapping geospatial data.