Sales FAQ's

How much does this cost?

Diamond Maps is sold as a subscription for $20/user/month. A "user" is a login that you can use on any device. There is no setup fee, no contract, and no minimum subscription period. We have been in business for 5 years and we have never raised a customer's price. See enterprise license question below.

Will this work on both Android and Apple phones?

Yes. Diamond Maps runs in your browser so it will run on your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Windows PC, Mac, or just about any device that has an internet connection. If you need to work offline, you can download our Diamond Maps Offline app from either the Android or iOS app stores.

Do you offer an enterprise license?

Yes. We offer an unlimited-use subscription that is priced based on the population of the area you serve. With it you can create logins for everyone on your team including your contractors. For small systems this price is less than the cost of two single-user subscriptions. This enterprise subscription must only be used for business related to the municipality or agency that it is assigned to.

What other software do I need?

None. We host all of your data for you on our Amazon servers and provide you with a browser-based application that allows you to view and edit your GIS data from any PC, tablet, or smart phone.

What are the data storage limits and fees

All subscriptions allow you to create an unlimited number of maps, layers, and features. And you can add an unlimited number of pictures and attachments to your data. There are no additional fees for storing and backing up your data.

What if I need help?

You will love our US-based support team. Call or email them as you have questions. Premium support is included with all subscrpitions. They will not only answer your questions but they can suggest best practices and many times even show you how other customers in your same industry have addressed your exact problem. And those who prefer to teach themselves love our video training library

Do I have to buy a subscription for each computer?

No. A single-user subscription provides you with a single user name and password (ie. "login"). You can use this login on any computer, tablet, or phone but at only one location at a time. When you login at a second location it simply logs you out at the first location. Our customers typically purchase a login for each person (not computer) who will be using the system. Over half of our customers go with our enterprise license that allows them to create logins for everyone on their team for a fixed price.

Can I just buy the software rather than paying an on-going subscription?

No. Diamond Maps is a service that requires us to continually host, backup, and serve up your data to you on your mobile devices. Actually, purchased GIS software typically requires annual maintenance fees that are more than the cost of our subscription.

Can I use this for my Lead Service Line Inventory?

Yes. We have many state-specific templates built in with more coming. Click here for more details

Can this be used as a data collector?

Yes. If you have a sub-meter GPS device linked to your phone or tablet and if you have internet connectivity in the field then you can use Diamond Maps to collect points. You can customize the schema of each layer to accommodate the various attributes you might want to record for each point.

What departments in my city can use this?

We got our start in the Rural Water industry serving mostly sewer and water systems. But we have hundreds of cities, villages, and towns who use Diamond Maps in multiple departments to manage things like sign inventory, pavement management, code enforcement, cemeteries, event planning, sidewalk maintenance, complaint management, mowing, planning, parks, electric, gas, communications, tree inventory, and more. An enterprise subscription allows all those people to use it for one fixed-price.

How does this compare to ArcGIS?

Diamond Maps is not nearly as functional as the ArcGIS software by ESRI. If your city is big enough to have a trained GIS professional on staff, then ArcGIS is going to be your best tool. But we work with new customers in small and medium sized communities every week who have ArcGIS installed on a single computer that only one person knows how to use and he or she only uses 5% of what it is capable of. They switch to Diamond Maps because it is easier to use and therefore gets used by more of their staff. And if you later need to graduate to a more powerful product, you can export all of your data out of Diamond Maps and switch with nothing lost.

Does this require an internet connection?

Our main, fully-functional browser version of DiamondMaps.com requires an internet connection at all times to use it. But we do have a less functional offline app that can be used on Android or iOS devices to collect points, edit data, and take pictures all offline and then later upload your changes to the server when you have an internet connection. For more on that see Diamond Maps Offline.

How does this free trial work?

You can create a free account by clicking 'Start Free Trial' on the main diamondmaps.com page
The system will create a blank map for you and a user name and password you can use to login
If you haven't done so already you watch the videos in our training library
The 30 day free trial account is fully functional. Some small towns have mapped their entire system during this period.
You can create logins for other people on your staff during the trial period
You have full access to customer support by phone or email during this time
You will get an automatic email telling you when there are 7 days left on your trial period
If you decide its not for you there is no action required. You just let the free trial expire.
At any time during or after the trial just contact us if you are interested in subscribing and we can either email you an invoice for the first year or you can signup for a monthly credit card payment
Your free trial account becomes your permanant account so you and your team just continue using it as you did during the trial

I didn't have time to evaluate it this month. can you extend my free trial?

Yes. Just send us an email and we can set you up.

What if I later decide to go with someone else?

Because there is no contract you can quit at any time and take your data with you. We will even refund the remaining portion of your payment if you paid annually. All of the data you create or import into Diamond Maps is yours and you can freely export it at any time at the click of a button.

Is this an app that installs on my phone?

Yes and No, The full version of Diamond Maps runs in your browser. There is nothing to install. All of your data is stored and backed up in the cloud. You can create a button on your phone's home screen that launches it just like an app. But If you need to work offline, then you will want to install Diamond Maps Offline from either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. For instructions see Diamond Maps Offline.

Can I add my own ortho photos?

Yes. If your city or county has more up to date, or higher resolution, imagery than what Google Maps provides, we can use your images in place of Google's. If you go with this optional service we charge a small one-time setup fee to process and host your large files.

How often does the background photography get updated?

By default we use Google Maps aerial photography. For most parts of the United States, these photos get updated every 2 to 5 years but they do not publish a schedule of future updates. You can use Google Earth to see how often updates have traditionally happened in your area. If your county or city has more recent or better quality photos we offer the ability to use those in place of Google's. Or if you import a recent parcel layer from your county you can at least see the outlines of any new development areas.

Can we share this on the city's website?

Yes. With an enterprise subscription you can mark one or more of your maps as "Public" which indicates that no login is required. You can then add to this map any select layers that you want shared with the public. You can then place a link to this map on your company's website or facebook page.