Tools › Buffer

Buffer points, lines or areas — free

Need everything within 500 m of a road, or a safety zone around some sites? Drop your file here, set the distance, and DropMaps draws the zone around every feature. Then download it in the format you need.

Your map file

Drop a map file here, or

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    ✓ Opened in a new tab

    Your files stay on your computer — they open in your browser, not on our servers.

    Free · No signup · Nothing to install

    What it does

    Before Buffer, before: A layer of cafés, pubs and restaurants.
    A layer of cafés, pubs and restaurants.
    After Buffer, after: A 25 m zone drawn around each one.
    A 25 m zone drawn around each one.

    How to do it

    1. Any map file works: a zipped shapefile, KML or KMZ, GeoJSON, GeoPackage, GPX, a CSV with coordinates or a zipped .gdb.
    2. Drop your map file into the box above — or click “choose a file” to pick it from your device.
    3. Click “Set up Buffer”. DropMaps opens in a new tab with your data on the map and the Buffer tool open, your layer already picked.
    4. Type the distance in metres (for example 100), then click Run.
    5. The result appears on the map as a new layer. Click “Save result…” to download it as a shapefile, KML, GeoJSON, GeoPackage or CSV.

    Questions

    Are the distances accurate?

    Yes. Distances are real metres on the ground, worked out for each feature’s own location, so they stay accurate anywhere in the world.

    Can I make areas smaller instead?

    Yes. Type a negative distance to shrink areas inward.

    How do I get the result?

    The result appears on the map as a new layer. Click “Save result…” under the Run button and choose a shapefile, KML, GeoJSON, GeoPackage or CSV.

    Which files can I use?

    Zipped shapefiles, KML and KMZ, GeoJSON, GeoPackage, GPX, CSV files with coordinates and zipped File Geodatabases.

    Is my data uploaded anywhere?

    No. The tool runs inside your browser, on your own computer. Nothing is sent to us unless you choose to save the map to a DropMaps account.

    Other free tools

    Viewers

    Shapefile viewerKML / KMZ viewerGeoJSON viewerCSV to mapGeoTIFF viewerGPX viewerGeoPackage viewerFile Geodatabase viewer

    Converters

    Shapefile to GeoJSONShapefile to KMLKML to shapefileKML to GeoJSONGeoJSON to shapefileGeoJSON to KMLCSV to KMLCSV to shapefileGPX to KMLKML to CSVGeoPackage to shapefileFile Geodatabase to shapefile

    Map functions

    DissolveMerge layersClipEraseSimplifyCentroidsCount points in polygonsJoin by locationFix geometry

    See what else DropMaps can do

    It’s a full map maker in your browser — colour and label your data, draw and edit shapes, measure, stack files on top of each other, and share a map with a link anyone can open.

    Explore the features