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• GeoDataViewer Team

Shapefile vs GeoPackage: Which Format Should You Use?

Shapefile vs GeoPackage compared: portability, attributes, CRS handling, performance, and when it’s worth converting your data.

Shapefile and GeoPackage are both common GIS formats, but they solve different problems. Shapefiles are widely supported and easy to share, while GeoPackage is a modern container that can store multiple layers in a single file.

Quick comparison

TopicShapefileGeoPackage (GPKG)
FilesMultiple sidecars (.shp/.dbf/.shx/…)Single .gpkg file
Layer supportOne layer per datasetMultiple layers in one file
Web friendlinessOften requires zippingEasy to upload as one file
CRS handling.prj sidecar (recommended)Stored inside the database

When Shapefile is still useful

Use a Shapefile when:

  • You need maximum compatibility with legacy workflows
  • The data is simple and easy to package as a zip
  • You are exchanging data with tools that still expect .shp

When GeoPackage is a better choice

Use GeoPackage when:

  • You want a single file you can share and archive
  • You need multiple layers or related tables
  • You prefer a modern, SQLite-based format for data management

Open and convert online

Tags: #shapefile #gpkg #comparison #gis
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G
GeoDataViewer Team
The GeoDataViewer team builds tools for GIS professionals who need quick, private, browser-based access to geospatial data. We write about formats, conversion workflows, and practical GIS techniques based on years of experience with QGIS, ArcGIS, GDAL, and web mapping libraries.