You've captured a project full of geotagged photos and waypoints — now what format do you export it in? The answer depends entirely on what's opening the file next. Here's what KML, GeoJSON and CSV are each actually built for.
KML / KMZ — for viewing in Google Earth
KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is Google Earth's native format, and KMZ is just a zipped KML that can bundle images alongside it. This is the format that makes photos show up as clickable placemarks with the image visible in an info balloon when you click a pin — genuinely useful for walking a client or supervisor through a site visually, without any GIS training required.
Use it for: visual walkthroughs, client-facing deliverables, anything opened in Google Earth rather than professional GIS software.
GeoJSON — for GIS software and web maps
GeoJSON is a lightweight, text-based format built on plain JSON, and it's the format most professional GIS tools (QGIS, ArcGIS, Mapbox, Leaflet) treat as a first-class citizen. Each point, its coordinates, and any attached properties (like an EPSG code, accuracy or category) live in a structured, machine-parseable format that imports cleanly without translation.
Use it for: importing into QGIS or ArcGIS, feeding a web map, any workflow where the data needs to be queried or analyzed, not just viewed.
CSV — for spreadsheets and simple imports
CSV (comma-separated values) is the lowest-common-denominator format: a plain table with a row per record and columns for coordinates, address, notes and whatever else was captured. It opens in Excel or Google Sheets with zero setup, and most GIS software can import a CSV with coordinate columns directly — though it lacks GeoJSON's structured geometry, so more complex shapes aren't practical in CSV.
Use it for: quick review in a spreadsheet, sharing with someone without GIS software, simple point-only imports.
Side-by-side
| Format | Opens natively in | Includes photos | Structured for GIS analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| KML / KMZ | Google Earth | Yes (in placemark balloons, KMZ) | Partial |
| GeoJSON | QGIS, ArcGIS, web maps | No (link/attribute only) | Yes |
| CSV | Excel, Sheets, most GIS import tools | No (link/attribute only) | Basic |
What about PDF?
PDF isn't a GIS format at all, but it's usually the right choice for a human-facing deliverable — a field report with a cover page, photo pages and a summary table that a client or office reviewer can read without any special software.
How to decide
- Ask who's opening it next. A GIS analyst wants GeoJSON with an EPSG code. A client wants KMZ or a PDF. An office coordinator building a spreadsheet wants CSV.
- Check what coordinate reference system is expected. If the recipient needs a specific UTM zone or EPSG code, confirm your export includes it rather than just raw decimal coordinates.
- Export more than one if you're not sure. Since the underlying data doesn't change, there's rarely a reason not to generate both a GeoJSON for GIS import and a PDF for the human-readable copy.
Terramark Pro exports the same project as KMZ (for Google Earth), CSV and GeoJSON (both with UTM zone + EPSG code), and a PDF field report — batch-shareable as one ZIP via AirDrop, email, WhatsApp or Files.
See export optionsFor the coordinate side of this decision, see UTM vs decimal vs MGRS. If your export is destined for surveying or construction handoff specifically, Terramark for field surveyors covers the whole workflow.