How to measure an area on a map

MapDraft lets you draw a shape on a real map and shows its area and perimeter the moment you finish. Here is how to measure a lot, a field, a park, a delivery zone or any other piece of ground.

Steps

1. Find the place. Open MapDraft and type an address or place name into the search box at the top, or press the location button to jump to where you are. Switch to the satellite view from the layers button if you want to see roofs and boundaries.
2. Pick a shape tool. Use Rectangle (R) or Ellipse (O) for simple shapes, or Polygon (G) for an irregular outline. With the polygon tool, click each corner and click the first point again to close the shape.
3. Read the numbers. The area and perimeter appear on the shape and in the panel. Switch between metric and imperial units (acres, square feet, hectares, square metres) in Settings.
4. Adjust. Select the shape and drag a corner to resize it. The area updates as you move.
5. Name and colour it. Give the zone a name and pick a colour so it is easy to recognise when you have several.

Handy extras

Setback

Need a buffer or a building setback, a zone kept a set distance from the edge of a lot? Select a shape, enter a distance and use Setback to add a new zone offset from its edge. A positive distance grows outwards, and a negative distance shrinks inwards.

Radius around a pin

Drop a pin and add a radius to see everything within a set distance of it, for example a 500 m catchment. The circle moves with the pin.

Share or export

Use Share to get a link that contains your whole map, or export it as an image, GeoJSON or KML from Settings.

How accurate is it?

MapDraft calculates area from the points you place on the map, so the result is only as accurate as your outline and the map underneath it. It is good for planning, comparing options and quick estimates. For legal boundaries, construction or anything that carries risk, use a licensed survey.

Open MapDraft, it's free

MapDraft is a free beta. Areas and distances are estimates for planning and discussion, not survey-grade measurements.