Convert SHP to GDB online
Convert Esri Shapefile — the Esri format used by ArcGIS and QGIS — really a set of files (.shp, .dbf, .prj, …) bundled in a .zip — into ESRI File Geodatabase (.gdb), which is the ArcGIS folder-based database that holds several feature classes at once. Drop your SHP file below, GDB is already selected as the output, and download the result. Everything runs in your browser and the cloud; you never install anything.
Upload your file
Drag and drop it into the converter below. A free account comes with three welcome conversions.
Convert in the cloud
MapGO detects the format and produces your download in seconds.
Download & keep it
Files are deleted automatically after 48 hours.
Files are deleted automatically after 48 hours. Your files are never shared.
Why convert SHP to GDB with MapGO?
Most online converters take one file and hand back one file. MapGO is built on a real geospatial engine, so a single upload can do more.
- Several outputs in one upload
Tick GDB and any other formats you need; every selected format is delivered from the same file.
- Files up to 5 GB
Far beyond the browser-based converters that choke past a few hundred megabytes.
- Reproject while you convert
Set a source and target EPSG code and the coordinate system is changed during the conversion, no second tool needed.
- Private by default
Files are deleted automatically after 48 hours.
SHP vs GDB at a glance
| SHP | GDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Desktop GIS in ArcGIS/QGIS; the long-time industry exchange format | ArcGIS Pro projects and data deliveries from ESRI users |
| Size on disk | Large — several sidecar files, no compression, 2 GB per-file cap | Efficient binary tables inside a .gdb folder |
| Attribute support | Limited: column names max 10 characters, no lists or nesting | Rich types, long field names, many layers per database |
| Software support | Universal in GIS software; web libraries can’t read it directly | ArcGIS Pro, QGIS and GDAL-based tools |
| Web-friendliness | Poor — must be converted before use in a web map | Needs conversion for web maps |
Other ways to convert SHP to GDB
You don't need an online tool for this. If you have GDAL installed, one command does it.
In QGIS (free): open your SHP via Layer → Add Layer, then right-click the layer → Export → Save Features As… and pick GDB as the format.
The MapGO converter above is for when you don't want to install anything, need to convert to several formats at once, or are handling files too large for a desktop machine.
ogr2ogr -f "OpenFileGDB" output.gdb input.shpSHP to GDB: frequently asked questions
Is the SHP to GDB converter free?
Partly. Every new account gets three welcome conversions for free, so you can try SHP to GDB without paying. After that, you can either buy a credit pack and pay per conversion, or take a subscription, which gives you unlimited conversions within the plan's file-size limit. There is nothing to install; the whole conversion runs in the cloud.
Is my data kept private?
Conversion is fully automated and your file is never shared. Files are deleted automatically after 48 hours. Download your GDB result and it's yours to keep.
How do I upload a shapefile?
A shapefile is several files that belong together (.shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj). Zip them into a single .zip and upload that — MapGO reads all the parts and warns you if a required piece (like the .dbf) is missing.
Why are some of my column names cut off after converting a shapefile?
The shapefile’s .dbf table limits column names to 10 characters, so longer names were already truncated when the shapefile was created. The conversion preserves exactly what the shapefile stores — rename the columns in your GIS before exporting if you need the full names back.
Do I need ArcGIS to open the geodatabase?
No. The download is a zipped .gdb folder. ArcGIS Pro opens it directly, and so does QGIS, which is free.
Can I convert GDB back to SHP?
Yes — use our GDB to SHP converter for the reverse direction. MapGO supports conversions in both directions between these formats.
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See it on the map first.
Open your SHP in the workspace, check the shapes and attributes, then convert and download from the same place.