The area measurement tool lets you outline any region on a map and read back how big it is. Click around the edge of a field, a roof, a park or a building plot, close the shape, and the area appears immediately — in acres, hectares, square metres, square feet or square miles.
It replaces the usual options for this job: pacing out a plot, pulling measurements off a title deed, or installing desktop GIS software to answer one question. Everything runs in your browser, and you do not need an account to try it.
How it works
As you click, MapGO builds a polygon from the points you place. When you close the shape, it calculates the area enclosed by those edges on the surface of the Earth, rather than on the flat screen image — so a plot near the poles is not overstated the way it would be if the on-screen pixels were measured directly.
You can switch units after measuring without redrawing, and keep several measured shapes on the map at once to compare them side by side.
How to use the Area Measurement Tool
- 1
Open the area tool
Open the MapGO workspace and choose Area from the Measure tools, then navigate the map to the place you want to measure.
- 2
Click around the edge
Click each corner of the region you want to measure. Follow the outline as closely as you like — more points give a more faithful shape.
- 3
Close the shape
Double-click, press Enter, or use the Finish button to close the polygon. The enclosed area appears as soon as the shape is complete.
- 4
Switch units
Toggle between metric and imperial. MapGO picks the specific unit automatically based on the size of the shape — square metres, hectares or square kilometres in metric; square feet, acres or square miles in imperial. The shape stays put, so there is no need to redraw it.
What people use it for
Land and property
Check the size of a plot, garden or paddock before a viewing, a listing or a sale, without waiting on a survey.
Farming and land management
Measure a field or a section of one in hectares to plan seed, fertiliser or spray quantities.
Roofing, solar and construction
Estimate roof or surface area from above to size a quote, a panel array or a materials order.
Research and planning
Quantify the size of a study area, a catchment or a proposed development and export the shape for later use.
Frequently asked questions
- What units can I measure area in?
- You toggle between metric and imperial, and MapGO automatically picks the right-sized unit for the shape — square metres, hectares or square kilometres in metric; square feet, acres or square miles in imperial. Switching after you have drawn does not need a redraw.
- How accurate is the measurement?
- The area is calculated on the Earth's surface rather than from flat screen pixels, so it stays reliable at any latitude. In practice the limiting factor is how precisely you trace the outline, not the calculation.
- Do I need an account?
- No. Measuring area is free and works without signing up. An account is only needed to save maps or come back to your work later.
- Can I measure several areas at once?
- Yes. Each shape you draw stays on the map with its own area label, so you can compare plots or add up sections of a larger site.