MapBench tool category
Radius & Area Map Tools
Radii, rings and polygon areas. This hub groups 60 tools that answer related geographic questions while keeping the underlying method, data source and limitations visible.
Start with these tools
Choose the tool that matches the question rather than the one with the most familiar name. Related tools can use different geographic models and legitimately return different answers.
Map Radius Tool
Draw a geodesic radius circle — presets, area, perimeter, export.
Open tool →Map Area Calculator
Draw a polygon and get area in m2, km2, acres, hectares.
Open tool →Lot Size Calculator
Draw a property boundary and get area in acres, square feet, m² and hectares.
Open tool →Acreage Map Calculator
Measure acres on a map by drawing the field or plot boundary.
Open tool →Multiple Radius Map
Draw several radius circles from one or more centres.
Open tool →Service Area Map
Sketch a service coverage area with radius or drive-time style tools.
Open tool →Perimeter Calculator
Measure the perimeter of a polygon drawn on the map.
Open tool →Square Miles Calculator
Measure an area on the map and read square miles, km² and acres.
Open tool →Center of Polygon Finder
Estimate the center point of a polygon drawn on the map.
Open tool →Buffer Zone Map
Draw a distance buffer (radius) around a point for setbacks and coverage.
Open tool →Delivery Radius Checker
Draw a delivery coverage circle from a store or warehouse.
Open tool →Store Locator Radius Map
Show how far customers are from a store with a radius ring.
Open tool →How to use this category well
Circle boundaries are placed vertex-by-vertex by spherical destination math; polygon areas use spherical excess on the WGS84 sphere — both remain correct at high latitudes where flat formulas fail.
- Decide geometric vs temporal reach before drawing anything: a 10 km circle and a 15-minute drive area answer different questions, and in car-dependent geography they barely overlap in shape. Circles for policy radii, isochrones for response promises.
- Verify areas against a known object first — measure a football pitch or a city block you know — and you'll calibrate your eye for what a hectare or acre looks like at your zoom. The map preview is the unit your intuition trusts.
- When exporting polygons for reports, store the radius and unit in the feature properties (the exports here do). Future-you, reopening the file in a GIS, will otherwise have to re-derive what the circle meant.
Key terms
Spherical cap
The true shape of a radius circle on a globe.
Spherical excess
The method for exact polygon areas on a sphere.
Catchment
The area or population served from a centre, geometric or temporal.
Perimeter
The summed great-circle length of a drawn boundary.
Related guides & original research
When to verify with an official source
MapBench is designed for analysis, learning and planning. If the result affects a legal boundary, surveying, emergency response, engineering, regulated eligibility, official statistics or a financial commitment, verify the underlying information with the responsible authority or qualified professional.