Here are some best free shapefile to KML converter websites for you to try. Using these websites, you can easily convert a SHP file to a KML file. Here these websites take a Shapefile along with its other assistant files and then in the end return the corresponding KML file. After that, you can open the KML in any KML viewer software and do whatever you want. Here the websites that I have listed can also convert other geographical data file formats between each other.
KML files contain geographical data in terms of coordinates to represent a region on the globe. While the Shapefile is similar but that is often used with the Google Earth. Although there are some free software to convert SHP to KML, if you don’t want to use them, you can go with these online tools. Here you just have to submit a Shapefile, DBF file, and SHX file altogether or in a ZIP file.
I have already mentioned what are Shapefiles and what is the KML file. Shapefile is not supported in a lot of software or web applications, that is why you can convert it to KML. And the websites that I have listed below help you do that in a few clicks. After getting the KML file, you can further use it to extract the geo coordinates. There are some software that you can use to convert a KML file to CSV.
Free Shapefile to KML Converter Websites:
1. GeoConverter
GeoConverter is one of the best free websites that you can use to convert a SHP file to KML. It takes the Shapefile with its DBX and SHX file in a ZIP archive. After that, you can get the corresponding KML file that you can open in any GPS software and then see the output. It is a very powerful GPS file converter website that you can try. And apart from SHP files, you can even use other type of files here and convert them to other formats. Using this website, you can convert a SHP file to GPX, CSV, GML, GeoJSON, MIF, and some others. And to convert the GPS files here, you don’t have to create an account on this website.
To use this website, just simply go to the homepage of the website using the link above. To convert a SHP file, you will need the corresponding DBX and SHX files as well. Next, you have to pack them in a ZIP archive and then upload that ZIP archive to this website. Use the “ADD” button from its main interface to upload the ZIP file and hit the “Run” button. After that, it will start processing the files that you have uploaded there. It will take a few seconds and then it will show you a download button. Simply use that to download the ZIP archive in which the output KML files are.
2. MyGeodata Converter
MyGeodata Converter is another free website that you can try to convert a Shapefile to KML with ease. However, it puts limitation on number of conversions. Here you can use the converter only 3 times in a month. That is too limited but I will tell you a simple trick to remove it. Just like the website above, here it also takes the Shapefile with the corresponding SHX and DBF file. And then it processes them and will finally give you the KML file. And apart from the SHP file to KML, you can carry out other conversions too. Just like the above website, it is quite a powerful website that you can use to convert various other GPS file formats to one another.
So, to get started with this website, you can use the above URL and then start uploading the Shapefiles to convert. You can upload the SHP file along with the corresponding SHX and DBF file. After that, specify the final file format and then you can start the conversion process. You can hit the “Convert now” button and then it will give you the final KML file. You can save that KML file to any location on your PC and do whatever you want. However, if you use this website normally then you can only use it three times in a month.
Now, if you want to remove the limits that this website imposes, then you can use three different approaches. The website mainly uses the public IP to identify your browser. So, you can change your local IP address. For that, you can restart your router. Or, you can use a free VPN to change your IP address too. And last but not least, you can use the TOR browser to use this website. And this way, you can easily overcome the limits that this Shapefile converter enforces.
3. GISMAP
GISMAP is a very powerful online tool which is like GIS software but in browser. It has many features and as a part of those features, you will find a GIS files converter. It supports converting to Shapefile to KML and in one of the easiest ways possible. It offers you a very intuitive map where it will plot your Shapefile. After it opens the SHPP file for you. you can simply export in different formats, KML is one of them. Apart from KML, it lets you export SHP/Shapefile to PDF, PNG, CSV, KMZ, GPX, and more.
You can create a free account on the main website from the link above. It has a decent free version for individuals. For free, you get limited storage but that is enough for file conversions. You can just upload the Shapefile along with the companion SHX an DXF files in a ZIP archive. It will plot the file on the map and then you can choose the output format to convert the input files and then you are all good to go.
Good thing about is that it will store your SHP file in your account so later if you need the same file then you don’t need to upload it again. But since the storage is limited in the free version, you can just delete it. Or, the stored file can be used to convert to another format. It works as a Shapefile editor as well where you can edit the file to change the color of the boundaries and other geo data.
4. Aspose
Aspose is an online all in one file converter tool that we have used countless times in our other posts in the past. Luckily, it supports SHP to KML conversion as well and can take any kind of shape file. The final generated KML is clean and can be opened in any of the KML viewer tools out there.
While using this simple website you have to keep in mind that it doesn’t takes the SHP file alone. For better conversion, you will need to specify he auxiliary files as well such as SHX and DBF. This is important and if you used a good Shapefile generator then you probably have these. For example, see mine generated by Mapshaper.
Using Aspose is very simple as it doesn’t require you to sign up. Just reach the main homepage of the converter and then upload the ZIP file containing the SHP, SHX, and DBF file. Next, select an output reference system from the dropdown (default=epsg: 0) and then download your final KML file. This is as simple as that.
5. Mapstarter + AnyConv
Mapstarter is an open-source project that allows you to generate GeoJSON from a Shapefile and plot it on a map as well. Here we can use its ability to forts convert the shapefile to GeoJSON. And then feed that GeoJSON to AnyConv to convert that to KML file.
This is an indirect way to convert SHP to KML. This is useful as well because sometimes a shapefile is not supported in a tool generated by certain software. In that case, you can just convert your Shapefile to JSON. And Mapstarter will do that for you in a few seconds. Just packs the input SHP file in a ZIP archive along with SHK and DBF file.
Now, when you have the GeoJSON file, you can just feed it to AnyConv. Just like Aspose, it is kind of a universal file converter. It has a dedicated convert for GeoJSON to KML. So, without wasting much time, just upload the JSON file and then start the conversion process. When it generates the final KML file, you are free to use it anywhere you like.
This whole process may seem a bit long but can be useful if the above-mentioned tools stop working somehow. Or, in case the other tools are not accepting your shapefiles.
Final thoughts
So, these are the best free websites that you can use to convert Shapefile to KML with ease. Both the websites work fine when it comes to converting a Shapefile to KML. You can use any websites from this post. You just have to submit a SHP file along with the SHX and DBF file to get the corresponding KML file.
