QGIS plugin: Add NIMBO satellite basemaps

The NIMBO QGIS plugin is the recommended way to use NIMBO in QGIS.

It lets you connect your NIMBO account, browse the layers available to your subscription, filter them by composition and date, and add a selected monthly basemap without manually configuring a map service URL.

View the official QGIS plugin

What the plugin does

Connect your NIMBO account

Sign in with your NIMBO account or validate your personal API key directly from the plugin.

Browse monthly basemaps

Filter the catalog by composition, month and year instead of manually searching for layer identifiers.

Add layers to your project

Load the selected NIMBO basemap into QGIS and combine it with your own parcels, assets, boundaries or analysis layers.

Monitor your GeoCredits

See your remaining GeoCredit balance from the plugin while working with NIMBO layers.

The layer list is generated from the products, dates and resolutions available to your account. Depending on your plan, this can include NIMBO RGB, NIR, NDVI and NIMBO HD basemaps.

Before you start

You need:

• QGIS 3.22 or later;
• an internet connection;
• a NIMBO account to access the complete catalog available to your plan.

You can create a free account on NIMBO Earth Online.

Try the plugin without signing in

The plugin welcome screen includes a sample NIMBO layer that can be loaded without an account. Use it to verify that the plugin and tile service work correctly in your QGIS installation.

1. Install the plugin

1. Open the QGIS plugin manager

   In QGIS, go to Plugins → Manage and Install Plugins…

   

2. Search for the plugin

   In the All tab, search for:

   Nimbo's Earth Basemaps

   

3. Install it

   Select the plugin, then click Install Plugin.

   

4. Open NIMBO

   Launch the plugin from the NIMBO icon in the QGIS toolbar or from the Web menu.

   The NIMBO panel opens as a dock on the right side of QGIS.

   

2. Connect your NIMBO account

The plugin provides two authentication methods.

Option A — Sign in with your account

Enter the email address and password used for your NIMBO account, then click Login.

The plugin retrieves the API token associated with your account and opens the Layer selector tab.

Option B — Use your API key

1. Sign in to NIMBO Earth Online.
2. Open Dashboard → API Access.
3. Copy your kermap_token.
4. Paste it into the API key field in the plugin.
5. Click Validate your key.

Read Authentication for more information about your NIMBO API token.

Keep your API token private

Your token identifies your requests and usage. Do not publish it in screenshots, shared project files, source code or public documentation.

3. Select a monthly basemap

Once authenticated, open the Layer selector tab.

1. Choose a composition

   Filter the catalog by the image product you need, such as RGB, NIR, NDVI or NIMBO HD when available to your account.

2. Choose a month and year

   Use the date filters to find the monthly basemap required for your project.

3. Select the layer

   Click the corresponding layer in the results list.

4. Add it to QGIS

   Click Add layer. The basemap is added to the current QGIS project and can be reordered, styled for display, hidden or combined with your other layers.

To compare two dates, add both monthly layers and toggle their visibility or adjust the opacity of the upper layer.

GeoCredit usage in QGIS

NIMBO is streamed into QGIS as map tiles. GeoCredits are consumed when QGIS requests new tiles from the NIMBO service.

Requests can be triggered when you:

• add or display a NIMBO layer;
• pan to another area;
• zoom in or out;
• change the project extent;
• switch to another date or composition;
• refresh the map canvas.

The amount consumed is therefore linked to the tiles requested by QGIS, not to a fixed cost for installing the plugin or adding one layer name.

Read Tiles and GeoCredits to understand usage and monitor your balance.

The plugin streams tiles — it does not download source rasters

Layers added through the plugin are rendered map tiles for visualization and GIS workflows. They are not local source rasters for pixel-level processing, offline use or redistribution. Data delivery and custom raster access require a separate agreement.

Plugin or manual connection?

Method	Recommended for	Main advantage
NIMBO QGIS plugin	Most QGIS users	Browse authorized layers and dates without building service URLs manually.
Manual WMTS connection	Managed environments, reusable QGIS connections or workflows where plugins are restricted	Uses QGIS’s native WMS/WMTS data source manager.
Manual TMS connection	A known layer URL or a preconfigured XYZ connection	Adds a specific NIMBO tile layer directly.

For manual configuration, follow QGIS: Add NIMBO with WMS, WMTS or TMS.

Troubleshooting

The plugin does not appear in the search results

• Confirm that the official QGIS plugin repository is enabled in the plugin manager settings.
• Refresh the repository list.
• Check that your QGIS version is supported by the current plugin release.

Authentication fails

• Verify that you can sign in to NIMBO Earth Online.
• When using an API key, copy the complete token without spaces before or after it.
• Check whether a corporate proxy or firewall is blocking access to NIMBO services.

A layer is blank or does not load

• Confirm that the selected product and date are available over your area of interest.
• Check your remaining GeoCredits and subscription access.
• Zoom to your project area and refresh the QGIS map canvas.
• Temporarily disable other basemaps to verify that the NIMBO layer is not hidden beneath them.

GeoCredits are consumed faster than expected

Large extents, repeated refreshes and high zoom levels can generate many tile requests. Keep only the layers you need visible and avoid refreshing the entire canvas unnecessarily.

Usage rights and attribution

Installing the plugin does not change the usage rights associated with your NIMBO plan.

Before publishing maps, sharing client deliverables or using NIMBO in a client-facing product, read Credits and attribution.

Next steps

Explore NIMBO in your GIS Understand how NIMBO fits into QGIS, ArcGIS and other professional GIS workflows.

Connect QGIS manually Configure NIMBO through QGIS's native WMS, WMTS or XYZ/TMS connections.

Create topographic maps Combine NIMBO imagery and terrain layers to create a finished topographic map.