Whether you're buying land, managing a farm, or simply curious about plot sizes, our Area Calculator lets you measure any area on a map with just a few clicks. Get instant results in square metres, hectares, acres, and more.
How to Measure Land Area
Using our area calculator is simple. Navigate to your location, then click around the boundary of the area you want to measure. The tool automatically calculates the enclosed area and displays it in multiple units.
- Find your location — Search for an address or zoom to the area on the map
- Click to draw — Click at each corner of the boundary to create a polygon
- Close the shape — Click on the first point to complete the boundary
- View results — See the area in square metres, hectares, acres, and more
You can draw multiple shapes on the same map and the tool will show you individual and combined totals. Made a mistake? Simply clear and start again.
Understanding Area Units
Square Metres (m²)
The standard metric unit for area. Most useful for smaller plots, gardens, and building sites. One square metre is roughly the size of a large doormat.
Hectares (ha)
The standard unit for measuring agricultural land in the UK and Europe. One hectare equals 10,000 square metres — roughly the size of a football pitch. Land prices and farm sizes are typically quoted in hectares.
Acres
The traditional UK and US unit for land measurement. One acre equals approximately 4,047 square metres or 0.4 hectares. Still commonly used in property listings and rural land sales.
Quick Conversions
- 1 hectare = 2.47 acres
- 1 acre = 0.405 hectares
- 1 hectare = 10,000 m²
- 1 acre = 4,047 m²
- 1 square mile = 640 acres = 259 hectares
Who Uses Area Calculators?
Estate Agents & Property Buyers
Verify plot sizes when buying property. Estate agent listings sometimes overestimate garden or land sizes — an area calculator lets you check for yourself using satellite imagery.
Farmers & Land Managers
Calculate field sizes for planning crop rotations, fertiliser applications, and grant claims. The Basic Payment Scheme and environmental stewardship schemes require accurate land area measurements.
Landscape Gardeners
Estimate materials needed for lawns, paving, and planting. Knowing the exact area helps you quote accurately for jobs and order the right quantities of turf, gravel, or paving stones.
Planning & Development
Assess site sizes for planning applications. Many planning rules are based on site area — for example, permitted development rights for extensions depend on garden size.
Solar Panel Installers
Measure roof areas to estimate solar panel capacity. A typical solar panel needs about 1.6 m², so knowing your roof area helps calculate potential system size.
Tips for Accurate Measurements
Zoom In Close
The more zoomed in you are, the more precisely you can place your points. For accurate measurements, zoom in until you can clearly see the boundaries you're tracing.
Follow Actual Boundaries
Click along the actual boundary line, not inside or outside it. For property boundaries, follow fence lines, hedges, or walls visible on the satellite imagery.
Use More Points for Curves
For curved boundaries, use more points to trace the curve accurately. Straight boundaries need fewer points — just mark the corners.
Check the Imagery Date
Satellite imagery may be months or years old. If boundaries have changed recently (new fences, extensions, etc.), the imagery might not reflect current conditions.
Perimeter Calculation
Our tool also calculates the perimeter (boundary length) of your shape. This is useful for:
- Estimating fencing requirements
- Planning hedge planting
- Calculating boundary wall lengths
- Measuring running track distances
Accuracy Considerations
Our area calculator uses GPS coordinates and mathematical formulas to calculate area accurately. However, a few factors affect precision:
- Your clicking accuracy — Place points carefully on boundaries
- Map projection — We use algorithms that account for Earth's curvature
- Imagery alignment — Satellite images may have small positional errors
For most purposes (property buying, garden planning, general land management), our calculator provides more than sufficient accuracy. For legal boundaries or official land registration, always use a professional surveyor.
Common Area References
To help you visualise land areas, here are some common reference sizes:
- Tennis court: 261 m² (0.026 ha)
- Football pitch: 7,140 m² (0.71 ha / 1.76 acres)
- Average UK garden: 188 m² (0.019 ha)
- Olympic swimming pool: 1,250 m² (0.125 ha)
- Wembley Stadium pitch: 7,140 m² (0.71 ha)
- Hyde Park: 142 hectares (350 acres)
Privacy
All calculations happen in your browser. We don't store or track the areas you measure. Your location data stays on your device — we never see where you're measuring or what land you're interested in.
Try It Now
Ready to measure some land? Our area calculator is free, requires no sign-up, and works on desktop and mobile devices.
Have questions or suggestions? Get in touch — we're always looking to improve our tools.