Software for <scp>MGWR</scp> : A Comparison of Six Algorithms

ABSTRACT Regression‐based local modeling through multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) is popular in studies of spatial processes across a wide array of disciplines, and six major software packages exist for this purpose: MGWR 2.2.1; mgwr‐plugin 1.1 in QGIS; MGWR in ArcGIS Pro 3.4.3; GWmodel 2.4.1 in R; GWmodelS 1.0.4; and mgwrsar 1.1 in R. We compare major functionalities, model specification options, and performance attributes of these algorithms using both simulated and empirical data and show that the calibration results are not always consistent. The results provide an important reminder that the software used in calibrating local models should always be cited.