QGIS, an open-source desktop GIS application, is being complemented by cloud-native platforms like CARTO to address the challenges faced by its users, including working with large datasets, data silos, high skills barriers, and static outputs. By integrating QGIS with CARTO, organizations can leverage interoperability, scalability, data security, democratization, and collaboration benefits. While desktop GIS still has value in tasks such as editing geometries and creating static maps, cloud-native platforms like CARTO are ideal for advanced analytics, interactive visualizations, and large-scale data processing. A hybrid approach that combines QGIS with CARTO can help organizations harness the best of both worlds and build a comprehensive geospatial tech stack.