Why are there so many coordinate formats?

Each format grew out of a different job. Degrees, minutes, and seconds come from centuries of navigation; decimal degrees suit computers; UTM and MGRS state positions in meters, which is what surveyors and soldiers need on the ground.

Which format should I use?

Use Decimal Degrees for software, spreadsheets, and web maps; DMS or DMM for navigation devices and charts; and UTM or MGRS when you need to measure distances in meters or share a compact grid reference.

The Military Grid Reference System — a version of UTM used by NATO forces. It encodes a location as one string, such as 34UDC 12345 67890, where more digits mean more precision.

Does the converter also show the time zone?

Yes. Alongside the converted coordinates, the tool reports the time zone of the location, which is handy for scheduling and for logging observations in local time.

GPS Coordinates Converter | DD, DMS, DMM, UTM, MGRS

GPS Coordinates Converter — Convert Latitude and Longitude Between DD, DMS, DMM, UTM and MGRS