High-quality soil maps are needed, but current maps have errors, especially in countries with limited surveys. Field data was used to check the accuracy of seven soil databases in Namibia for topsoil texture. The maps were only correct for 13% to 42% of sites, with confusion between texture categories. The maps differ a lot in texture classes and are too inaccurate for applications like irrigation design and predicting crop productivity. Better on-site estimates and soil map predictions are urgently needed.