Maps · alternatives
Alternatives to Esri ArcGIS
22 maps tools sit alongside Esri ArcGIS in this directory. Below is what separates each from Esri ArcGIS on the figures we hold, price, model, tier count and rating, and a direct comparison for every one.
- Alternatives listed
- 22
- With a free tier
- 15
- Cheaper to start
- -
- Esri ArcGIS starts at
- On request
Why people look past Esri ArcGIS
Only what the record supports. Each point below is a figure on the Esri ArcGIS entry measured against the tools listed beside it.
There is no free tier
The record for Esri ArcGIS carries no free tier, so evaluating it means paying first. 15 of the 22 alternatives below can be used without paying.
What each alternative does differently
Ordered by the aggregated rating on each catalogue entry. Differences are drawn from price, pricing model, tier count and rating, the fields the category listing carries. For a feature-level difference, follow the head-to-head link on each card: those pages read both full records.
Comprehensive set of APIs and SDKs that allow developers to embed Google
- Can be used without paying; Esri ArcGIS cannot.
- Publishes an entry price of $100/month, where Esri ArcGIS does not.
- Sold on a subscription model rather than quote.
Location data platform for mobile and web applications
- Can be used without paying; Esri ArcGIS cannot.
- Publishes an entry price of Free, where Esri ArcGIS does not.
Location data and technology company that provides mapping and location services to businesses globally
- Can be used without paying; Esri ArcGIS cannot.
- Publishes an entry price of Free, where Esri ArcGIS does not.
Web mapping and navigation application developed by Apple Inc
- Can be used without paying; Esri ArcGIS cannot.
- Sold on a freemium model rather than quote.
Serverless Python for geospatial: write a UDF, get a map tile endpoint and an HTTP API
- Can be used without paying; Esri ArcGIS cannot.
- Publishes an entry price of $20/month, where Esri ArcGIS does not.
- Sold on a Per month by compute tier model rather than quote.
Long-running open source geospatial analysis engine for raster, vector and terrain processing
- Can be used without paying; Esri ArcGIS cannot.
- Sold on a Open source, no licence fee model rather than quote.
Every Esri ArcGIS alternative at a glance
A dash means the catalogue entry carries no figure, not that the answer is nothing.
| Tool | Entry price | Model | Tiers | Head to head |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esri ArcGIS (this page) | On request | Quote | - | |
| Google Maps PlatformComprehensive set of APIs and SDKs that allow developers to embed Google | Free, then $100/month | Subscription | 4 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| MapboxLocation data platform for mobile and web applications | Free | - | - | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| HERE TechnologiesLocation data and technology company that provides mapping and location services to businesses globally | Free | - | - | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Apple MapsWeb mapping and navigation application developed by Apple Inc | Free | Freemium | - | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Fused | Free, then $20/month | Per month by compute tier | 4 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| GRASS GIS | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Cesium ion | Free, then $149/month | Per month by storage, streaming and gigapixels | 4 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Google Maps | Free | Free consumer app, funded by Google's advertising business | 1 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Felt | Free | Quote | 3 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Potree | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Emlid Studio | Free | Free of charge, no licence fee | 1 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Atlas.co | Free, then $23/month | Per user per month | 4 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Lonboard | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| SAGA GIS | Free | Open source, no licence fee | 1 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Ride with GPS | Free | Freemium, per user per month | 3 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Foursquare Spatial Studio | On request | Quote | 1 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Correlator3D | $295/month | One-time purchase | 5 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Leica Infinity | On request | Quote | 2 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Global Mapper | $700/one-time | One-time purchase | 4 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| onX Maps | On request | Separate per-product subscriptions, per user per year | 4 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Geographic Calculator | On request | Quote | 3 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
| Agisoft Metashape | $179/one-time | One-time purchase | 3 | vs Esri ArcGIS |
Ratings are aggregated from third-party sources and imported with each catalogue entry; Softwr hosts no reviews of these products. How each figure is used is set out on the Esri ArcGIS badges page.
Cheaper ways to solve the same problem
Free to start (15)
These publish a tier that costs nothing, so they can be evaluated before any money changes hands.
- Google Maps Platform , Free, then $100/month
- Mapbox , Free
- HERE Technologies , Free
- Apple Maps , Free
- Fused , Free, then $20/month
- GRASS GIS , Free
- Cesium ion , Free, then $149/month
- Google Maps , Free
What you would be giving up
Esri ArcGIS is most often brought in for geospatial mapping and spatial analysis, enterprise data governance and management, real-time field data collection, ai-assisted geospatial analysis. Anything replacing it has to cover the ones you actually depend on, and a cheaper tool that misses one of them is not cheaper.
Two things this page cannot settle. It compares on price, model, tier count and rating, because those are the fields the category listing carries, feature-level differences need both full records, which is what the head-to-head pages load. And the ratings are third-party aggregates imported with each entry rather than reviews written here, so a 0.2 difference between two tools is noise rather than a finding.
If Esri ArcGIS is broadly right and the question is cost, the Esri ArcGIS pricing breakdown covers every tier and what each one adds. If you want the whole field rather than a shortlist, the Maps category lists everything the directory holds, and best maps tools ranks them.
Esri ArcGIS runs on web, mobile (field apps), desktop. Platform coverage is not carried on the category listing for the alternatives, so it is one more thing to check on each head-to-head page rather than here.
Questions about Esri ArcGIS alternatives
- What are the main alternatives to Esri ArcGIS?
- 22 other maps tools are listed in this directory, led by Google Maps Platform, Mapbox, HERE Technologies, Apple Maps. They are ordered by the aggregated rating on each catalogue entry, not by any Softwr ranking.
- What is the best free alternative to Esri ArcGIS?
- 15 of the alternatives listed here can be used without paying: Google Maps Platform, Mapbox, HERE Technologies, Apple Maps, Fused.
- Why do people look for an alternative to Esri ArcGIS?
- On the figures on record, one thing stands out: there is no free tier. Each is set out with the numbers behind it above.
- What would I give up by switching from Esri ArcGIS?
- Esri ArcGIS is most often brought in for geospatial mapping and spatial analysis, enterprise data governance and management, real-time field data collection, ai-assisted geospatial analysis. Anything you replace it with has to cover the ones you actually rely on, the side-by-side comparisons linked from each alternative below put the two feature records against each other.
- Is there an open-source alternative to Esri ArcGIS?
- None of the maps tools listed here are recorded as open source. That is what the licence field on each entry says, and the field is not always filled in, so it is worth checking directly for any tool you are serious about.
- How were these Esri ArcGIS alternatives chosen?
- They are the tools filed in the same category, Maps, ordered by the aggregated rating on each entry. There is no editorial shortlist, and nothing on this page is paid: no sponsored placement runs on alternatives pages and the order cannot be bought. Softwr has not used these products.
- Where can I compare Esri ArcGIS against one of these directly?
- Every alternative below has a side-by-side page against Esri ArcGIS covering price, platforms, features and what each one is used for. Those pages read the full record for both products rather than the summary shown here.
- Does this list cover every maps tool?
- No. It covers what this directory holds in the Maps category, 22 tools beside Esri ArcGIS. The category page lists the rest of the catalogue as it grows.