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Maps · head to head

AllTrails vs ArcGIS Field Maps

AllTrails logo

AllTrails

Maps

Discover the best hiking and biking trails

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ArcGIS Field Maps logo

ArcGIS Field Maps

Maps

Esri field data collection that cannot be bought on its own, only with an ArcGIS user type

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only AllTrails has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AllTrails the App Store listing shows AllTrails is a free download with an in-app Pro subscription; the visible listing text does not state the Pro price, so the reader must check in-app purchases for the current rate.; ArcGIS Field Maps field Maps has no price of its own, so a project budget built from the product page misses the Creator seats, the Mobile Worker seats and the ArcGIS Online credits or Enterprise infrastructure that actually cost money
  • They diverge on capability: AllTrails covers Trail discovery, ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AllTrails and ArcGIS Field Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where AllTrails and ArcGIS Field Maps differ
AttributeAllTrailsArcGIS Field Maps
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumIncluded with an ArcGIS user type licence
Free tierYesNo
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Ios, Android, Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AllTrails

  • Trail discovery
  • Offline maps
  • GPS navigation
  • Activity recording
  • Trail reviews
  • Apple Health
  • Garmin
  • Apple Watch

Only in ArcGIS Field Maps

  • Offline map areas
  • Smart forms
  • High-accuracy GNSS
  • Location sharing
  • Assignment dispatch
  • Indoor positioning
  • Direct editing of authoritative data

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AllTrails

  • Trail discoverynot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Hiking navigationnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Outdoor fitness trackingnot ArcGIS Field Maps

ArcGIS Field Maps

  • A water utility whose inspectors update the same asset feature service the office GIS runs on, rather than filling in forms that someone re-keysnot AllTrails
  • A county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync laternot AllTrails
  • An environmental team needing sub-metre positions from an external GNSS receiver recorded directly against the authoritative datasetnot AllTrails
  • An organisation consolidating from Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce onto a single app after Esri retired themnot AllTrails

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AllTrails

  • The App Store listing shows AllTrails is a free download with an in-app Pro subscription; the visible listing text does not state the Pro price, so the reader must check in-app purchases for the current rate.

ArcGIS Field Maps

  • Field Maps has no price of its own, so a project budget built from the product page misses the Creator seats, the Mobile Worker seats and the ArcGIS Online credits or Enterprise infrastructure that actually cost money
  • It only works against Esri feature services, so an organisation whose data is in PostGIS or a database without an ArcGIS layer must publish through Esri first, which is a platform decision rather than an app choice
  • Named user licensing means occasional or seasonal field staff still consume a full annual seat, and organisations with a large pool of infrequent collectors pay for capacity they use a few weeks a year
  • As a forms tool alone it is more rigid and more expensive than dedicated mobile forms products, so its value collapses if you are not already committed to ArcGIS
  • The consolidation of four apps into one changed established workflows, and organisations that had built processes around Collector or Workforce have had to rework them on Esri's timetable rather than their own

Pricing, plan by plan

AllTrails

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Trail search
    • Community reviews
    • Basic maps
  • AllTrails+$35.99/year
    • Offline maps
    • Real-time navigation
    • Trail conditions

ArcGIS Field Maps

On request
  • Mobile Worker user type$undefined/year
    • Field editing in Field Maps included with no additional purchase
    • Cannot author maps; requires a Creator seat elsewhere in the organisation
    • Priced per named user per year
  • Creator user type$undefined/year
    • Required to author and publish the maps that field workers use
    • At least one Creator needed before Field Maps can be deployed
    • Includes Field Maps editing as well as authoring
  • ArcGIS Enterprise deployment$undefined/year
    • Field Maps against self-hosted ArcGIS Enterprise instead of ArcGIS Online
    • Server licensing and infrastructure priced separately
    • Quoted through Esri or a distributor

Which should you pick?

Choose AllTrails if

  • You need trail discovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline maps.
AllTrails review

Choose ArcGIS Field Maps if

  • You need offline map areas.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want smart forms.
ArcGIS Field Maps review

Questions people ask

Is AllTrails or ArcGIS Field Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. AllTrails starts at Free and ArcGIS Field Maps at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AllTrails or ArcGIS Field Maps?
AllTrails has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AllTrails and On request for ArcGIS Field Maps.
Does AllTrails or ArcGIS Field Maps run on more platforms?
AllTrails runs on Ios, Android, Web. ArcGIS Field Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use AllTrails for free?
Yes. AllTrails has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request.
What is AllTrails best used for?
AllTrails is most often used for trail discovery, hiking navigation, outdoor fitness tracking. Of those, trail discovery and hiking navigation are not what ArcGIS Field Maps is typically brought in for.
What can AllTrails do that ArcGIS Field Maps cannot?
AllTrails covers Trail discovery, Offline maps, GPS navigation, Activity recording. ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Smart forms, High-accuracy GNSS, Location sharing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AllTrails: Is AllTrails free to use?

AllTrails offers both free and paid membership options. The basic free tier allows users to explore trails, see maps, and access core features for discovering hiking and outdoor activities.

Source
ArcGIS Field Maps: Can I buy Field Maps on its own?

No. It is included with the Mobile Worker, Creator and GIS Professional user types, and you need at least one Creator in the organisation to author maps.

AllTrails: Can I create custom routes on AllTrails?

Yes, AllTrails allows users to build and edit custom trails. The platform provides route converter tools and options to print custom maps for your own trail designs.

Source
ArcGIS Field Maps: What replaced Collector and Workforce?

Field Maps. Esri merged Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce into it and retired the separate apps.

ArcGIS Field Maps: Does it work offline?

Yes. Map areas are downloaded in advance and edits synchronise when connectivity returns.

ArcGIS Field Maps: Can it write to a non-Esri database?

Not directly. The data must be published as an ArcGIS feature service, which may sit over an enterprise geodatabase you already run.

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