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Maps · head to head

AllTrails vs ArcGIS Survey123

AllTrails logo

AllTrails

Maps

Discover the best hiking and biking trails

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ArcGIS Survey123 logo

ArcGIS Survey123

Maps

Form-centric field data collection that writes straight into an ArcGIS organisation

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 Survey123 the app is free and the licensing is not: every person completing a secure survey needs a paid ArcGIS user type, so a hundred-person field programme costs tens of thousands a year before anyone counts credits.
  • They diverge on capability: AllTrails covers Trail discovery, ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AllTrails and ArcGIS Survey123 actually diverge.

Attributes where AllTrails and ArcGIS Survey123 differ
AttributeAllTrailsArcGIS Survey123
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumPer user per year by ArcGIS user type
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android, Windows
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Survey123

  • XLSForm authoring
  • Web designer
  • Offline collection
  • Direct ArcGIS write
  • Repeats and nested records
  • Media and signature capture
  • Webhooks and integration
  • Reports

What people use each for

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

AllTrails

  • Trail discoverynot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Hiking navigationnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Outdoor fitness trackingnot ArcGIS Survey123

ArcGIS Survey123

  • A water utility recording hydrant inspections that must appear on the corporate asset map the moment they are submitted, not after a nightly importnot AllTrails
  • A local authority running a public consultation where anyone can submit without a licence, while staff review responses in an ArcGIS dashboardnot AllTrails
  • An environmental monitoring programme with complex conditional forms authored in XLSForm and completed offline in areas with no signalnot AllTrails
  • A field crew already licensed for ArcGIS Field Maps that needs structured forms alongside map-based editing without adding another vendornot 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 Survey123

  • The app is free and the licensing is not: every person completing a secure survey needs a paid ArcGIS user type, so a hundred-person field programme costs tens of thousands a year before anyone counts credits.
  • Esri does not publish user type prices on its main pricing pages, so buyers reconstruct the cost from marketplace listings or a sales conversation, which makes budgeting an ArcGIS rollout unnecessarily opaque.
  • Credits are consumed by geocoding, storage and some analysis, and a data collection programme that generates heavy attachment volumes can burn through the bundled allowance and trigger a mid-year top-up.
  • It is useless without ArcGIS. There is no standalone deployment, so the decision to use Survey123 is really a decision to buy or keep an ArcGIS estate.
  • Form authoring splits between a web designer that is easy but limited and XLSForm plus Survey123 Connect that is capable but requires learning a spreadsheet syntax, and teams routinely start in the wrong one and rebuild.

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 Survey123

On request
  • Survey123 appFree
    • No separate charge for the app itself
    • Requires an ArcGIS Online or Enterprise organisation
    • Public surveys can be completed without a licence
  • Creator user type$undefined/year
    • Required to author and publish surveys
    • Foundational user type, can administer the organisation
    • Includes an annual credit allowance
  • Mobile Worker user type$undefined/year
    • Required for each person completing a secure survey
    • Dependent user type, must be added to an organisation with a foundational licence
    • Public marketplace listings have shown around $400 per year

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 Survey123 if

  • You need xlsform authoring.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want web designer.
ArcGIS Survey123 review

Questions people ask

Is AllTrails or ArcGIS Survey123 better?
Neither clearly leads. AllTrails starts at Free and ArcGIS Survey123 at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AllTrails or ArcGIS Survey123?
AllTrails has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AllTrails and On request for ArcGIS Survey123.
Does AllTrails or ArcGIS Survey123 run on more platforms?
AllTrails runs on Ios, Android, Web. ArcGIS Survey123 runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
Can I use AllTrails for free?
Yes. AllTrails has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ArcGIS Survey123 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 Survey123 is typically brought in for.
What can AllTrails do that ArcGIS Survey123 cannot?
AllTrails covers Trail discovery, Offline maps, GPS navigation, Activity recording. ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Web designer, Offline collection, Direct ArcGIS write.

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 Survey123: Is Survey123 free?

The app is. Using it is not, unless your surveys are public. Authoring needs a Creator licence and each person completing a secure survey needs a Mobile Worker, Editor, Creator or GIS Professional user type.

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 Survey123: How much are the user types?

Esri does not list them on its main pricing pages. Public marketplace listings have shown roughly $700 a year for Creator and $400 for Mobile Worker; confirm with Esri or a distributor for your region.

ArcGIS Survey123: Can respondents fill in a survey without a licence?

Yes, if the survey is shared publicly. Secure surveys require a licensed user type.

ArcGIS Survey123: Does it work offline?

Yes, in the mobile app, with sync when connectivity returns.

ArcGIS Survey123: Is it the same as ArcGIS Field Maps?

No. Field Maps is map-centric editing; Survey123 is form-centric. Many organisations license both, which doubles nothing because user types cover the whole app suite.

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