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Maps · head to head

deck.gl vs ArcGIS Field Maps

deck.gl logo

deck.gl

Maps

WebGL-powered framework for visual exploratory data analysis of large datasets, developed by

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 deck.gl has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: deck.gl open source framework with no commercial support tier available; support relies on community and GitHub issues; 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: deck.gl covers Core Functionality, 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 deck.gl and ArcGIS Field Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where deck.gl and ArcGIS Field Maps differ
Attributedeck.glArcGIS Field Maps
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourceIncluded with an ArcGIS user type licence
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Web

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 deck.gl

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

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.

deck.gl

  • GPU-accelerated visualisation of large geospatial datasets in the browsernot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Composing map overlays from reusable layersnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Adding data layers on top of Google Maps or Mapbox basemapsnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • High-precision plotting using 64-bit GPU computationnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Use from React or plain JavaScriptnot 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 deck.gl
  • A county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync laternot deck.gl
  • An environmental team needing sub-metre positions from an external GNSS receiver recorded directly against the authoritative datasetnot deck.gl
  • An organisation consolidating from Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce onto a single app after Esri retired themnot deck.gl

Where each one falls short

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

deck.gl

  • Open source framework with no commercial support tier available; support relies on community and GitHub issues
  • Maintained by community contributors (vis.gl contributors), not by a dedicated company support team

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

deck.gl

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the deck.gl review.

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 deck.gl if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
deck.gl 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 deck.gl or ArcGIS Field Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. deck.gl 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, deck.gl or ArcGIS Field Maps?
deck.gl has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for deck.gl and On request for ArcGIS Field Maps.
Does deck.gl or ArcGIS Field Maps run on more platforms?
deck.gl runs on Web. ArcGIS Field Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use deck.gl for free?
Yes. deck.gl has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request.
What is deck.gl best used for?
deck.gl is most often used for gpu-accelerated visualisation of large geospatial datasets in the browser, composing map overlays from reusable layers, adding data layers on top of google maps or mapbox basemaps, high-precision plotting using 64-bit gpu computation. Of those, gpu-accelerated visualisation of large geospatial datasets in the browser and composing map overlays from reusable layers are not what ArcGIS Field Maps is typically brought in for.
What can deck.gl do that ArcGIS Field Maps cannot?
deck.gl covers Core Functionality, User Interface. ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Smart forms, High-accuracy GNSS, Location sharing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

deck.gl: How much does deck.gl cost?

deck.gl is completely free to use. It is an open source framework maintained by the OpenJS Foundation and community contributors. The project is available on GitHub for anyone to use, modify, and contribute to without cost.

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.

deck.gl: Is deck.gl open source?

Yes, deck.gl is open source software maintained by the OpenJS Foundation and vis.gl contributors. The source code is publicly available, and the framework can be used freely in any project.

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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