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Maps · head to head

deck.gl vs ArcGIS Survey123

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 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 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 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: deck.gl covers Core Functionality, ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which deck.gl and ArcGIS Survey123 actually diverge.

Attributes where deck.gl and ArcGIS Survey123 differ
Attributedeck.glArcGIS Survey123
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcePer user per year by ArcGIS user type
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Windows

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 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.

deck.gl

  • GPU-accelerated visualisation of large geospatial datasets in the browsernot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Composing map overlays from reusable layersnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Adding data layers on top of Google Maps or Mapbox basemapsnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • High-precision plotting using 64-bit GPU computationnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Use from React or plain JavaScriptnot 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 deck.gl
  • A local authority running a public consultation where anyone can submit without a licence, while staff review responses in an ArcGIS dashboardnot deck.gl
  • An environmental monitoring programme with complex conditional forms authored in XLSForm and completed offline in areas with no signalnot deck.gl
  • A field crew already licensed for ArcGIS Field Maps that needs structured forms alongside map-based editing without adding another vendornot 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 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

deck.gl

Free

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

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 deck.gl if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
deck.gl 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 deck.gl or ArcGIS Survey123 better?
Neither clearly leads. deck.gl 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, deck.gl or ArcGIS Survey123?
deck.gl has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for deck.gl and On request for ArcGIS Survey123.
Does deck.gl or ArcGIS Survey123 run on more platforms?
deck.gl runs on Web. ArcGIS Survey123 runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
Can I use deck.gl for free?
Yes. deck.gl has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ArcGIS Survey123 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 Survey123 is typically brought in for.
What can deck.gl do that ArcGIS Survey123 cannot?
deck.gl covers Core Functionality, User Interface. ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Web designer, Offline collection, Direct ArcGIS write.

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 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.

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 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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