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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Field Maps vs Gaia GPS

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
Gaia GPS logo

Gaia GPS

Maps

Premium backcountry navigation for outdoor adventurers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gaia GPS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; Gaia GPS no specific pricing details are published for the Premium tier
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Gaia GPS covers Topo maps.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ArcGIS Field Maps and Gaia GPS differ
AttributeArcGIS Field MapsGaia GPS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelIncluded with an ArcGIS user type licencefreemium
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2008

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 ArcGIS Field Maps

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

Only in Gaia GPS

  • Topo maps
  • Satellite imagery
  • Offline maps
  • Track recording
  • Waypoint management
  • Garmin inReach
  • Apple Watch
  • Garmin Connect

What people use each for

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

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 Gaia GPS
  • A county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync laternot Gaia GPS
  • An environmental team needing sub-metre positions from an external GNSS receiver recorded directly against the authoritative datasetnot Gaia GPS
  • An organisation consolidating from Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce onto a single app after Esri retired themnot Gaia GPS

Gaia GPS

  • Offline topographic map navigation for hiking and backcountry travelnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Trail discovery and uploading in remote areasnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • 4x4 off-road and overlanding navigationnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Ski touring and backcountry skiing navigationnot ArcGIS Field Maps

Where each one falls short

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

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

Gaia GPS

  • No specific pricing details are published for the Premium tier
  • Pricing information only available through checkout or app interface

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Gaia GPS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Gaia GPS review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Gaia GPS if

  • You need topo maps.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want satellite imagery.
Gaia GPS review

Questions people ask

Is ArcGIS Field Maps or Gaia GPS better?
Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request and Gaia GPS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArcGIS Field Maps or Gaia GPS?
Gaia GPS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ArcGIS Field Maps and Free for Gaia GPS.
Does ArcGIS Field Maps or Gaia GPS run on more platforms?
Both run on iOS, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Gaia GPS for free?
Yes. Gaia GPS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request.
What is ArcGIS Field Maps best used for?
ArcGIS Field Maps is most often used for a water utility whose inspectors update the same asset feature service the office gis runs on, rather than filling in forms that someone re-keys, a county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync later, an environmental team needing sub-metre positions from an external gnss receiver recorded directly against the authoritative dataset, an organisation consolidating from collector, explorer, tracker and workforce onto a single app after esri retired them. Of those, a water utility whose inspectors update the same asset feature service the office gis runs on, rather than filling in forms that someone re-keys and a county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync later are not what Gaia GPS is typically brought in for.
What can ArcGIS Field Maps do that Gaia GPS cannot?
ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Smart forms, High-accuracy GNSS, Location sharing. Gaia GPS covers Topo maps, Satellite imagery, Offline maps, Track recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Gaia GPS: Does Gaia GPS offer a free version?

Yes, Gaia GPS Free is available. The service also offers Gaia GPS Premium as a paid tier, but specific pricing details are not disclosed on the website.

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.

Gaia GPS: How much does Gaia GPS Premium cost?

Gaia GPS Premium is a paid subscription option, but the vendor does not publish specific pricing on their website. Pricing information is available through the app's checkout or registration pages.

Source
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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