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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Field Maps vs Google Maps Platform

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
Google Maps Platform logo

Google Maps Platform

Maps

Comprehensive set of APIs and SDKs that allow developers to embed Google

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Maps Platform 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; Google Maps Platform free allowances are per service rather than pooled, at 10,000 events a month for dynamic maps, geocoding and autocomplete
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Google Maps Platform covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ArcGIS Field Maps and Google Maps Platform differ
AttributeArcGIS Field MapsGoogle Maps Platform
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelIncluded with an ArcGIS user type licencesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb
FoundedUnknown2005

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 ArcGIS Field Maps

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

Only in Google Maps Platform

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

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

Google Maps Platform

  • Embedding dynamic maps, Street View and photorealistic 3D tiles in an applicationnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Route computation, navigation and fleet route optimisationnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Geocoding, place autocomplete and address validationnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Environmental data including weather, solar, air quality and pollennot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Geospatial analytics through Earth Enginenot 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

Google Maps Platform

  • Free allowances are per service rather than pooled, at 10,000 events a month for dynamic maps, geocoding and autocomplete
  • Dynamic Maps cost $7.00 per 1,000 calls at the entry tier
  • Geocoding and the Directions API both cost $5.00 per 1,000 calls at the entry tier
  • Pricing is tiered by volume, so the effective unit price depends on total monthly usage and is hard to predict in advance
  • Billing is usage based with no flat plan, so a traffic spike is a cost spike

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

Google Maps Platform

Free
  • Starter$100/month
    • 50,000 monthly calls
    • Dynamic Maps
    • Geocoding
  • Essentials$275/month
    • 100,000 monthly calls
    • Dynamic Maps
    • Geocoding
  • Pro$1200/month
    • 250,000 monthly calls
    • All Essentials features
    • Address Validation Pro
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom monthly call allowances
    • Maximum flexibility
    • Extensive customization

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 Google Maps Platform if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
Google Maps Platform review

Questions people ask

Is ArcGIS Field Maps or Google Maps Platform better?
Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request and Google Maps Platform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArcGIS Field Maps or Google Maps Platform?
Google Maps Platform has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ArcGIS Field Maps and Free for Google Maps Platform.
Does ArcGIS Field Maps or Google Maps Platform run on more platforms?
ArcGIS Field Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web. Google Maps Platform runs on Web.
Can I use Google Maps Platform for free?
Yes. Google Maps Platform 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 Google Maps Platform is typically brought in for.
What can ArcGIS Field Maps do that Google Maps Platform cannot?
ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Smart forms, High-accuracy GNSS, Location sharing. Google Maps Platform covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

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.

Google Maps Platform: How much does Google Maps Platform cost?

Google Maps Platform offers subscription plans starting at $100/month for the Starter plan (50,000 calls), $275/month for Essentials (100,000 calls), and $1,200/month for Pro (250,000 calls). Enterprise pricing is custom.

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.

Google Maps Platform: Is there a free tier for Google Maps Platform?

Yes, Google Maps Platform provides a free tier with 10,000 calls per SKU monthly for Essentials and Pro products, plus automatic volume discounts starting at 20% for usage exceeding 100K monthly requests.

Source
ArcGIS Field Maps: Does it work offline?

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

Google Maps Platform: What API products are included in each Google Maps tier?

Starter includes Dynamic Maps and Geocoding. Essentials adds Autocomplete, Geolocation, Place Details, Time Zone, Routes, Air Quality, Solar API, and Weather. Pro adds Address Validation, Places Aggregate API, Nearby Search Pro, Text Search Pro, Immersive Maps, Aerial View, Elevation, Route Optimization, and Pollen.

Source
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.

Google Maps Platform: Do new Google Maps Platform customers get any trial credits?

Yes, new customers receive $300 in trial credit toward their Google Maps Platform usage.

Source
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