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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Field Maps vs GRASS GIS

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
GRASS GIS logo

GRASS GIS

Maps

Long-running open source geospatial analysis engine for raster, vector and terrain processing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GRASS GIS 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; GRASS GIS the location and mapset data model requires importing data into a structured database with a fixed coordinate system before analysis, which is a real barrier for anyone used to opening files directly.
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, GRASS GIS covers Raster analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArcGIS Field Maps and GRASS GIS actually diverge.

Attributes where ArcGIS Field Maps and GRASS GIS differ
AttributeArcGIS Field MapsGRASS GIS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelIncluded with an ArcGIS user type licenceOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebLinux, Windows, macOS

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 GRASS GIS

  • Raster analysis
  • Hydrological modelling
  • Terrain analysis
  • Vector topology
  • Temporal framework
  • Image processing
  • Python API
  • QGIS integration

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

GRASS GIS

  • A hydrologist delineating watersheds and modelling flow accumulation over a large digital elevation modelnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • A research group building a reproducible time series analysis of satellite imagery that must be rerunnable years laternot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • An environmental agency running viewshed and solar radiation analysis for planning assessments without buying commercial GIS seatsnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • A QGIS user who needs a specific processing algorithm that only exists in the GRASS toolboxnot 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

GRASS GIS

  • The location and mapset data model requires importing data into a structured database with a fixed coordinate system before analysis, which is a real barrier for anyone used to opening files directly.
  • The native graphical interface is dated and inconsistent compared with QGIS or ArcGIS, so most users end up running GRASS through QGIS and never learn the tool they are actually depending on.
  • There is no vendor, so contractual support, service levels and liability do not exist by default and must be arranged with an independent consultancy that may not cover your jurisdiction.
  • Cartographic output and map layout are weak relative to the analysis capability, meaning a second tool is always needed to produce a publishable map.
  • Module naming and argument conventions are idiosyncratic and long-standing, so scripts are durable but the learning curve is steep and transferable skills from other GIS packages help less than expected.

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

GRASS GIS

Free
  • GRASS GISFree
    • GNU GPL licence
    • All modules included
    • No user or seat limits

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 GRASS GIS if

  • You need raster analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want hydrological modelling.
GRASS GIS review

Questions people ask

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

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.

GRASS GIS: Who maintains GRASS GIS?

An international volunteer and academic developer community under the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. It originated at the US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory in 1982.

ArcGIS Field Maps: What replaced Collector and Workforce?

Field Maps. Esri merged Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce into it and retired the separate apps.

GRASS GIS: Can I buy commercial support?

Not from a vendor. Independent consultancies in the OSGeo ecosystem offer paid support and development, and availability varies by region.

ArcGIS Field Maps: Does it work offline?

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

GRASS GIS: Do I need to use its interface?

No. Most people run GRASS algorithms through the QGIS processing toolbox or from Python.

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.

GRASS GIS: Is it suitable for production use?

Yes for analysis pipelines, and it is used by agencies and research institutions. Plan for community support rather than a service level agreement.

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