Maps · head to head
ArcGIS Field Maps vs MapQuest
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
- -
MapQuest
Maps
Free driving directions, live traffic updates, and road conditions for trip planning and navigation
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- 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; MapQuest subscription tiers cost more per transaction than the pay as you go rate at low volume, since $119 a month for 30,000 transactions is roughly $0.004 each against $0.0045 on demand
- They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, MapQuest 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 MapQuest actually diverge.
| Attribute | ArcGIS Field Maps | MapQuest |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Included with an ArcGIS user type licence | freemium |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | Web |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 MapQuest
- 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 MapQuest
- A county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync laternot MapQuest
- An environmental team needing sub-metre positions from an external GNSS receiver recorded directly against the authoritative datasetnot MapQuest
- An organisation consolidating from Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce onto a single app after Esri retired themnot MapQuest
MapQuest
- Geocoding, routing and static maps over an APInot ArcGIS Field Maps
- Adding directions and place search to an applicationnot 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
MapQuest
- Subscription tiers cost more per transaction than the pay as you go rate at low volume, since $119 a month for 30,000 transactions is roughly $0.004 each against $0.0045 on demand
- The 50,000 free pay as you go transactions are described as available for a limited time rather than as a standing allowance
- Plan allowances are monthly and do not carry over
- Enterprise volume is custom priced
Pricing, plan by plan
ArcGIS Field Maps
On request- Mobile Worker user type$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
MapQuest
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the MapQuest 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.
Questions people ask
- Is ArcGIS Field Maps or MapQuest better?
- Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request and MapQuest at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ArcGIS Field Maps or MapQuest?
- ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request and MapQuest at On request.
- Does ArcGIS Field Maps or MapQuest run on more platforms?
- ArcGIS Field Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web. MapQuest runs on Web.
- 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 MapQuest is typically brought in for.
- What can ArcGIS Field Maps do that MapQuest cannot?
- ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Smart forms, High-accuracy GNSS, Location sharing. MapQuest 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.
MapQuest: What is the cheapest way to use MapQuest APIs?
The MapQuestGO plan offers 50,000 free transactions for a limited time, then charges $0.0045 per transaction. Monthly subscription plans start at $119/month for 30,000 transactions.
SourceArcGIS Field Maps: What replaced Collector and Workforce?
Field Maps. Esri merged Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce into it and retired the separate apps.
MapQuest: Can I cache or store geocoding results on a monthly MapQuest plan?
No. Storing or caching geocodes is not allowed on monthly plans. Only Enterprise accounts can store geocodes off-map with the Extended Rights Geocoding feature.
SourceArcGIS Field Maps: Does it work offline?
Yes. Map areas are downloaded in advance and edits synchronise when connectivity returns.
MapQuest: What happens if I exceed my MapQuest monthly transaction limit?
The MapQuest pricing page does not specify overage charges. Users can modify their plan selection from their account dashboard at any time to scale up.
SourceArcGIS 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.
MapQuest: Can I change my MapQuest plan mid-cycle?
Yes. Users can modify their plan selection from their account dashboard at any time, making it easy to scale as needs evolve.
SourceRelated pages
More on ArcGIS Field Maps
Other head to heads
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs QGIS
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs SW Maps
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Felt
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs CARTO
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Global Mapper
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs GRASS GIS
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Foursquare Spatial Studio
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Trailforks
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs onX Maps
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Mapbox
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Google Maps Platform
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Leaflet
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Bing Maps
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Cesium ion
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Citymapper
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Gaia GPS
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs GraphHopper
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Apple Maps
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs HERE Technologies
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Transit
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Ride with GPS
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Fused
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Mapillary
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs Navmii GPS
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs OSRM
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs ArcGIS Survey123
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs IndoorAtlas
- ArcGIS Field Maps vs HERE WeGo
- MapQuest vs QGIS
- MapQuest vs SW Maps
- MapQuest vs Felt
- MapQuest vs CARTO
- MapQuest vs Global Mapper
- MapQuest vs GRASS GIS
- MapQuest vs Foursquare Spatial Studio
- MapQuest vs Trailforks
- MapQuest vs onX Maps
- MapQuest vs Mapbox
- MapQuest vs Google Maps Platform
- MapQuest vs Leaflet
- MapQuest vs Bing Maps
- MapQuest vs Cesium ion
- MapQuest vs Citymapper
- MapQuest vs Gaia GPS
- MapQuest vs GraphHopper
- MapQuest vs Apple Maps
- MapQuest vs HERE Technologies
- MapQuest vs Transit
- MapQuest vs Ride with GPS
- MapQuest vs Fused
- MapQuest vs Mapillary
- MapQuest vs Navmii GPS
- MapQuest vs OSRM
- MapQuest vs ArcGIS Survey123
- MapQuest vs IndoorAtlas
- MapQuest vs HERE WeGo