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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Field Maps vs QGIS

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
Q

QGIS

Maps

Free, open-source desktop GIS application that supports viewing, editing, and analysis of

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; QGIS requires technical knowledge to use effectively for advanced GIS analysis
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, QGIS 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 QGIS actually diverge.

Attributes where ArcGIS Field Maps and QGIS differ
AttributeArcGIS Field MapsQGIS
Pricing modelIncluded with an ArcGIS user type licencefreemium
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWindows, macOS, Linux

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 QGIS

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

QGIS

  • Creating thematic maps showing population density by regionnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Digitizing building footprints from satellite imagery for urban planningnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Analyzing proximity of retail stores to competitor locationsnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Performing spatial analysis of wildlife habitat suitabilitynot 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

QGIS

  • Requires technical knowledge to use effectively for advanced GIS analysis
  • Desktop application does not include built-in web publishing capabilities

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

QGIS

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the QGIS 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 QGIS if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want user interface.
QGIS review

Questions people ask

Is ArcGIS Field Maps or QGIS better?
Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request and QGIS 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 QGIS?
ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request and QGIS at On request.
Does ArcGIS Field Maps or QGIS run on more platforms?
ArcGIS Field Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web. QGIS runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
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 QGIS is typically brought in for.
What can ArcGIS Field Maps do that QGIS cannot?
ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Smart forms, High-accuracy GNSS, Location sharing. QGIS 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.

QGIS: Is QGIS free and open source?

Yes. QGIS is free and open-source software, licensed under the GNU General Public License, available for download and modification by anyone.

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.

QGIS: What operating systems does QGIS support?

QGIS runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with installers available for each platform.

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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