Maps · head to head
ArcGIS Field Maps vs Stadia Maps
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
- -
S
Stadia Maps
Maps
High-performance map tiles, routing, geocoding, and search APIs for developers with reliable
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Stadia Maps 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; Stadia Maps limited customization features compared to Mapbox
- They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Stadia Maps 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 Stadia Maps actually diverge.
| Attribute | ArcGIS Field Maps | Stadia Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | Included with an ArcGIS user type licence | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | Web, JavaScript |
| Founded | Unknown | 2016 |
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 Stadia Maps
- 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 Stadia Maps
- A county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync laternot Stadia Maps
- An environmental team needing sub-metre positions from an external GNSS receiver recorded directly against the authoritative datasetnot Stadia Maps
- An organisation consolidating from Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce onto a single app after Esri retired themnot Stadia Maps
Stadia Maps
No use cases recorded yet. See the Stadia Maps review.
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
Stadia Maps
- Limited customization features compared to Mapbox
- Relies entirely on OpenStreetMap data, inheriting its accuracy and coverage limitations
- Smaller service with fewer community resources and support options compared to Google Maps or Mapbox
- Limited real-time traffic data compared to larger mapping providers like Google Maps
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
Stadia Maps
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Stadia Maps 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.
Choose Stadia Maps if
- You need core functionality.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, JavaScript.
- You also want user interface.
Questions people ask
- Is ArcGIS Field Maps or Stadia Maps better?
- Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request and Stadia Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ArcGIS Field Maps or Stadia Maps?
- Stadia Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ArcGIS Field Maps and Free for Stadia Maps.
- Does ArcGIS Field Maps or Stadia Maps run on more platforms?
- ArcGIS Field Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web. Stadia Maps runs on Web, JavaScript.
- Can I use Stadia Maps for free?
- Yes. Stadia Maps 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 Stadia Maps is typically brought in for.
- What can ArcGIS Field Maps do that Stadia Maps cannot?
- ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Smart forms, High-accuracy GNSS, Location sharing. Stadia Maps 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.
Stadia Maps: What is Stadia Maps' pricing model?
Stadia Maps uses a credits-based pricing model with fixed credit pools to prevent billing shock. Starter, Standard, and Professional plans are available, with a 14-day free trial for new accounts.
SourceArcGIS Field Maps: What replaced Collector and Workforce?
Field Maps. Esri merged Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce into it and retired the separate apps.
Stadia Maps: Does Stadia Maps have a free tier?
Yes, Stadia Maps offers a free tier for development, evaluation, and non-commercial use including academic applications.
SourceArcGIS Field Maps: Does it work offline?
Yes. Map areas are downloaded in advance and edits synchronise when connectivity returns.
Stadia Maps: What data does Stadia Maps use?
Stadia Maps builds on OpenStreetMap data, so the coverage and accuracy depend on OSM's crowdsourced contributors.
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.
Related pages
More on ArcGIS Field Maps
More on Stadia Maps
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