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Maps · head to head

Emlid Studio vs ArcGIS Survey123

Emlid Studio logo

Emlid Studio

Maps

Free desktop GNSS post-processing that works with other manufacturers' receivers as well as Emlid's

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ArcGIS Survey123 logo

ArcGIS Survey123

Maps

Form-centric field data collection that writes straight into an ArcGIS organisation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Emlid Studio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Emlid Studio it is free but it is not open source, so if Emlid changes direction or ends the product there is no community fork and no way to keep it maintained; ArcGIS Survey123 the app is free and the licensing is not: every person completing a secure survey needs a paid ArcGIS user type, so a hundred-person field programme costs tens of thousands a year before anyone counts credits.
  • They diverge on capability: Emlid Studio covers RINEX conversion, ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Emlid Studio and ArcGIS Survey123 actually diverge.

Attributes where Emlid Studio and ArcGIS Survey123 differ
AttributeEmlid StudioArcGIS Survey123
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree of charge, no licence feePer user per year by ArcGIS user type
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android, Windows

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 Emlid Studio

  • RINEX conversion
  • Static post-processing
  • Kinematic post-processing
  • Drone PPK geotagging
  • Third party receiver support
  • Emlid Flow point extraction
  • Solution quality reporting

Only in ArcGIS Survey123

  • XLSForm authoring
  • Web designer
  • Offline collection
  • Direct ArcGIS write
  • Repeats and nested records
  • Media and signature capture
  • Webhooks and integration
  • Reports

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Emlid Studio

  • A drone operator whose RTK link dropped to float during a flight and needs to recover centimetre accuracy from the logs afterwardsnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • A surveyor establishing a base station coordinate from a two hour static occupation against a national CORS stationnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • A research team with mixed brand receivers that cannot justify a manufacturer office suite licencenot ArcGIS Survey123
  • An archaeologist geotagging survey photography to a local grid without buying a commercial photogrammetry pipelinenot ArcGIS Survey123

ArcGIS Survey123

  • A water utility recording hydrant inspections that must appear on the corporate asset map the moment they are submitted, not after a nightly importnot Emlid Studio
  • A local authority running a public consultation where anyone can submit without a licence, while staff review responses in an ArcGIS dashboardnot Emlid Studio
  • An environmental monitoring programme with complex conditional forms authored in XLSForm and completed offline in areas with no signalnot Emlid Studio
  • A field crew already licensed for ArcGIS Field Maps that needs structured forms alongside map-based editing without adding another vendornot Emlid Studio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Emlid Studio

  • It is free but it is not open source, so if Emlid changes direction or ends the product there is no community fork and no way to keep it maintained
  • Support is a community forum with no service level, which is a problem for a commercial survey firm that needs an answer before a deliverable deadline rather than when someone volunteers one
  • It only post-processes; there is no network adjustment, no project management, no least squares reporting suitable as a survey record, so it does not replace an office suite
  • The software exists to sell Emlid receivers, so features that matter to owners of competing hardware are unlikely to be prioritised even though third party RINEX is accepted
  • Results depend on the quality of the base data and on the user understanding fix, float and single solutions, and the interface will happily produce a poor solution without stopping an inexperienced operator

ArcGIS Survey123

  • The app is free and the licensing is not: every person completing a secure survey needs a paid ArcGIS user type, so a hundred-person field programme costs tens of thousands a year before anyone counts credits.
  • Esri does not publish user type prices on its main pricing pages, so buyers reconstruct the cost from marketplace listings or a sales conversation, which makes budgeting an ArcGIS rollout unnecessarily opaque.
  • Credits are consumed by geocoding, storage and some analysis, and a data collection programme that generates heavy attachment volumes can burn through the bundled allowance and trigger a mid-year top-up.
  • It is useless without ArcGIS. There is no standalone deployment, so the decision to use Survey123 is really a decision to buy or keep an ArcGIS estate.
  • Form authoring splits between a web designer that is easy but limited and XLSForm plus Survey123 Connect that is capable but requires learning a spreadsheet syntax, and teams routinely start in the wrong one and rebuild.

Pricing, plan by plan

Emlid Studio

Free
  • Emlid StudioFree
    • No licence fee and no seat limit
    • Windows and macOS
    • Works with RINEX from non-Emlid receivers

ArcGIS Survey123

On request
  • Survey123 appFree
    • No separate charge for the app itself
    • Requires an ArcGIS Online or Enterprise organisation
    • Public surveys can be completed without a licence
  • Creator user type$undefined/year
    • Required to author and publish surveys
    • Foundational user type, can administer the organisation
    • Includes an annual credit allowance
  • Mobile Worker user type$undefined/year
    • Required for each person completing a secure survey
    • Dependent user type, must be added to an organisation with a foundational licence
    • Public marketplace listings have shown around $400 per year

Which should you pick?

Choose Emlid Studio if

  • You need rinex conversion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want static post-processing.
Emlid Studio review

Choose ArcGIS Survey123 if

  • You need xlsform authoring.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want web designer.
ArcGIS Survey123 review

Questions people ask

Is Emlid Studio or ArcGIS Survey123 better?
Neither clearly leads. Emlid Studio starts at Free and ArcGIS Survey123 at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Emlid Studio or ArcGIS Survey123?
Emlid Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Emlid Studio and On request for ArcGIS Survey123.
Does Emlid Studio or ArcGIS Survey123 run on more platforms?
Emlid Studio runs on Windows, macOS. ArcGIS Survey123 runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
Can I use Emlid Studio for free?
Yes. Emlid Studio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ArcGIS Survey123 starts at On request.
What is Emlid Studio best used for?
Emlid Studio is most often used for a drone operator whose rtk link dropped to float during a flight and needs to recover centimetre accuracy from the logs afterwards, a surveyor establishing a base station coordinate from a two hour static occupation against a national cors station, a research team with mixed brand receivers that cannot justify a manufacturer office suite licence, an archaeologist geotagging survey photography to a local grid without buying a commercial photogrammetry pipeline. Of those, a drone operator whose rtk link dropped to float during a flight and needs to recover centimetre accuracy from the logs afterwards and a surveyor establishing a base station coordinate from a two hour static occupation against a national cors station are not what ArcGIS Survey123 is typically brought in for.
What can Emlid Studio do that ArcGIS Survey123 cannot?
Emlid Studio covers RINEX conversion, Static post-processing, Kinematic post-processing, Drone PPK geotagging. ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Web designer, Offline collection, Direct ArcGIS write.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Emlid Studio: Is Emlid Studio really free?

Yes, with no seat limit and no paid tier. Emlid makes its money on GNSS receivers.

ArcGIS Survey123: Is Survey123 free?

The app is. Using it is not, unless your surveys are public. Authoring needs a Creator licence and each person completing a secure survey needs a Mobile Worker, Editor, Creator or GIS Professional user type.

Emlid Studio: Does it work with receivers from other manufacturers?

Yes. It accepts standard RINEX logs, so a base or rover from another brand can be processed.

ArcGIS Survey123: How much are the user types?

Esri does not list them on its main pricing pages. Public marketplace listings have shown roughly $700 a year for Creator and $400 for Mobile Worker; confirm with Esri or a distributor for your region.

Emlid Studio: Is it open source?

No. It is free of charge but proprietary, so there is no community fork if the product is discontinued.

ArcGIS Survey123: Can respondents fill in a survey without a licence?

Yes, if the survey is shared publicly. Secure surveys require a licensed user type.

Emlid Studio: Can I use it as my survey office software?

No. It handles post-processing only. Network adjustment, drafting and deliverable production need other tools.

ArcGIS Survey123: Does it work offline?

Yes, in the mobile app, with sync when connectivity returns.

ArcGIS Survey123: Is it the same as ArcGIS Field Maps?

No. Field Maps is map-centric editing; Survey123 is form-centric. Many organisations license both, which doubles nothing because user types cover the whole app suite.

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