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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Survey123 vs Gaia GPS

ArcGIS Survey123 logo

ArcGIS Survey123

Maps

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gaia GPS logo

Gaia GPS

Maps

Premium backcountry navigation for outdoor adventurers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gaia GPS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Gaia GPS no specific pricing details are published for the Premium tier
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Gaia GPS covers Topo maps.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArcGIS Survey123 and Gaia GPS actually diverge.

Attributes where ArcGIS Survey123 and Gaia GPS differ
AttributeArcGIS Survey123Gaia GPS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer user per year by ArcGIS user typefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsiOS, Android, Web
FoundedUnknown2008

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 Survey123

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

Only in Gaia GPS

  • Topo maps
  • Satellite imagery
  • Offline maps
  • Track recording
  • Waypoint management
  • Garmin inReach
  • Apple Watch
  • Garmin Connect

What people use each for

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

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 Gaia GPS
  • A local authority running a public consultation where anyone can submit without a licence, while staff review responses in an ArcGIS dashboardnot Gaia GPS
  • An environmental monitoring programme with complex conditional forms authored in XLSForm and completed offline in areas with no signalnot Gaia GPS
  • A field crew already licensed for ArcGIS Field Maps that needs structured forms alongside map-based editing without adding another vendornot Gaia GPS

Gaia GPS

  • Offline topographic map navigation for hiking and backcountry travelnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Trail discovery and uploading in remote areasnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • 4x4 off-road and overlanding navigationnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Ski touring and backcountry skiing navigationnot ArcGIS Survey123

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Gaia GPS

  • No specific pricing details are published for the Premium tier
  • Pricing information only available through checkout or app interface

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Gaia GPS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Gaia GPS review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ArcGIS Survey123 if

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

Choose Gaia GPS if

  • You need topo maps.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want satellite imagery.
Gaia GPS review

Questions people ask

Is ArcGIS Survey123 or Gaia GPS better?
Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Survey123 starts at On request and Gaia GPS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArcGIS Survey123 or Gaia GPS?
Gaia GPS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ArcGIS Survey123 and Free for Gaia GPS.
Does ArcGIS Survey123 or Gaia GPS run on more platforms?
ArcGIS Survey123 runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Gaia GPS runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Gaia GPS for free?
Yes. Gaia GPS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ArcGIS Survey123 starts at On request.
What is ArcGIS Survey123 best used for?
ArcGIS Survey123 is most often used for a water utility recording hydrant inspections that must appear on the corporate asset map the moment they are submitted, not after a nightly import, a local authority running a public consultation where anyone can submit without a licence, while staff review responses in an arcgis dashboard, an environmental monitoring programme with complex conditional forms authored in xlsform and completed offline in areas with no signal, a field crew already licensed for arcgis field maps that needs structured forms alongside map-based editing without adding another vendor. Of those, a water utility recording hydrant inspections that must appear on the corporate asset map the moment they are submitted, not after a nightly import and a local authority running a public consultation where anyone can submit without a licence, while staff review responses in an arcgis dashboard are not what Gaia GPS is typically brought in for.
What can ArcGIS Survey123 do that Gaia GPS cannot?
ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Web designer, Offline collection, Direct ArcGIS write. Gaia GPS covers Topo maps, Satellite imagery, Offline maps, Track recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Gaia GPS: Does Gaia GPS offer a free version?

Yes, Gaia GPS Free is available. The service also offers Gaia GPS Premium as a paid tier, but specific pricing details are not disclosed on the website.

Source
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.

Gaia GPS: How much does Gaia GPS Premium cost?

Gaia GPS Premium is a paid subscription option, but the vendor does not publish specific pricing on their website. Pricing information is available through the app's checkout or registration pages.

Source
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.

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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