Softwr

Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Survey123 vs Google Maps Platform

ArcGIS Survey123 logo

ArcGIS Survey123

Maps

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Maps Platform logo

Google Maps Platform

Maps

Comprehensive set of APIs and SDKs that allow developers to embed Google

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Maps Platform 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.; Google Maps Platform free allowances are per service rather than pooled, at 10,000 events a month for dynamic maps, geocoding and autocomplete
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Google Maps Platform covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArcGIS Survey123 and Google Maps Platform actually diverge.

Attributes where ArcGIS Survey123 and Google Maps Platform differ
AttributeArcGIS Survey123Google Maps Platform
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer user per year by ArcGIS user typesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb
FoundedUnknown2005

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 Google Maps Platform

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

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

Google Maps Platform

  • Embedding dynamic maps, Street View and photorealistic 3D tiles in an applicationnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Route computation, navigation and fleet route optimisationnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Geocoding, place autocomplete and address validationnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Environmental data including weather, solar, air quality and pollennot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Geospatial analytics through Earth Enginenot 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.

Google Maps Platform

  • Free allowances are per service rather than pooled, at 10,000 events a month for dynamic maps, geocoding and autocomplete
  • Dynamic Maps cost $7.00 per 1,000 calls at the entry tier
  • Geocoding and the Directions API both cost $5.00 per 1,000 calls at the entry tier
  • Pricing is tiered by volume, so the effective unit price depends on total monthly usage and is hard to predict in advance
  • Billing is usage based with no flat plan, so a traffic spike is a cost spike

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

Google Maps Platform

Free
  • Starter$100/month
    • 50,000 monthly calls
    • Dynamic Maps
    • Geocoding
  • Essentials$275/month
    • 100,000 monthly calls
    • Dynamic Maps
    • Geocoding
  • Pro$1200/month
    • 250,000 monthly calls
    • All Essentials features
    • Address Validation Pro
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom monthly call allowances
    • Maximum flexibility
    • Extensive customization

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 Google Maps Platform if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
Google Maps Platform review

Questions people ask

Is ArcGIS Survey123 or Google Maps Platform better?
Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Survey123 starts at On request and Google Maps Platform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArcGIS Survey123 or Google Maps Platform?
Google Maps Platform has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ArcGIS Survey123 and Free for Google Maps Platform.
Does ArcGIS Survey123 or Google Maps Platform run on more platforms?
ArcGIS Survey123 runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Google Maps Platform runs on Web.
Can I use Google Maps Platform for free?
Yes. Google Maps Platform 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 Google Maps Platform is typically brought in for.
What can ArcGIS Survey123 do that Google Maps Platform cannot?
ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Web designer, Offline collection, Direct ArcGIS write. Google Maps Platform covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

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.

Google Maps Platform: How much does Google Maps Platform cost?

Google Maps Platform offers subscription plans starting at $100/month for the Starter plan (50,000 calls), $275/month for Essentials (100,000 calls), and $1,200/month for Pro (250,000 calls). Enterprise pricing is custom.

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.

Google Maps Platform: Is there a free tier for Google Maps Platform?

Yes, Google Maps Platform provides a free tier with 10,000 calls per SKU monthly for Essentials and Pro products, plus automatic volume discounts starting at 20% for usage exceeding 100K monthly requests.

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.

Google Maps Platform: What API products are included in each Google Maps tier?

Starter includes Dynamic Maps and Geocoding. Essentials adds Autocomplete, Geolocation, Place Details, Time Zone, Routes, Air Quality, Solar API, and Weather. Pro adds Address Validation, Places Aggregate API, Nearby Search Pro, Text Search Pro, Immersive Maps, Aerial View, Elevation, Route Optimization, and Pollen.

Source
ArcGIS Survey123: Does it work offline?

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

Google Maps Platform: Do new Google Maps Platform customers get any trial credits?

Yes, new customers receive $300 in trial credit toward their Google Maps Platform usage.

Source
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.

Share

Related pages

More on ArcGIS Survey123

More on Google Maps Platform

Keep looking

Other head to heads