Softwr

Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Survey123 vs GraphHopper

ArcGIS Survey123 logo

ArcGIS Survey123

Maps

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GraphHopper logo

GraphHopper

Maps

Open-source routing engine for road networks, providing fast route calculations, turn-by-turn navigation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; GraphHopper the free plan is non commercial use only
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, GraphHopper 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 GraphHopper actually diverge.

Attributes where ArcGIS Survey123 and GraphHopper differ
AttributeArcGIS Survey123GraphHopper
Pricing modelPer user per year by ArcGIS user typefreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb

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 Survey123

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

Only in GraphHopper

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

GraphHopper

  • Routing, distance matrix and route optimisation over an APInot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Map matching GPS traces and generating isochronesnot 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.

GraphHopper

  • The free plan is non commercial use only
  • Free allows 500 credits a day, 5 locations per request and a single vehicle
  • Request complexity is capped per plan, at 30 locations and 2 vehicles on Basic at 69 EUR a month, rising to 200 locations and 20 vehicles on Premium at 479 EUR
  • Isochrone range is limited by plan, at 15 minutes on Basic and 30 on Premium
  • Credits are a daily allowance, so a busy day cannot draw on a quiet one

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

GraphHopper

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the GraphHopper 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 GraphHopper if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You also want user interface.
GraphHopper review

Questions people ask

Is ArcGIS Survey123 or GraphHopper better?
Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Survey123 starts at On request and GraphHopper at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArcGIS Survey123 or GraphHopper?
ArcGIS Survey123 starts at On request and GraphHopper at On request.
Does ArcGIS Survey123 or GraphHopper run on more platforms?
ArcGIS Survey123 runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. GraphHopper runs on Web.
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 GraphHopper is typically brought in for.
What can ArcGIS Survey123 do that GraphHopper cannot?
ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Web designer, Offline collection, Direct ArcGIS write. GraphHopper 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.

GraphHopper: Is the free plan actually usable for production?

No. The free tier is limited to non-commercial use only and includes 500 daily credits. To use GraphHopper in production, you need a paid plan starting at 69 euros per month.

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.

GraphHopper: What happens if I exceed my daily credit limit?

The page does not specify. Each tier has a daily credit limit (500 for free, 5,000 for Basic, 15,000 for Standard, 50,000 for Premium), but no overage policy is documented.

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.

GraphHopper: Does GraphHopper offer a trial period?

No. There is no trial period. You can start with the free plan to test, but commercial use requires a paid subscription.

Source
ArcGIS Survey123: Does it work offline?

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

GraphHopper: How much does the Premium plan cost and what do I get?

Premium is 479 euros per month and includes 50,000 daily credits, up to 200 locations per request, up to 20 vehicles, email and phone support, and access to all APIs including routing and optimization.

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.

GraphHopper: Is there a discount if I link back to GraphHopper?

Yes. A 20% discount is available with proper attribution. The page also mentions a 99.5% uptime SLA on paid plans only.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on ArcGIS Survey123

More on GraphHopper

Keep looking

Other head to heads