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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Survey123 vs GRASS GIS

ArcGIS Survey123 logo

ArcGIS Survey123

Maps

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GRASS GIS logo

GRASS GIS

Maps

Long-running open source geospatial analysis engine for raster, vector and terrain processing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GRASS GIS 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.; GRASS GIS the location and mapset data model requires importing data into a structured database with a fixed coordinate system before analysis, which is a real barrier for anyone used to opening files directly.
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, GRASS GIS covers Raster analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArcGIS Survey123 and GRASS GIS actually diverge.

Attributes where ArcGIS Survey123 and GRASS GIS differ
AttributeArcGIS Survey123GRASS GIS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer user per year by ArcGIS user typeOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsLinux, Windows, macOS

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 GRASS GIS

  • Raster analysis
  • Hydrological modelling
  • Terrain analysis
  • Vector topology
  • Temporal framework
  • Image processing
  • Python API
  • QGIS integration

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

GRASS GIS

  • A hydrologist delineating watersheds and modelling flow accumulation over a large digital elevation modelnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • A research group building a reproducible time series analysis of satellite imagery that must be rerunnable years laternot ArcGIS Survey123
  • An environmental agency running viewshed and solar radiation analysis for planning assessments without buying commercial GIS seatsnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • A QGIS user who needs a specific processing algorithm that only exists in the GRASS toolboxnot 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.

GRASS GIS

  • The location and mapset data model requires importing data into a structured database with a fixed coordinate system before analysis, which is a real barrier for anyone used to opening files directly.
  • The native graphical interface is dated and inconsistent compared with QGIS or ArcGIS, so most users end up running GRASS through QGIS and never learn the tool they are actually depending on.
  • There is no vendor, so contractual support, service levels and liability do not exist by default and must be arranged with an independent consultancy that may not cover your jurisdiction.
  • Cartographic output and map layout are weak relative to the analysis capability, meaning a second tool is always needed to produce a publishable map.
  • Module naming and argument conventions are idiosyncratic and long-standing, so scripts are durable but the learning curve is steep and transferable skills from other GIS packages help less than expected.

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

GRASS GIS

Free
  • GRASS GISFree
    • GNU GPL licence
    • All modules included
    • No user or seat limits

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 GRASS GIS if

  • You need raster analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want hydrological modelling.
GRASS GIS review

Questions people ask

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

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.

GRASS GIS: Who maintains GRASS GIS?

An international volunteer and academic developer community under the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. It originated at the US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory in 1982.

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.

GRASS GIS: Can I buy commercial support?

Not from a vendor. Independent consultancies in the OSGeo ecosystem offer paid support and development, and availability varies by region.

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.

GRASS GIS: Do I need to use its interface?

No. Most people run GRASS algorithms through the QGIS processing toolbox or from Python.

ArcGIS Survey123: Does it work offline?

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

GRASS GIS: Is it suitable for production use?

Yes for analysis pipelines, and it is used by agencies and research institutions. Plan for community support rather than a service level agreement.

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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