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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Survey123 vs QGIS

ArcGIS Survey123 logo

ArcGIS Survey123

Maps

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Q

QGIS

Maps

Free, open-source desktop GIS application that supports viewing, editing, and analysis of

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.; QGIS requires technical knowledge to use effectively for advanced GIS analysis
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, QGIS 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 QGIS actually diverge.

Attributes where ArcGIS Survey123 and QGIS differ
AttributeArcGIS Survey123QGIS
Pricing modelPer user per year by ArcGIS user typefreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWindows, macOS, Linux

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 QGIS

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

QGIS

  • Creating thematic maps showing population density by regionnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Digitizing building footprints from satellite imagery for urban planningnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Analyzing proximity of retail stores to competitor locationsnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • Performing spatial analysis of wildlife habitat suitabilitynot 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.

QGIS

  • Requires technical knowledge to use effectively for advanced GIS analysis
  • Desktop application does not include built-in web publishing capabilities

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

QGIS

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the QGIS 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 QGIS if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want user interface.
QGIS review

Questions people ask

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

QGIS: Is QGIS free and open source?

Yes. QGIS is free and open-source software, licensed under the GNU General Public License, available for download and modification by anyone.

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.

QGIS: What operating systems does QGIS support?

QGIS runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with installers available for each platform.

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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