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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Survey123 vs Quartix

ArcGIS Survey123 logo

ArcGIS Survey123

Maps

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

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Quartix logo

Quartix

Fleet Management

Deliberately narrow vehicle tracking from a listed UK vendor that publishes its prices

From
On request
Free plan
No
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.; Quartix video telematics is not part of the core product, so any fleet that decides it needs camera evidence after an incident has to bring in a second vendor and a second subscription.
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Survey123 covers XLSForm authoring, Quartix covers Live tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArcGIS Survey123 and Quartix actually diverge.

Attributes where ArcGIS Survey123 and Quartix differ
AttributeArcGIS Survey123Quartix
Pricing modelPer user per year by ArcGIS user typePer vehicle per month
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryMapsFleet Management

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Quartix

  • Live tracking
  • Driving style scoring
  • Timesheet reporting
  • Geofences
  • Driver identification
  • Published pricing

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

Quartix

  • A UK or French van fleet that wants tracking and timesheet evidence without a discovery call and a three-year commitmentnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • A finance manager who needs to compare telematics costs on published numbers rather than negotiated quotesnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • An operator disputing employee hours or customer claims about arrival times who needs a defensible site attendance recordnot ArcGIS Survey123
  • A small fleet whose insurer offers a discount for driving style monitoring but who does not need cameras or compliance toolingnot 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.

Quartix

  • Video telematics is not part of the core product, so any fleet that decides it needs camera evidence after an incident has to bring in a second vendor and a second subscription.
  • There is no maintenance, work order or parts management, so servicing schedules stay in whatever spreadsheet or garage system the fleet already runs.
  • US hours of service and wider DOT compliance are not the focus, which rules Quartix out for regulated interstate commercial operations.
  • The standard tracker is hardwired rather than a plug-in device, so installation means booking vehicles in, which adds cost and downtime that no-contract plug-in competitors avoid.
  • The API and integration list are short, so feeding tracking data into payroll, job costing or an ERP tends to mean scheduled exports rather than a supported connector.

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

Quartix

On request
  • Quartix$undefined/month
    • List pricing published openly, with rates varying by contract length
    • Tracking hardware included in the subscription rather than bought separately
    • One-year terms available alongside longer discounted options

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 Quartix if

  • You need live tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want driving style scoring.
Quartix review

Questions people ask

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

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.

Quartix: Why is Quartix cheaper than the big platforms?

Because it does less. There is no camera ecosystem, no compliance suite and no marketplace to fund. If you only need tracking, you are not subsidising features you will not use.

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.

Quartix: Do I have to sign for three years?

No. Shorter terms are offered, priced higher per month than the longer options. The rates are published, so the trade-off is visible before you talk to anyone.

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.

Quartix: Is the hardware mine?

The tracking unit is supplied as part of the subscription rather than sold to you. Check the return and replacement terms if you plan to leave or dispose of vehicles.

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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