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Maps · head to head

ArcGIS Field Maps vs Google Maps

ArcGIS Field Maps logo

ArcGIS Field Maps

Maps

Esri field data collection that cannot be bought on its own, only with an ArcGIS user type

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Maps logo

Google Maps

Maps

Consumer navigation and local search app, distinct from the paid Google Maps Platform developer API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Maps has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ArcGIS Field Maps field Maps has no price of its own, so a project budget built from the product page misses the Creator seats, the Mobile Worker seats and the ArcGIS Online credits or Enterprise infrastructure that actually cost money; Google Maps location history (Timeline) is stored to the Google account unless disabled, and many users are unaware of how much of their movement is retained by default.
  • They diverge on capability: ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Google Maps covers Turn-by-turn navigation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ArcGIS Field Maps and Google Maps differ
AttributeArcGIS Field MapsGoogle Maps
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelIncluded with an ArcGIS user type licenceFree consumer app, funded by Google's advertising business
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (iOS, Android, Web), 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 Field Maps

  • Offline map areas
  • Smart forms
  • High-accuracy GNSS
  • Location sharing
  • Assignment dispatch
  • Indoor positioning
  • Direct editing of authoritative data

Only in Google Maps

  • Turn-by-turn navigation
  • Local search
  • Offline maps
  • Street View
  • Timeline location history
  • Live transit and incident reporting

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ArcGIS Field Maps

  • A water utility whose inspectors update the same asset feature service the office GIS runs on, rather than filling in forms that someone re-keysnot Google Maps
  • A county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync laternot Google Maps
  • An environmental team needing sub-metre positions from an external GNSS receiver recorded directly against the authoritative datasetnot Google Maps
  • An organisation consolidating from Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce onto a single app after Esri retired themnot Google Maps

Google Maps

  • Getting turn-by-turn driving or transit directions to a destinationnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Searching for and comparing nearby restaurants, shops or services with reviewsnot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Downloading an offline map before travelling somewhere with unreliable data coveragenot ArcGIS Field Maps
  • Checking real time traffic conditions before or during a drivenot ArcGIS Field Maps

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ArcGIS Field Maps

  • Field Maps has no price of its own, so a project budget built from the product page misses the Creator seats, the Mobile Worker seats and the ArcGIS Online credits or Enterprise infrastructure that actually cost money
  • It only works against Esri feature services, so an organisation whose data is in PostGIS or a database without an ArcGIS layer must publish through Esri first, which is a platform decision rather than an app choice
  • Named user licensing means occasional or seasonal field staff still consume a full annual seat, and organisations with a large pool of infrequent collectors pay for capacity they use a few weeks a year
  • As a forms tool alone it is more rigid and more expensive than dedicated mobile forms products, so its value collapses if you are not already committed to ArcGIS
  • The consolidation of four apps into one changed established workflows, and organisations that had built processes around Collector or Workforce have had to rework them on Esri's timetable rather than their own

Google Maps

  • Location history (Timeline) is stored to the Google account unless disabled, and many users are unaware of how much of their movement is retained by default.
  • Local business rankings and prominent ads mix paid placement with organic results, so top results are not purely a relevance ranking.
  • Offline maps expire after a period and must be manually refreshed, which can catch travellers out if they rely on an old download without checking it.
  • Public transit data quality varies significantly by city and country, and is considerably weaker or absent in many smaller or lower-income regions.
  • It is a different product from Google Maps Platform, the paid developer API, and businesses evaluating navigation for their own app need to compare that API's pricing separately rather than assuming free consumer access extends to embedding.

Pricing, plan by plan

ArcGIS Field Maps

On request
  • Mobile Worker user type$undefined/year
    • Field editing in Field Maps included with no additional purchase
    • Cannot author maps; requires a Creator seat elsewhere in the organisation
    • Priced per named user per year
  • Creator user type$undefined/year
    • Required to author and publish the maps that field workers use
    • At least one Creator needed before Field Maps can be deployed
    • Includes Field Maps editing as well as authoring
  • ArcGIS Enterprise deployment$undefined/year
    • Field Maps against self-hosted ArcGIS Enterprise instead of ArcGIS Online
    • Server licensing and infrastructure priced separately
    • Quoted through Esri or a distributor

Google Maps

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited navigation and local search
    • Offline maps included
    • No subscription tier for the consumer app

Which should you pick?

Choose ArcGIS Field Maps if

  • You need offline map areas.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want smart forms.
ArcGIS Field Maps review

Choose Google Maps if

  • You need turn-by-turn navigation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want local search.
Google Maps review

Questions people ask

Is ArcGIS Field Maps or Google Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request and Google Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArcGIS Field Maps or Google Maps?
Google Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ArcGIS Field Maps and Free for Google Maps.
Does ArcGIS Field Maps or Google Maps run on more platforms?
Both run on iOS, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Google Maps for free?
Yes. Google Maps has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ArcGIS Field Maps starts at On request.
What is ArcGIS Field Maps best used for?
ArcGIS Field Maps is most often used for a water utility whose inspectors update the same asset feature service the office gis runs on, rather than filling in forms that someone re-keys, a county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync later, an environmental team needing sub-metre positions from an external gnss receiver recorded directly against the authoritative dataset, an organisation consolidating from collector, explorer, tracker and workforce onto a single app after esri retired them. Of those, a water utility whose inspectors update the same asset feature service the office gis runs on, rather than filling in forms that someone re-keys and a county carrying out a sign inventory where crews work in areas without mobile coverage and need offline maps that sync later are not what Google Maps is typically brought in for.
What can ArcGIS Field Maps do that Google Maps cannot?
ArcGIS Field Maps covers Offline map areas, Smart forms, High-accuracy GNSS, Location sharing. Google Maps covers Turn-by-turn navigation, Local search, Offline maps, Street View.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ArcGIS Field Maps: Can I buy Field Maps on its own?

No. It is included with the Mobile Worker, Creator and GIS Professional user types, and you need at least one Creator in the organisation to author maps.

Google Maps: Is Google Maps free?

Yes, the consumer app is free with no subscription for navigation, local search or offline maps.

ArcGIS Field Maps: What replaced Collector and Workforce?

Field Maps. Esri merged Collector, Explorer, Tracker and Workforce into it and retired the separate apps.

Google Maps: Is this the same as Google Maps Platform?

No, Google Maps Platform is a separate, metered API product sold to developers embedding map functionality into their own apps and websites, with its own usage-based pricing.

ArcGIS Field Maps: Does it work offline?

Yes. Map areas are downloaded in advance and edits synchronise when connectivity returns.

Google Maps: Does Google Maps track my location history?

It can, through the optional Timeline feature, which is on by default in some configurations and can be reviewed or disabled in Google account settings.

ArcGIS Field Maps: Can it write to a non-Esri database?

Not directly. The data must be published as an ArcGIS feature service, which may sit over an enterprise geodatabase you already run.

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