Competitor Comparison
Mapalyze vs ArcGIS Survey123
Looking for a Survey123 alternative without the Esri ecosystem? Mapalyze delivers reliable offline data collection, open export formats, and pricing that actually makes sense.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature |
Mapalyze
|
ArcGIS Survey123 |
|---|---|---|
| Esri ecosystem required | No — fully standalone | Yes — requires ArcGIS Online/Enterprise |
| Pricing | From $19/user/mo | Included with ArcGIS license ($500+/yr) |
| Free tier | Yes (Explorer — no time limit) | No free standalone option |
| Pricing transparency | Published pricing, no sales calls | Complex licensing, contact sales |
| Offline reliability | Offline-first — data stored locally first | Offline capable but sync issues reported |
| Form builder | Visual drag-and-drop | XLSForm-based (spreadsheet authoring) |
| Export formats | GeoJSON, Shapefile, CSV on all plans | Tied to ArcGIS feature services |
| Data portability | Full export anytime, open formats | Data lives in ArcGIS ecosystem |
| GIS geometry capture | Yes — points, lines, polygons | Yes — points, lines, polygons |
| Photo capture | Yes — batch upload, background sync | Yes — photo attachments |
| Setup time | Minutes — sign up and go | Requires ArcGIS infrastructure setup |
Mapalyze
*Based on publicly available pricing and feature documentation. ArcGIS and Survey123 are trademarks of Esri Inc.
Why Teams Choose Mapalyze Over Survey123
Before
"We only needed a field data collection tool, but had to license the entire Esri platform."
With Mapalyze
Mapalyze is a standalone platform. No ArcGIS dependency, no ecosystem tax. Sign up and start collecting data in minutes.
Before
"Building forms with XLSForm spreadsheets was slow and error-prone."
With Mapalyze
Visual drag-and-drop form builder. Create and update forms in minutes, no spreadsheet authoring required.
Before
"Offline sync failures caused us to lose field data during multi-day surveys."
With Mapalyze
Offline-first architecture stores every record locally before syncing. Multi-day expeditions with zero connectivity — no problem.
Before
"Getting data out of ArcGIS into our other tools required workarounds."
With Mapalyze
Export directly to GeoJSON, Shapefile, and CSV. Compatible with QGIS, ArcGIS, and any standard GIS tool.
Pricing Comparison
Simple per-user pricing vs. complex ecosystem licensing. Know exactly what you'll pay.
Mapalyze
- Explorer: Free forever, no credit card
- Starter: $19/user/mo
- Professional: $29/user/mo
- Team: $39/user/mo
- All-in-one — no additional licenses
ArcGIS Survey123
- No standalone free tier
- Bundled with ArcGIS Online ($500+/yr per user)
- Enterprise deployment adds significant cost
- Credit-based system for premium features
- Complex pricing requires sales consultation
Ready to Simplify Field Data Collection?
Start with our free Explorer plan — no Esri license needed, no credit card, no time limit.