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Survey123 review (2026): is it worth it?

ArcGIS smart forms for field data collection and survey analysis

Free trialFormsChecked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
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Survey123 report card

1.8GPA

Weak · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026

Best for field data collection that feeds ArcGIS maps

Survey123 is Esri's form tool for collecting data in the field, online or offline, and it sends the answers into ArcGIS. It comes with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, so the pages we read show no dollar price, the trial length isn't stated, and if you aren't on ArcGIS already it makes little sense.

Who Survey123 is for

  • Fits if your organisation already runs ArcGIS and wants survey answers to land on its maps
  • Works for field inspections and reports that must be filled in with no signal

Who Survey123 is not for

  • Skip it if you are not on ArcGIS, since the product is sold as part of it, not on its own
  • Not for you if you want a price before you talk to anyone: no dollar figure is shown
  • Watch out: the trial length isn't stated, and the free trial is the only free way in
  • Watch out: the form builder, the field app and the desktop builder are separate downloads, and the new versions were still in beta
See the alternatives

Why Survey123 gets a 1.8

Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.

  • CValue for moneyNo price is published: it is included with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, so the cost depends on the ArcGIS user types an organisation buys.
  • DFree plan and trialA free trial is offered, but the overview page doesn't say how long it lasts or whether a card is needed, and there is no free plan.
  • CFeaturesTwo builders (web designer and XLSForm), offline collection, photos, audio, signatures, barcodes and GPS. The listing's own gaps: authoring and field apps are separate downloads and the next-generation apps were still in beta.
  • CEase of useNo store rating on record. You build the form yourself, in a web designer or an XLSForm file, and connect it to an ArcGIS account, so there is a learning curve.
  • CPlatforms and integrationsOnly web is listed as a platform, because the pages don't say which systems the Mobile, Studio and Connect apps run on. It connects to ArcGIS Online and Enterprise only.

What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Esri's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.

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Survey123: 1.8 GPA on ToolGPA

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Where Survey123 stands among form and survey tools

Survey123's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 8 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade, and level with 17.

It stands best on value for money (C, above 35 of 148) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 18).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 149 form and survey tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Survey123’s own letter is outlined.

  • CValue for moneyAbove 35 of 148, level with 71
  • DFree plan and trialAbove 18 of 148, level with 13
  • CFeaturesAbove 5 of 148, level with 90
  • CEase of useAbove 7 of 148, level with 135
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 148, level with 45

Keep Survey123, or make your own?

Your call

A form at its plainest is questions, a button and a table of answers.

You could make the core of Survey123 for yourself: forms, surveys, reports and templates. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call.

What you could make

  • Forms, surveys, reports and templates: an app builder makes these well.
  • It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.

What you could not

  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.

What this rests on. Survey123’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

What is Survey123?

ArcGIS Survey123 is Esri's form-based data collection application, included with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise. Surveys are built in a web designer or an XLSForm desktop builder, filled in on phones, tablets or desktops, online or offline, and the results sync to the ArcGIS platform for maps, dashboards and reports. It is licensed through ArcGIS rather than sold as a stand-alone subscription.

Worth knowing

  • Survey123 is included with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, so cost depends on the ArcGIS user types an organization buys; the pages read show no dollar prices.
  • Authoring and field apps are separate downloads (Survey123 Mobile, the field app, Studio and Connect) alongside the website.
  • The pages read do not list which operating systems each app supports, so only web is listed as a platform.
  • A next-generation Survey123 Mobile and Studio were in beta at the time of the vendor's latest update post.

Key features

Two ways to build
A drag-and-drop web designer, or a desktop XLSForm builder for more complex forms, with built-in rules, calculations and required fields.
Offline field collection
Surveys can be filled in with no connection and sync automatically when connectivity returns.
Rich capture
Photos, audio, signatures and barcodes, with location from the device GPS or external GNSS hardware.
ArcGIS integration
Results sync in near real time to the ArcGIS platform, where they can feed web maps, apps, dashboards and reports.
Templates and AI-assisted creation
Reusable templates and AI-powered form creation, plus a Survey123 assistant and beta AI text and audio analysis listed in recent updates.
Esri support and training
Technical support, training courses and an Esri Community forum are part of the offer.

Survey123 pricing

We could not confirm Survey123’s current pricing from its own site, so we are not listing plans here. See survey123.arcgis.com for current prices.

Works with

  • ArcGIS Online
  • ArcGIS Enterprise

Survey123 alternatives

All Survey123 alternatives comparedAll form and survey tools

Common questions

Does Survey123 have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Survey123 is listed for Web.

Does Survey123 have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Survey123 is listed for Web.

Is Survey123 open source?

Survey123 is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.

Does Survey123 work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

Sources for this page

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.