The Survey123 Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Survey123 in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Survey123
The Insider’s Guide
ArcGIS smart forms for field data collection and survey analysis
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among form and survey tools, read from Survey123’s own pages.
Made by Esri · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Survey123’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Survey123’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 8 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Survey123, taken from its own pages and our grades.
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.
- 1
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.
- 2
You can try it first
Esri offers a free trial; its length is not stated on the overview page
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
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.
- 5
Offline field collection
Surveys can be filled in with no connection and sync automatically when connectivity returns.
- 6
Rich capture
Photos, audio, signatures and barcodes, with location from the device GPS or external GNSS hardware.
- 7
A 1.8 GPA, above 8 of 148
That is against the other form and survey tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Your call
A form at its plainest is questions, a button and a table of answers.
Survey123 at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Esri offers a free trial; its length is not stated on the overview page
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Esri
- Category
- Forms & Surveys
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price is published: it is included with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, so the cost depends on the ArcGIS user types an organisation buys. |
| Free plan and trial | D | A 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. |
| Features | C | Two 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Only 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
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 it 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
Good to know
Good for
- Organizations already on ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise
- Field inspections and reports where every response needs a location
- Teams that want survey results shown directly on maps and dashboards
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Survey123's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
A 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.
We could not confirm Survey123’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. survey123.arcgis.com has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
ArcGIS smart forms for field data collection and survey analysis. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, AI features, templates, forms, surveys, reports.
Two builders (web designer and XLSForm), offline collection, photos, audio, signatures, barcodes and GPS.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- ArcGIS Online
- ArcGIS Enterprise
Survey123 is made by Esri.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
8/148
Other form and survey tools it is graded above
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
- DFree plan and trialAbove 18 of 148
- CFeaturesAbove 5 of 148
- CEase of useAbove 7 of 148
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 148
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Fulcrum, KoboToolbox, Open Data Kit, GoCanvas and TrueContext
The 5 tools Survey123 is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Fulcrum
Free trial · from $43/mo
Offline field data collection with maps for crews and utilities.
- Survey123 also covers templates and surveys.
- Fulcrum also covers workflow automation.
- 2.6GPA
KoboToolbox
Free plan · from $21/mo
Open-source data collection for field surveys, online or offline.
- KoboToolbox has a free plan. Survey123 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only KoboToolbox lists an Android app.
- KoboToolbox is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.0GPA
Open Data Kit
Free plan · from $199/mo
Open-source mobile and web data collection.
- Open Data Kit has a free plan. Survey123 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Open Data Kit lists an Android app.
- Open Data Kit is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.0GPA
GoCanvas
Free trial · from $29/mo
Mobile forms and workflows for field inspections and reports.
- Only GoCanvas lists iOS and Android apps.
- Survey123 also covers templates and surveys.
- GoCanvas also covers workflow automation, no-code and dashboards.
- 1.8GPA
TrueContext
Free trial · from $400/mo
Mobile forms and guided workflows for field service teams.
- Only Survey123 lists a web app.
- Only TrueContext lists iOS, Android, Windows and macOS apps.
- Survey123 also covers templates and surveys.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Survey123 free?
No, Survey123 is a paid product, but you can try it first. Esri offers a free trial; its length is not stated on the overview page.
What platforms does Survey123 work on?
Survey123 is available on Web.
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.
What does Survey123 integrate with?
Survey123's listing names ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Survey123?
Survey123 is made by Esri.
What are the alternatives to Survey123?
The closest alternatives to Survey123 in our directory are Fulcrum, KoboToolbox, Open Data Kit, GoCanvas and TrueContext.
How does Survey123 compare with other 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.
Could I make my own version of Survey123?
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.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Survey123’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Esri. Prices change, so check survey123.arcgis.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Survey123, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/survey123
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Survey123: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/survey123
Know someone choosing between form and survey tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/survey123/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded form and survey tools after Survey123, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Forms & Surveys Insider's GuideEvery one of the 149 form and survey tools we grade, compared
- Formester Insider's GuideForm builder with unlimited forms and responses on the free plan3.2 GPA
- Formgrid Insider's GuideForm builder with unlimited forms and responses on the free plan3.2 GPA
- Google Forms Insider's GuideForm, survey and quiz builder that comes with a Google Account3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Survey123’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Survey123 is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Esri. Prices and plans change: check survey123.arcgis.com before you buy.