ArcGIS vs QGIS Comparison
Compare ArcGIS vs QGIS features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
ArcGIS
7.2/10
Esri's GIS platform for mapping, spatial analysis and field data collection, used by utilities, governments and infrastructure owners to manage networks and assets.
QGIS
7/10
QGIS is a free, open source desktop GIS. Organisations use it to view, edit, analyse and map spatial data, including vector, raster, mesh and point cloud layers.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 7.2/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 3/10 | 10/10 |
| Analytics | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Customization | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Scalability | 9/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Free QGIS (open source) |
| Features | ||
| Work Orders | ||
| GIS and Mapping | ||
| Asset Registry | Not listed | |
| Inspection Checklists | Not listed | |
| LiDAR Processing | Not listed | |
| Offline Field App | Not listed | |
ArcGIS vs QGIS cost by team size
| Team size | ArcGIS | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 5 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 10 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 25 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 50 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose ArcGIS
- Higher Scalability score (9/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Security score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for utilities (9/10 vs 7/10)
- Includes Work Orders, which QGIS lacks
Why choose QGIS
- Has a free plan (ArcGIS does not)
- Higher Cost score (10/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 8/10)
Pros & Cons
ArcGIS
Pros
- One platform covers desktop, cloud, self-hosted and mobile GIS, so office and field teams work from the same data.
- Field Maps works fully offline for maps, forms, tasks and utility network tracing.
- Integrates with Cityworks, Salesforce, Power Automate and offers APIs for custom systems.
- G2 reviewers praise how it handles layers and datasets and how easy cloud access makes remote work.
Cons
- No public pricing, and reviewers cite subscription and credit costs as the main complaint.
- Credits are consumed by premium services, which can limit heavy use.
- ArcGIS Online lacks some geoprocessing tools found in ArcGIS Pro and Desktop.
- Reviewers report a steep learning curve without training.
QGIS
Pros
- No licence fees on any number of seats, under the GPLv2+ open source licence.
- Python and C++ plugins let teams add custom tools and database connectors such as PostGIS.
- It reads many data formats and standard web services, which makes it easy to connect to existing data.
- Its print layout, atlas and report tools suit organisations that produce a lot of maps.
- It loads LAS, LAZ and virtual point cloud datasets with classification-based rendering.
Cons
- Capterra reviewers report slow performance, freezes and crashes on heavy workloads.
- Newcomers describe a steep learning curve and say installation can be difficult.
- There is no vendor-backed support contract; help comes from the community or third-party providers.
- It cannot edit point clouds and has no asset maintenance features such as work orders.
- Some reviewers say it lacks tools that ArcGIS Pro offers.
Not sold on either?
Air Inspection Automation (AiA)Our product
Plans DJI drone inspection missions for power line towers from LiDAR scans: it finds the towers, places photo stops, checks clearance, and splits the route into battery flights.
Made by the team behind b stack radar. Shown here because it fits this topic. It is not part of our rankings. How we rank tools
Frequently Asked Questions
ArcGIS scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 7.2/10 against 7/10 for QGIS. The largest gap is in Cost: 3/10 for ArcGIS and 10/10 for QGIS.
QGIS has a free plan; ArcGIS does not list one.
ArcGIS is the better fit for utilities: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 7/10 for QGIS.
ArcGIS has Work Orders, which QGIS lacks.
