My take
QGIS vs. ArcGIS Online: What Should a Small Organization Use?
Short answer
For desktop mapping and analysis, QGIS is free and covers what most small organizations need. ArcGIS Online is worth paying for once you need public web maps, live dashboards or Survey123 field apps that staff and volunteers use on their phones. Many organizations end up using both: QGIS for desktop work and ArcGIS Online for sharing.
They aren’t the same kind of tool
This comparison trips people up because QGIS is a desktop program and ArcGIS Online is a web platform. Esri’s desktop program is ArcGIS Pro. So the real question is usually: do you need to make maps on a computer, or share live maps and apps with other people?
| QGIS | ArcGIS Online | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Free, open-source desktop GIS | Esri’s cloud platform for web maps, apps and data |
| Cost | Free | Yearly subscription per user, quoted by Esri |
| Runs on | Windows, Mac and Linux | A web browser, plus mobile apps |
| Strong at | Editing, analysis, print maps, plugins | Public web maps, dashboards, Survey123 and Field Maps, sharing |
| Watch out for | Publishing live web maps takes extra tools | Credits used by storage and analysis; costs grow with users |
What ArcGIS Online gets you
ArcGIS Online is sold by user type. Viewers can see maps; Contributors can also edit in web apps; Mobile Workers add the field apps; Creators can build and publish content. Survey123, Field Maps and Dashboards come with the Mobile Worker type and above, and the Creator type includes 500 credits. Credits pay for things like data storage, geocoding addresses and running analysis. Esri doesn’t publish prices on its pricing page, so expect a quote, and ask about its nonprofit program if that applies to you.
What QGIS gets you
A full desktop GIS with no license cost: editing, analysis, map layouts for print, and a large library of free plugins. For simple web maps, a plugin like qgis2web can export a static map for your website. For field work, the free QField app works with QGIS projects. What it doesn’t give you out of the box is a hosted platform where your data, maps, forms and dashboards all live and update together.
When to pay for ArcGIS Online
- You want a public map on your website that updates when your data does.
- You need a live dashboard for staff, a board or the public.
- Crews or volunteers collect data in the field with Survey123 or Field Maps.
- Several people need to edit the same data from different places.
If none of those apply yet, start with QGIS and pay when one of them does.
My take
I’ve used ArcGIS Online since 2016, and it’s still my default for anything people outside the office need to see or fill out. But I don’t think a small organization should pay for it just to make maps on a computer. QGIS does that well for free. Pay for the platform when sharing, dashboards or field apps become the job, not before.
Questions, answered
Is QGIS really free?
Yes. QGIS is free, open-source software for Windows, Mac and Linux, with no license fee for any use.
Is QGIS as good as ArcGIS?
For desktop mapping and most analysis, QGIS is very capable. ArcGIS has the edge in hosted web maps, dashboards, field apps and enterprise data management.
Does ArcGIS Online include ArcGIS Pro?
Not with every user type. ArcGIS Pro comes with the Professional and Professional Plus user types, not with Viewer, Contributor, Mobile Worker or Creator.
What are ArcGIS Online credits?
Credits are ArcGIS Online’s currency for metered services such as data storage, geocoding addresses and running spatial analysis.
Can I make a web map with QGIS?
Yes, for simple cases. Plugins like qgis2web export a static web map. Live, updating web maps usually need a hosted platform or a map server.