What is ArcGIS used for?

ArcGIS is Esri's geographic information system platform for creating, managing, analyzing, mapping and sharing spatial data for business and government. It is a good fit for managing utility and infrastructure assets, urban planning and land management, and site selection and market analysis.

How much does ArcGIS cost?

ArcGIS is a paid product with no free plan.

Is ArcGIS open source?

No. ArcGIS is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to ArcGIS include QGIS and GeoServer.

Can I self-host ArcGIS?

Yes. Although ArcGIS is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers, and the vendor also offers a hosted version.

What are some alternatives to ArcGIS?

Other SaaS products in the Analytics category include ActivationPal, Adjust and AffiliateTrack. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source ArcGIS alternatives.

ArcGIS: features, pricing and alternatives

About ArcGIS

ArcGIS is a geospatial platform built by Esri. It connects data through its location, and lets organizations create, manage, analyze, map and share many types of data in a geographic context, serving professionals in business and government.

Esri describes uses such as asset and network management, policy and transparency, urban planning with digital twins that blend geographic context with building models (BIM) and 3D data, property and land management, natural resource management using maps, imagery and remote sensing, transportation and logistics planning, and market analysis and site selection. Esri has also introduced an AI-powered assistant, currently in beta.

ArcGIS is commercial software offered in cloud and self-managed forms, including ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, so it can run in Esri's cloud or on an organization's own infrastructure. It suits GIS analysts, planners, utilities, governments and companies that rely on spatial analysis.

Key features

Mapping and spatial data visualization
Geographic analysis tools
Sharing maps and dashboards
Digital twins combining GIS with BIM and 3D data
Imagery and remote sensing support
AI-powered assistant in beta

Good fit for

→Managing utility and infrastructure assets
→Urban planning and land management
→Site selection and market analysis

Tags: gis; mapping; geospatial; esri; spatial-analysis; remote-sensing

ArcGIS: questions and answers

What is ArcGIS used for?: ArcGIS is Esri's geographic information system platform for creating, managing, analyzing, mapping and sharing spatial data for business and government. It is a good fit for managing utility and infrastructure assets, urban planning and land management, and site selection and market analysis.
How much does ArcGIS cost?: ArcGIS is a paid product with no free plan.
Is ArcGIS open source?: No. ArcGIS is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to ArcGIS include QGIS and GeoServer.
Can I self-host ArcGIS?: Yes. Although ArcGIS is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers, and the vendor also offers a hosted version.
What are some alternatives to ArcGIS?: Other SaaS products in the Analytics category include ActivationPal, Adjust and AffiliateTrack. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source ArcGIS alternatives.