# Page 3 | ArcGIS Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 3 - Is ArcGIS the right GIS solution for you? Explore 503 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/93333/ArcGIS/reviews --- ArcGIS 4.6 (503) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/93333/ArcGIS/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 3 - Reviews of ArcGIS ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 51-75 of 503 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use vP venkatasivaram P. GIS QA SPECIALIST Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "GIS and what are the benefits of ARCGIS-ESRI suite of Tools" April 18, 2019 5.0 Amazing Worked for companies in India, USA, then back for Government clients in India, Oman, Dubai, europe and likewise. All the best with your search for a good GIS software. Pros ESRI, Thank you since 1980s, ESRI has been a terrific performer, in Geospatial, Geotechnical, Geology, Government, Utilities, Transportation and Logistics, IT enablement. 1. ESRI is a high-end solutions and capabilities provider, their software can handle all kinds of requirements in LBS, Spatial Statistics, Data mining with GIS, Market Research with GIS, Geodatabases and likewise. 2. Pros in Information Technology world are primarily ArcPy, GIS consulting solutions for IT companies, main competitors Hexgon, General electric and others like IDRSI, ERDAS, SICAD, Transcad, Open gis platforms like Quantum GIS are weak and not customer specific. 3. Return on Investment, ROI from ArcGIS, ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcToolbox, ArcLogistics and solutions is good. Customization is excellent, their data models and work is exemplary in GIS world. 4. Licensing for Govt, Utilities, others is pricy as one would expect, but what can one do, customer support is good. Licensing is a major con. 5. GIS from ESRI-America is the dream for the Geographers, Engineers and other geospatial professionals to work with. ESRI internships all around the world. Also, it is used by Planners, Urban etc. Cons Major Con: 1. ESRI is offering startups a free licensing for using it for GIS startups for one year. not enough. 2. Major con is license and training cost for young graduates around the world. Review Source Carlos B. PhD Agricultural Sciences Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Tool for decision makers" February 16, 2022 5.0 ArcGIS has permitted you to show map information in an outwardly engaging manner and give broad investigation of geographic information for an enormous scope in a straightforward manner. Pros ArcGIS is the best software for management of geographic information accessible for decision makers. It has a device for nearly anything compelling in treatment of a lot of vector information. The flexibility to utilize permits ArcGIS to be used in an assortment of regions: from land cadastre, cartography, topography, biology, edaphology, the management of water resources, and remote sensing. With ArcGIS you can processing of both raster and vector data, it allows map algebra, spatial analysis, editing, and showing geographic information. Cons You need capacitation for learning, it requires time and there are various highlights which are extremely intricate to work with. Review Source Dave F. Information Technology Systems Administrator Utilities Used the software for: 2+ years ### "ArcGIS Suite - Extremely Powerful" July 18, 2019 5.0 Our field crews and engineering staff couldn't function without it. Out utilities assets with all of their attributes are on our digital maps. On it we document structures attributes, condition over time, maintenance schedules, and even hyperlink photo and video inspections to each asset. Invaluable information no further away than a click of a button, no matter where in our world that you are! Pros Extremely powerful software with a tool for just about anything you could think of to do with geographic data. "Smart Maps". Objects given geographic location and attributes of any kind that you want running in the background. Cons ELA agreement is extremely reasonable but for a private individual it could be cost prohibitive. I believe they are working on a different license model for home users but would have to check on it. Alternatives considered [GeoMedia](https://www.capterra.com/p/179119/GeoMedia/) Reason for choosing ArcGIS Out support structure was better versed in ArcGIS and a brief overview ArcGIS seemed more intuitive (faster learning curve). Review Source Genaro P. Gestor de proyectos Renewables & Environment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Gran herramienta de trabajo" October 25, 2022 5.0 siempre me ha sido muy funcional, por lo que he optado a usarla para cualquier proyecto que involucra SIGs Pros Es muy útil para un sin finde tareas y proyectos, lo que me fascina que se convierte en toda una base de datos caeda archivo o grupos de archivos y proyectos. Cons con las nuevas versiones las herramientas cambian de lugar, de comandos, de nombre, etc. Reason for choosing ArcGIS porque es practico y es necesario para ,mis proyectos Review Source MO Mauricio O. CEO Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "resena arcgis" March 6, 2023 5.0 ha solucionado el manejo del sistema de información geográfica Pros la creacion de mapas georreferenciados con sus atributos etiquetados, el manejo de base de datos geografica es magnifica Cons el precio es o que menos nos ha gustado del software Alternatives considered [QGIS](https://www.capterra.com/p/185949/QGIS/)[Global Mapper](https://www.capterra.com/p/235583/Global-Mapper/) Reason for choosing ArcGIS su funcionalidad en el manejo de la informacion Switched from [QGIS](https://www.capterra.com/p/185949/QGIS/) herramienta mas poderosa Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Founder, CEO Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "ArcGIS, Industry Leader GIS Software" April 9, 2020 4.0 I have used ArcGIS most of my life, from my study time at university to my work in the academic sector. One can't run away from the fact ArcGIS offers the most complete and advanced tools that one can ever find in any GIS software and for that, no other software can compete with it. Pros ArcGIS is by far the industry leader when it comes to the world of GIS and offers an extensive array of functionalities and tools that no other GIS software can offer. Cons It is proprietary and quite costly to get a licence. It is least likely to be used by small to medium companies. Only government institutions and universities that can afford the huge licencing costs. Reason for choosing ArcGIS It is the most complete and mature GIS software compared to others currently on the market. Also, the support for ArcGIS which comes with a purchase of licence gives it the edge compared to open source software with limited support options. Review Source Andre J. Contracting Officer Government Administration Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Photoshop of Geospacial Data" February 5, 2019 5.0 ArcGIS (Global Information System) is a program I would highly recommend anyone to at least dabble with. It's 100% integrated with Google Maps and Google Earth. You can measure distance in real time, depth, the rise and fall of elevations. My experience with this program was nothing but exceptional! It greatly aided in my day-to-day tasks working for the Department of the Interior and the live customer service was a huge plus! Pros As the title suggests, this program is essential for anyone dealing with...well essentially anything related to land. As an employee of the Bureau of Land Management, this program was the backbone of plotting land boundaries, identifying leaps and bounds, mapping oil company property and even had the ability to provide three-dimensional down hole drilling perforations and depth intervals! Cons This program is not for the faint of heart. It does require a myriad of training modules to complete before you can start to see its full value. However, take heart as the modules are straight forward and step-by-step. Review Source Nathan B. Environmental Scientist Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "I use ArcMap daily, but almost always as a part of my overall editing flow." February 16, 2018 2.0 It makes the start of very pretty maps, sometimes. I almost always generate base layers here, and then export them into illustrator/photoshop to do actual final renders. Pros The styling guides are better than any other options out there - once you can learn to navigate the byzantine menus. I've used QGIS, Globalmapper, AutoCad, and Microstation, and maps just look better in ArcMap than in any others -it's made for creating display mapping. I know that there are other programmatic things you can do, but for my workflow, I use it almost exclusively for building maps for display. Cons The menus are silly that you have to go that far down a rabbit hole, processing is a nightmare (especially with messy geometry), and I used to (until I quit trying altogether) find myself trying a processing task in ArcMap, watching it fail, and then trying it again in GlobalMapper/QGIS and it would do fine. Processing is a very weak point in ArcMap, at least from my perspective. Review Source Mohammad Anas S. Project Engineer Electrical Construction Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Was good enough even for beginner " December 24, 2022 5.0 Was good, i can't say excellent. Pros The provided features are most excite about this software. Cons The loading time is too much, even we are using computers with good spec some times we are stuck and have to restart it.. so we have to redo all the stuffs. Reason for choosing ArcGIS Actually everyone in our company and similar use this software, and our client prefers to have done in this particular. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Engineer Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "ArcGIS the best" December 26, 2020 5.0 ArcGIS can use to setup boundaries for rainfall catchments. So that it helps to run rainfall-runoff models and predict whether flood can occur or not. So that, ArcGIS plays a major role as a supporting software for hydrological modeling softwares like HEC-HMS & Mike 11. Pros ArcGIS is one of the best software that most civil engineers used atleast once in their life. It can easily download from internet. ArcGIS having user friendly interface wich beginner also easily handle the software too. Best thing about it is we can setup catchment boundaries of any specific area by easily using Digital Elevation Map(DEM). Using this we can easily get information about ground elevation, soil type of the area and much more information about the specific area that we concern about. Cons ArcGIS uses some amount of storage usage within the computer. Also it use some memory in the computer too. Also to setup boundaries, you must aware about the software quiet extent. Review Source tT timothy T. Database Administrator Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Excellent mapping software for the patient." June 10, 2020 5.0 After about 100 hours of being hopelessly lost in the menus, import/export functions, and display properties, an average user will probably be able to impress their colleagues with a tidy and professional display of 2-d or 3-d data in a relevant map background, which very few other freeware programs are capable of creating. Pros With enough time and interest, the features available for ArcGIS and ArcGIS Pro are brilliant and all-encompassing. Using raw map datums and a collection of information allows users to expertly display any sort of 2-d grid on any map projection with tons of custom options for audience display. Cons The learning curve is very steep and the complexity of the software is overwhelming to new users. The number of navigable menus and sub-menus in the home screen of the project can be exhausting to figure out without doing everything incorrectly the first time. This is NOT the Microsoft Powerpoint of data display. Alternatives considered [QGIS](https://www.capterra.com/p/185949/QGIS/) Reason for choosing ArcGIS Even though the QGIS was free compared to the very expensive ArcGIS product, the features that are constantly being updated and implemented for ArcGIS are second-to-none compared to freeware. Review Source Elena K. P. GEOGRAFO Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Geographic information system that allows me to spatialize all the information you need." May 2, 2018 4.0 Is the most complete geographic information system, since it allows you to work from the process of vectorization, creation of databases and the realization of high-quality map products Pros Is the program of daily use to perform the spatialization of the different variables with which I work daily, allows me to vectorize, generate base and thematic maps, associate databases with different vector elements either points, polygons or lines. Generate soil profiles, determination of topography. Account as a wide range of tools that facilitate the work of location, location and geographical elements. The outputs can be digital or paper. Cons It requires constant updating of the program because otherwise some tools start to generate conflict. It is a program with high costs. New users must go through training processes since understanding the program is not so simple, if you have never had interaction with them. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Engineer Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "ArcGIS the best" January 18, 2021 5.0 As a summary, I can surely say that ArcGIS is one of the best software which helps me a lot in my research works. ArcGIS involves with hydraulic modeling softwares to make sure excellent model optimization. I really love this software and highly recommend to anyone without any hesitation. Pros ArcGIS is one of the best software in digital elevation modeling section. The best thing about ArcGIS is that this it is most popular software in civil engineering field, we can easily watch YouTube videos and get basic knowledge about the software if we are a new user too. Catchment delineation can easily done by this software which helps in hydrological modeling. Also this software having very user friendly interface too. This helps me a lot while operating with the software. Cons ArcGIS needs considerable amount of memory and storage space to function properly. So that if we haven’t modern pc, we can feel some uncomfortable. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Sr Cognos Developer, Administrator Government Administration Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful Feographical Mapping and Integration tool" March 29, 2019 5.0 We created a lot of Spatial files in different formats for analysing the count data (Demographic data) for economic analysis, Housing, Unemployment benefits and many more. The spatial files were used to create State Map with different counties and congressional districts for analysis that are used in Tableau and Power BI be Pros The biggest asset of this software is that we can create the custom territory maps with different layers of the data for perfect analysis. We can create multiple layers of the maps using different geographical coordinates and has the ability to save the images in different formations (.shp files, Topjson, SVG..). It integrates well with Power BI and Tableau tools. Cons The license of the software is very expensive. The interface of the software is very difficult for users who are using for the first time. It is a Computer RAM intensive software (You need to have more powerful machines) Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Environmental Consultant & Wetland Specialist Environmental Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Not just a simple tool" November 16, 2018 5.0 Upon gaining a good knowledge of the software, the ability to transform data into information that is usable and intelligent makes ArcGIS not just a tool but a tool that transforms information in new ways and illustrates such information in a logical and intelligent manner. Pros Illustrates geographical data on a platform that not only provides a simple map but also allows for the creation of information in a dynamic way for all sorts of purposes. Multiple sources of information can be utilised to create meaningful information for a specific outcome. It is a tool that creates new tools to expand data into information that can be manipulated and transformed continuously. Cons It can be expensive, however, the functionality of the software and its use within the company does mitigate the costs as to reasonably priced. Otherwise, not much to complain about as it is a software that is above the rest. Review Source SN Salomon N. Université de maroua Renewables & Environment Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Faire tout" May 13, 2023 4.0 Bon puisqu'il fait plusieurs choses à la fois, il a plusieurs fonctionnalités. C'est un bon logiciel à utiliser, surtout quand tu n'as pas assez de moyen. C'est un logiciel faire tout Pros La fluidité et ses interfaces. Plusieurs fonctionnalités et la bonne qualité des images Cons Revoir un peu le temps de démarrage, et le reste est bon Review Source JS Jayaprakash S. Town Planner Architecture & Planning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "One-spot software platform for all the geo spatial dolutions" July 21, 2021 5.0 As a enterprise user of the ArcGIS for more than 6 years, i would recommend this product for enterprise level professional geo-spatial mapping and analysis tasks Pros Both Desktop and browser based ARCGIS software platform enable GIS users to create, edit, visualize, analyse and share their spatial contents effectively. Especially , recent versions of ArcGIS desktop versions (10.5 and above) consist of several spatial and statistical analysis tools which can simplyfy the spatial mapping and analysis in an easy manner. ArcGIS online is a web based solution for spatial mapping which contain almost all the features available in the desktop versions and it is great option for performing the tasks without installing any sofware. Cons Great features of the ArcGIS comes with considerable amount of cost. Cost is the only drawback in using this software Reason for choosing ArcGIS This is the leading and stable geo spatial software available in the market with numerous supporting platforms and forums Review Source NB Noam B. Founder Media Production Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A Comprehensive Review of ArcGIS:" January 24, 2023 5.0 Despite its drawbacks, ArcGIS is an incredibly powerful GIS software that is packed with features and is perfect for both experienced GIS professionals and newcomers alike. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to use and its expansive library of tools and features make it an invaluable tool for anyone working with geographic data. Pros Positive Aspect Review: ArcGIS is an incredibly powerful, user-friendly GIS software that has been around for decades. It is packed with features, such as mapping, analysis, data visualization, and much more. It is also very easy to use and is perfect for both experienced GIS professionals and newcomers alike. Cons However, ArcGIS can be quite expensive, and its steep learning curve may discourage some users. Additionally, its user interface can be quite complex and unintuitive at times. Switched from [Writesonic](https://www.capterra.com/p/219972/Writesonic/) ArcGIS is far superior to its alternatives when it comes to mapping, analysis, data visualization, and much more. Its user-friendly interface and expansive library of tools make it a great choice for anyone looking to work with geographic data. Additionally, its powerful analysis and visualization capabilities make it one of the most comprehensive GIS programs available. Review Source Maria D. Analista, Control y Seguimiento de Proyectos Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best GIS in the market has not comparison" March 1, 2018 5.0 Analyze spatyal data, satellite images, manage tables with spatyal information, edit shapefiles, make hydrology models and so on. Pros This GIS offers everthing that a professional that works with spatyal data needs, enormous amount of tool, a very complete interphase, the possibility to manage big amounts of spatyal data, a quality of image and video very high, and a ArcTool Box with everything you need to analyze spatyal information, The three moduls are awesome: ArcMap, ArcCatalog and ArcScene are the best in the market and everyone meets it porpuse. This is the best software in the world. Cons The cost is and had always been the highest limitation of ArcGIS is too expensive for individuals and small companies, so only the goverments or big companies can afford to pay for the license of this awesome software. Review Source GA Gabrielle A. Student Research Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My go to for anything spatial" November 5, 2018 5.0 It’s been great. I once compared the functionality of ArcGIS to QGIS in a certain talks I had - ArcGIS produced a more comprehensive outcome. I always choose ArcGIS in my research. Pros ArcGIS is one of the most frequently used softwares for GIS. Given this, it means that most people trained in GIS are able to use the software but communicate about its functions too. Arc has created a network of GIS users which in some regard, has formed its own language. I like this because when speaking to other users, they understand me and my actions on the software. I like the endless capabilities that Arc offers. Using the software is highly beneificial to people like myself who are involved in natural science research. It’s a tool that never fails to produce some sort of value - even if it is only a map. I appreciate the product development and like that it can utilize multiple spatial datasets in a user friendly framework. Cons Learning how to use ArcGIS definitely takes its time. It’s endless capabilities make it somewhat complex and so the user has to know exactly what they are looking to do in Arc in order to achieve it. I know too many people who have no idea where to start with Arc it are apprehensive to use it because of its technicality. I guess this is not a bad thing should one be trained in the software, but it’s defintwly not user friendly to the layman. Other esri products are more suited and easier for laymen - such esri online products. In my experience, I have had ArcMap freeze or shut down numerous times. These bugs seem to still get through and it is the worst feeling when one loses their progress on a project. I also find the tools somewhat tedious at times and it can be frustrating to have to search the help or esri online panels for solutions. However, in most cases, these problems get solved because their is readily available information on each tool. Review Source Tharindu D. District Engineer Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Best Premium GIS Platform for All Your GIS Needs" January 13, 2020 5.0 The ArcGIS the best mapping software available considering all available options, level of presentation and clarity of content. It is much easier to get used to compared to most open source software. Once you have gotten used to handle your files between Arc Catalog - Arc Toolbox - Arc Map components, you will notice how easy it is to organize all. The other reason that almost all the academic bodies are recommending this software is the extreme reliability and good customer support. Even with a large number of open software packages available, ArcGIS still leads the pack with some considerable advantages to its users. Pros ArcGIS is the Industry Standard among all available GIS Platforms out there. The ArcMap-ArcToolBox-ArcCatalog combination offers solutions for all your GIS needs. The Software stands out among the others mainly due to its very clear representation of data that suit for any kind of presentations. Also, the map composer of ArcGIS has become the industry standard that is used by many higher education bodies, universities and professional organizations. Cons The Software package is not cheap but it doesn't mean it is not worth it. The people who can afford it will definitely have access to the best platform that the money can buy. Review Source Eric D. Transportation Planner Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Highly Functional Mapping Software" September 11, 2018 5.0 I use ArcGIS on a weekly basis as an urban planning consultant to graphically show and analyze data, including demographic trends, transportation modeling scenarios, employment trends, and basic area mapping. Without ArcGIS, my job would be much more difficult and it would be much harder to display spatial data for the deliverables we create. Pros The ability to do hardcore spatial data analysis relatively easily is a huge benefit. Being able to produce high quality maps is great for my work as an urban planner. The functionality is seemingly endless and as a avid user for the past 5 years, there are still aspects of GIS that I have yet to learn. Finally, the ability to export maps to other formats is very helpful from a graphic design standpoint and allows me to modify the maps in graphic focused software to further enhance the look. Cons This software is very advanced and can take a long time to learn. Casual users may have trouble learning how to use the software because of how complicated it is. The graphic outputs are not as visually appealing as they could be and additional work or rendering is needed to really make them stand out, which requires additional software. Review Source Brian A. Director of Technology Services Government Administration Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Excellent Product - ArcGIS Enterprise" January 29, 2020 5.0 We wanted to use ArcGIS Enterprise because we recently purchased an asset management software and wanted to be able to use the work order system in the field and since we are already an enterprise client we wanted to leverage it to the fullest. Pros We really like being able to have our Enterprise Portal look and act like ArcGIS Online. Once we got the environment set up, working in it was almost the same as ArcGIS Online. Cons They have an out of the box setup for one machine. I almost wish we would have gone that route, but we wanted to future proof it and put the different modules on different servers. That made setup a little more difficult. Reason for choosing ArcGIS ArcGIS is the golden standard and we really like that they invest a lot of time and effort to make our jobs easier by providing tools for us to use. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Aux Ap Farming Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Reseña Arcgis" January 26, 2023 5.0 Pros Software para expertos en temas geograficos, con muchas ayudas en temas cartograficos y mapeo de variables de todo tipo. Cons Software de alto costo para compañias pequeñas. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Herpetology GIS Technician Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful and Endless Capabilities" October 9, 2018 5.0 I recommend ArcGIS for field biologists. This is a powerful software for collecting data in the field even without service. Create customized data forms with upload to Collector and sync with your phone. Drop the clipboard and endless hours of data entry. When you are done collecting in the field sync back, edit, and export your data to excel if desired. Pros ArcGIS is a very powerful software with a preset of tools. It does take some training and playing around to learn the setup and how the tools work. I love that the capabilities is endless. Remember simpler the better. If you can't do something with one of their tools you can often find commands online or write your own script. Cons There is a lack of function when you have media attachments to a set of data/table. For example, if you have a set of points with photo attachments there was no way to export the photos for File Manager with custom name or association to the points. It should at least be titles by the Object ID # instead it was a random name given by the initial phone. You also cannot export multiples photos. But the good New is I was able to write a script to make it all work for me. Review Source Similar Products Featured