# Page 8 | ArcGIS Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 8 - 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 8 - Reviews of ArcGIS ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 176-200 of 503 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use AM Aditya M. Civil Designer Civil Engineering Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Good software with great potential" April 24, 2021 5.0 My experience with ArcGIS has been really great. It helps me and makes me work faster with Survey data and geographic data to understand my civil engineering projects in the initial stages. For civil-related projects, We need to understand where the project is located, what type of land it is, what type of soil we have, whats the traffic data and what is the demographics. ArcGIS takes care of it all. It is difficult to navigate through the software but it gets the work done. Pros The database for ArcGIS is one of the topmost useful and the biggest data that can be useful for engineering and non-engineering purpose. ArcGIS can be used to compiling data, use it on maps, and analyzing multiple datasets to be useful for engineering applications. I have been using ArcGIS for designing drainage systems and stormwater drainage in the initial stages of projects. Cons This software is not easy to understand and use for practical applications. The training and tutorial from Esri are not that helpful to solve the problems. They teach you to use the software but do not train you to apply it practically. The user interface is not easy to handle. This software has so much data in it that it takes a lot of time for you to understand what needs to be done. It can be improved if ESRI can make better tutorials and create application-based plug-ins or add ons to be helpful for a particular project. Review Source RK Rachel K. Project Manager Environmental Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Useful mapping software" May 24, 2021 5.0 Great software which helps us present professional maps and data Pros Very easy to share data with other companies and also within our own team. Georeferenced so accurate data and mapping. Easy to also export and import data from other formats such as CAD and excel. Cons It would be nice to be able to open MapInfo files in ArcGIS as some of our clients send us information in that format. Also it would be good if there was more ineraction between KMZ and .shp files It can be annoying how some files need to be saved with file names with no gaps. Review Source Carrie H. Strategic Planning Consultant Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Huge learning curve, but worth it!" April 16, 2019 5.0 I use ArcGIS for a variety of projects, many which deal with spatial analysis. Much of the data we use are collected from government agencies, but we are able to map self-collected data as well. Overall, ArcGIS is very versatile in use, if you know how to use it. Pros ArcGIS makes many things possible - not only with mapping simple spatial data, but the program is also able to perform sophisticated spatial analysis. Cons There is a large learning curve, and users will have to be extensively trained to be able to use all features of the program. Review Source Justin O. Energy Manager Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great for documenting utilities on our campus" May 8, 2018 4.0 Pros The ArcGIS suite allows us to provide online access to maps of campus infrastructure - culinary lines, irrigation lines, electrical, steam tunnels, and so on. It provides easily accessible views of equipment that is generally located underground and allows us to respond quickly to issues like bluestake requests and even water main breaks. Cons The average user wont' be able to go into ArcGIS and create a high quality product right off the bat. You need training and experience. Review Source Jorge M. Ingeniero de sistemas Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "is a practical system that facilitates the design of geographic information through its tools" March 7, 2018 3.0 It is not necessary to have your own web server, nor a database manager, it contains a vast arsenal of online data that makes the system manageable. ArcGIS Geostatistics tools are functional and also educational. Pros It is complete and allows you to collect, organize, analyze, share and distribute geographic information. It is easy to reach because it is available anywhere through Web browsers, mobile devices such as smartphones and desktops, it has a very complete internal structure and a group of extensive tools that allow compatibility with the server and server platforms. cloud that enables shared use, which ensures that vital information is immediately available to anyone. Cons Costs and technical problems to convert analog data in digital format are frequent, it does not have all the variety of specialized tools that are required to manage a geographical design. Review Source Ramiro B. GIS Technician Utilities Used the software for: 2+ years ### "ArcMap" June 23, 2021 5.0 Pros Ease of use and application to different sectors of work Cons The license is kind of expensive when you're a student or a beginner. Review Source Alan C. Drafter Telecommunications Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great tool for spatial data" August 22, 2019 4.0 Overall my experience has been ok. I am still learning about the software. Pros I work in the telecommunications sector, my company is in chrage of designing, and installing the fiber needed by our clients our major client being Verizon. This software is very useful among the whole company and I can say everyone here use it, from junior drafters to senior engineers. It allows us to design where the fiber cable is going to be located and what structures are going to be installed with it. It has as many layers as you may use depending on your job. Everyone can access it, and only those in charge of a job are the ones who can edit it. Cons Even though it's interface is user friendly, it can get a little tricky and complex. To fully take advantage of this product you must study it and have training. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Data Scientist Mining & Metals Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "ARCGIS" August 30, 2018 5.0 Developing GIS products for internal use of the company is the primary use of this software here. Plenty of help available online, which is good since many tasks are not trivial in this software. Pros The vast tools and packages available to perform all kinds of GIS tasks. Cons The complexity of use and the steep learning curve. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Business Development Executive Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best GIS Analysis Software" August 22, 2018 5.0 Pros The analysis tools in ArcGIS are unmatched! Cons The high cost of the software and the limitation in terms of data formats Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Governance, Risk & Compliance Administrator E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Teach Yourself GIS" November 25, 2018 4.0 ArcGIS was the standard for our undergraduate courses in cartography and spatial analysis. Often times our professor would skip lecture in lieu of an ArcGIS tutorial given it's practical applications and ease of use. This may have biased me, but I was astounded that within weeks I was making a series of maps and analytical studies using ArcGIS and raw data. Pros The simple interface made it easy to import a variety of raw data sets and get going right away. As the leading standard, there is a huge volume of publicly available documentation on how to best use the product. Cons In order to be so easy to use, the software has some functional limitations. Although available, help guides are needed to access certain functions or create more complex polygon overlays such as for 3d modeled time lapse migrations. Although ArcGIS can always get the job done, it can be a bit cumbersome to get there. Review Source Nakari H. Gerencia General de Geográfia Used the software for: 2+ years ### "It is a very complete GIS it has numerous tools for spatial analysis and a very friendly interface." May 12, 2018 5.0 Pros It allows to share and use smart maps, compile geographic information, create and manage geographic databases, help in making decisions with spatial analysis, create map-based applications and share information through the web map services. Cons the connections to the databases are tedious, changing the projection in a data frame to a projection and datum that is different from the source data can add a margin of error to the data and alignment tolerance. Review Source Ines F. Jubilado Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A great experience using a GIS" February 6, 2018 5.0 Learn the potential of spatyal data and spatyal analysis it was a great experience for me to work with ArcGIS, is a very powerfull tool but unfortunately too expensive for a person who works by they own. Pros This software it is amazing, do everything what I want, I do not have much experience with spatyal data, but all that I want I can do it through ArcGIS. I can analyze data from schools over my country and see where are the main limitations per state, this help to create a model for help and support of school which are not be attended by the goverment and in this way improve the condition of the structure and the knowledge of the kids. Cons This software it is very expensive, I only can use being in project with Geographers and GIS Technician, i cannot afford the pay of a license of freelancer. Review Source Muhammad Arifur R. Undergraduate Oil & Energy Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "The Masterpiece of GIS Software" April 10, 2019 5.0 We've been using it for hydrocarbon potential analysis, creating landuse maps, drainage maps, geohazard maps etc. Pros Its the best software for GIS applications. Its versatility is unique and it has a lot of built-in tools to analyze GIS data. It also has customizability - it supports creating and importing new tools according to the user's needs. Cons The user interface is not intuitive, so new users find it difficult to work with ease. Review Source EA Essoyomèwè A. Concepteur de Carte Higher Education Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "C'est une application dont l'usage est facile après une formation" April 8, 2023 5.0 A travers ArcGIS, j'ai pu concevoir des cartes dans le cadre de mes recherches. A base de cet outil on peut concevoir toutes les cartes possibles. C'est un outil puissant pour la planification. Pros Je pense que toutes les fonctionnalités du logiciel ont un impact significatif sur le produit. C'est une application dont le monde ne peut s'en passer aujourd'hui. Il est très utile pour tous les domaine. C'est un outil d'aide à la décision Cons Le logiciel pèse et ralenti parfois sur les machines non performantes Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Environmental Scientist III/GIS Specialist Used the software for: 2+ years ### "I have been using this software for almost 10 years." April 20, 2018 5.0 Pros I like the completeness of the functionalities. The power behind the geoprocessing algorithms. The user friendliness of the UI. I prefer to use this than other GIS softwares in the market Cons The price. It is the most expensive one in the market. Also, the paid additional extensions such as for hydrology and traffic assessments. It would be nice if there were free trials for these so we can test them out first to see if they fit our needs. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Data Management Specialist Government Administration Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great software to manage curb ramps data" October 19, 2018 5.0 I used ArcGIS to collect, manage and analyze data about curb ramps in my state. Pros It's great software to create maps and manage data. I use ArcGIS software to collect curb ramps data all over state using an app called Survey123 for ArcGIS, this app helps to collect live data of many points from many locations. When it come managing the data in ArcGIS, there's many features such Edit and Analysis that helps me to QC data. I like that have the ability to run query on live data by either using "Select By Attributes" or "Phyhon", I can also use "ModelBuilder" to create my own report. It also, has feature where I can customize my maps. There's many features in ArcGIS that i'm still learning and discovering, and I feel the more I learn, the more I'm getting the best tools from ArcGIS that will help me manage my data more sufficient. Cons Sometimes can run slow from time to time, and it can crush if the volume of the data is too big and also if the computer process/memory can't handle it. Review Source FM Frank M. Civil Engineer Civil Engineering Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Arcgis is a great civil engineering software" June 11, 2020 5.0 Overall, arcgis is a beneficial software that has brought great benefits in my line of work as a civil engineer. Pros Arcgis is a great civil engineering software that we use for mapping. It is a great tool for the analysis of geographical information that has so many different features relevant in the analysis and exploitation of maps. Arcgis also functions very greatly in that it integrates very well with other software like google earth. Cons Arcgis is a very difficulty software to learn and also to use. Also inorder to use this software to its optimum ability and potential, alot of time has to be dedicates to learning the proper use of this software. Review Source SB Sally B. Writer Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "ARC GIS" February 15, 2020 5.0 Pros ARC GIS is the industry standard for mapping geographical information. It provides powerful integration of data with geographical locators. The visual display of data and the the integration of layers of data across a landscape or geographical area can provide insights into relationships between and among data sets. Cons ARC GIS relies on data collected from various sources and researchers, often without complete treatment of the metadata, specifically it is problematic that data sources may or may not fully document the strengths, weaknesses and appropriate application of the data. This can lead to misapplication by ARC GIS users and lead to misleading impressions of interrelationships among and between data sets. ARC GIS is a strong tool with great potential. It's greatest weakness is the variable quality of data integrated via this program. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Analista de Ambiente Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great GIS software with a large database" April 12, 2018 4.0 Great GIS software, I really recommend paying for a tutorial since working with it from scratch can be really overwhelming. Pros Arcgis is a really robust GIS software, and for georefferencing points on the map is one of the best tools available. It has so many features that one can make any type of personalized map. Cons It can be really overwhelming since it has too many features. It's user interface is not really friendly and tends to freeze for large maps Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Student Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A student's view on ArcGIS" December 1, 2022 4.0 My overall experience with ArcGIS is positive, the software is user friendly. You can easily import/export data from/to other programs with tools and proces/visualize data. Pros ArcGIS is a great software if you want to visualize data. As a student Geography, we use ArcGIS often. The program Arcmap from ArcGIS is a user friendly software to make maps and proces GIS studies. Cons Sometimes Arcmap gives errors and when you try the exact same thing it suddenly it works. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Custodian Utilities Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Best Mapping Software" April 8, 2019 5.0 Pros It has so much you can do with any sort of map you want: every map projection needed, online databases, symbology customization, etc. The alternatives to not compare to this program. Cons The file path saves can get annoying when you work on different computers at once and the integration of different data can be tedious but it really can't be simplified all that much at the moment. Review Source Flora T. Development Coordinator Architecture & Planning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Superb Industry Standard for Architectural/Planning/Civil Drafting Tool" June 5, 2019 5.0 Pros This is a great tool for drafting and sketching, from preliminary concept plans for internal work to fine-tuning plans for external submissions. There are a million ways to do things on this program, and it's just a matter of you being comfortable and finding which functions work for you best. The possibilities feel limitless on this program. Cons I do not have any recommendations for this program at this time. Review Source Mohammed S. Data Analyst Information Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "No competetion here" December 19, 2018 5.0 It's the best to pay for. Pros It's the most stable GIS software out there. You can do anything with it. The new version (ArcGIS Pro) has raised the bar even for ESRI. The online dashboard is phenomenon. Cons Base maps makes it difficult to work (too much resources) It's super difficult to use. You need a professional one to work with it. ArcGIS (not Pro) is too old style, for the ones who can't afford the Pro version. Review Source MP Mark P. It Engineer Environmental Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Awesome Product" October 25, 2022 5.0 So far, the good side or comment i received are still greater than what they're complaining about. Pros Our engineers return a good feedback about using this software for it makes their task easier and very helpful on their project writing. Cons The complaint i received from our user is, it consumes a lot of resources. Running this apps with some other apps makes our computer crawl in slow operation. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Sr. Planning & Business Analyst Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Incredibly Powerful GIS Tool" July 29, 2018 4.0 Pros ArcGIS is an incredibly powerful GIS program that contains a multitude of features and functions that are sure to meet your needs from the most basic maps to intricate network models. Cons The ArcGIS platform is so robust that learning all of the intricacies is extremely difficult. The features are powerful but only so after you have taken to the time to educate yourself on the mechanics and nuances. Review Source Similar Products Featured