# GCTools vs ArcGIS Survey123

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GCTools at 57% against ArcGIS Survey123's 12%. GCTools also leads on rating (3.1 vs 2.7) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). ArcGIS Survey123's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ratings volume (223 vs 13). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GCTools sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. ArcGIS Survey123 asks for nothing beyond the download.

GCTools holds the better App Store score, 3.1 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcGIS Survey123 has 223 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of GCTools's written reviews are positive against 12% of ArcGIS Survey123's.

GCTools ships an update monthly, ArcGIS Survey123 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GCTools | ArcGIS Survey123 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.1 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gctools/id438313105/reviews)** | [2.7 (223 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcgis-survey123/id993015031/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **223** |
| Positive reviews | **57.0% of reviews** | 12.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 41 MB | 221 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.2** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Achim Heynen](https://appshunter.io/developer/374870201) | [ESRI](https://appshunter.io/developer/379687933) |

## What reviewers say

### GCTools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gctools/id438313105)

This app provides a comprehensive suite of tools for geocaching enthusiasts. It offers coordinate manipulation, a wide range of cipher decoding and encoding options, interactive data tables, and various unit converters to assist with multi and mystery caches.

**Highlights:** Coordinate projection and distance calculation, Extensive cipher decoding and encoding, Interactive data tables, Multiple unit converters, Mapview integration with popular services, Coordinate saving and loading

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coordinate Storage | $0.99 | one-time |
| Circle Tools | $0.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Alphabets | $0.99 | one-time |
| Vigenere/One Time Pad Cipher | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coordinate Types | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1 Year Full Version | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |


### ArcGIS Survey123

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcgis-survey123/id993015031)

Capture precise, location-aware data in the field using smart forms, even offline. Seamlessly sync collected information with your ArcGIS platform for real-time analysis and decision-making. Ideal for public feedback, inspections, and documenting field conditions.

**Highlights:** Smart forms for data collection, Offline data capture and syncing, Location-aware data with GPS, Support for various question types, Photo and audio attachments, Data validation and skip logic, Integration with ArcGIS platform

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Offline map viewing capability
- 🌍 Easy translation support
- 📝 Solid core functionality for data collection
- 🎨 Customizable forms when designed well
- 📱 Works well on iPad with proper configuration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Severe battery drain from continuous location tracking
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app freezes
- ⏱️ Significant lag and slow performance
- 🔐 Authentication and login issues
- 📸 Photo attachment failures and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Continuous location services polling even when app is closed
- iPhone 17 photo capture causes complete app crash
- Keyboard hangs during form data entry
- App crashes on login attempts
- Submit checkbox occluded by keyboard

**Requested features**

- Edit sent survey data capability
- Multiple photo selection from library
- Magic keyboard trackpad support for iPad
- Previous answers dropdown for repeated data entry
- Desktop/web-based survey completion


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GCTools free?

GCTools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ArcGIS Survey123 free?

ArcGIS Survey123 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, GCTools or ArcGIS Survey123?

GCTools is rated higher. GCTools averages 3.1 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while ArcGIS Survey123 averages 2.7 from 223 ratings.

### Do GCTools or ArcGIS Survey123 have ads?

Neither GCTools nor ArcGIS Survey123 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GCTools or ArcGIS Survey123?

GCTools ships an update monthly, and ArcGIS Survey123 every 2 months. Most recently, GCTools was updated on November 6, 2026 and ArcGIS Survey123 on November 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*