Comparison

ArcGIS Survey123 vs Optimal Authenticator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ArcGIS Survey123

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
Read full description

Smart forms and surveys for digital data collection. ArcGIS Survey123 helps mobile workers collect field data with speed and precision. Capture location-aware survey responses anytime, anywhere—even offline—and sync seamlessly with your ArcGIS platform for real-time analysis and decision-making. From gathering public feedback to conducting inspections or documenting field conditions, Survey123 helps ensure data capture is efficient and reliable. ArcGIS is available on your desktop, in a browser, and on smartphones or tablets. Survey123 is Esri's form-centric app on mobile devices. Note: Survey123 is designed for organizational use. This app requires you have an ArcGIS organizational account to collect and update data. Public surveys shared by organizations can be accessed without sign in for crowd sourcing or citizen science purposes. Collect and submit data with precision: - Capture data using a wide variety of question types including text, map, choice lists, dates, photos, signatures, and barcodes. - Collect data online or offline and sync when connected. - Capture location information using device GPS. - Use maps in surveys to select points. - Apply skip logic, calculations, and data validation to ensure high-quality responses. - Attach photos and audio to survey responses. - Create multilingual surveys. Work securely with your organization: - Securely connect to your ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise organization. - Submit surveys to trigger feature service webhooks that automate downstream workflows. Collaborate and analyze results: - Access and complete publicly shared surveys in the field without needing to sign in, allowing you to provide feedback or contribute data for crowd sourcing projects. - Integrate data submitted from the Survey123 field app with ArcGIS Dashboards, ArcGIS Experience Builder, and other ArcGIS solutions to enhance visualization and analysis. - Submit reliable survey data to support professional reports, which can be generated using customizable report templates on the Survey123 website. - Submit survey data in the field to make it available for export in formats such as CSV, Excel, shapefile, or file geodatabase through the Survey123 website, ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise.

About

Optimal Authenticator

This app provides a secure way to verify your identity for accessing other applications. It uses two-factor authentication via push notifications or verification codes, and allows organizations to register trusted devices for sign-in requests.

Highlights
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Push notification verification
  • On-app verification codes
  • Trusted device registration
  • Secure identity verification
Features
Read full description

With the Optimal Authenticator, quickly and securely verify your identity for access to all of your applications. Authentication features include: Two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security to your account. When signing in, after entering your password, you'll be asked to provide additional verification via the app. A push notification is sent to your mobile device to alert you of a pending two-factor verification request. Simply tap on the notification to launch the app and tap Approve to complete the verification. Alternatively, you may be prompted to enter the verification code displayed in the app. Device registration: By registering your device through the app, organizations can verify that the sign-in request is coming from a trusted device.

Screenshots

ArcGIS Survey1234 screens
Optimal Authenticator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: ArcGIS Survey123 at 218 against Optimal Authenticator's 4. ArcGIS Survey123 also leads on review sentiment (12% vs 0%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Optimal Authenticator's advantage is rating (3.0 vs 2.7). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Optimal Authenticator holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcGIS Survey123 has 218 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 12% of ArcGIS Survey123's written reviews are positive against 0% of Optimal Authenticator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ArcGIS Survey123 ships an update every 2 months, Optimal Authenticator every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ArcGIS Survey123 versus Optimal Authenticator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArcGIS Survey123Optimal Authenticator
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.7 (218 ratings)3.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews12.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings218 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size221 MB80 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperESRIOptimal IdM

Customer experience

ArcGIS Survey123

All ratings212 ratings
Positive39.6%
Neutral9.4%
Negative50.9%
Written reviews91 reviews
Positive12.1%
Neutral15.4%
Negative72.5%

Optimal Authenticator

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

ArcGIS Survey123

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • 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
Show 11 more
  • Unknown error messages on photo/data submission
  • Geopoint displays incorrect location (Africa/Atlantic Ocean)
  • Paste answers from favorites feature broken
  • External CSV calculations not functioning after updates
  • Rating option displays radio buttons with misaligned star images
  • Map library shows no compatible maps found
  • Related tables cause send/edit failures
  • Refresh loop when exiting surveys
  • Account creation paradox (need account to create account)
  • Federated credential sign-in not supported
  • Duo 2FA not displaying properly in embedded browser

Requested features

12 requests
  • 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
Show 7 more
  • Submit button always visible (not hidden by keyboard)
  • macOS app compatibility
  • Video selection from photo library
  • Note section for additional details
  • Arabic language support
  • Improved keyboard handling and exit mechanisms
  • Most recent surveys shown first by default

Optimal Authenticator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ArcGIS Survey123

No in-app purchases

None

Optimal Authenticator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ArcGIS Survey123 free?
ArcGIS Survey123 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Optimal Authenticator free?
Optimal Authenticator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ArcGIS Survey123 or Optimal Authenticator?
Optimal Authenticator is rated higher. ArcGIS Survey123 averages 2.7 out of 5 from 218 ratings, while Optimal Authenticator averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.
Do ArcGIS Survey123 or Optimal Authenticator have ads?
Neither ArcGIS Survey123 nor Optimal Authenticator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ArcGIS Survey123 or Optimal Authenticator?
ArcGIS Survey123 ships an update every 2 months, and Optimal Authenticator every 3 months. Most recently, ArcGIS Survey123 was updated on October 24, 2026 and Optimal Authenticator on October 6, 2026.

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