ExcellentOffline capture, straight to feature layers
ArcGIS Survey123 vs PublicInput
The right tool for each audience
Survey123 is a GIS data collection form. PublicInput is a public engagement platform. Plenty of agencies run both: Survey123 for staff in the field, PublicInput when residents are the ones answering.
ArcGIS Survey123: built for staff
Field crews collecting geolocated records that flow straight into ArcGIS. Inspections, inventories, and internal capture.
PublicInput: built for residents
Engagement at scale: project pages, surveys, map input, comments from every channel, participant records, analysis, and reporting.
At a glance
Capability scorecard
| Capability | ArcGIS Survey123 | PublicInput |
|---|---|---|
| GIS field collection | Not the focusKeep Survey123 for this |
|
| Public map input | One geometry question per surveyOutside of repeats |
Several map questions per surveyPins and lines on your ArcGIS layers, with shapefile and KML export |
| Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) | Depends on how each form is builtMost public forms we scan come back with gaps |
Built to WCAG 2.1 AASame accessible layout on every page and survey |
| Bot and duplicate protection | Optional CAPTCHACharacter-based, in the web designer only |
BotShield plus invisible reCAPTCHAScored screening, quarantine, and admin review |
| Comment analysis | Word cloud |
AI theming, sentiment, and reportsStaff review every theme |
| Public discussion | Form submission only |
Moderated comment sections |
| Standards across teams | Organization templatesCopied when a survey is created |
Shared question libraries |
| Project pages | Needs a second toolForm embedded in Hub or a CMS page |
Full project page, one link |
| SMS, phone, and email intake | Web form only |
Every channel, one recordWeb, text message, voicemail, email, and in-person meetings |
| Who can author | GIS staffCreator user types and ArcGIS know-how |
Any project or comms staff |
| Participant records over time | Rows per survey |
Cross-project contact recordsWith demographic and equity reporting. How the resident CRM works |
Keep Survey123 where it shines. For staff inspections, offline field capture, and data that has to land in the geodatabase, Survey123 is the right tool. PublicInput map questions run on Esri maps and read your ArcGIS services, so public input stays in the visual language your GIS team already uses, and responses flow back to GIS as shapefile or KML.
The differences
What changes when the audience is the public
Accessible by default, not hit or miss
PublicInputEvery project page and survey is built to WCAG 2.1 AA, the standard the DOJ's ADA Title II rule sets for state and local government websites. Screen reader labels, keyboard access, and contrast come with the platform, so they don't depend on who built the survey.
Survey123Accessibility rides on choices each author makes: theme colors, custom HTML in labels, and which question types they use. When we run accessibility scans on public Survey123 forms, most come back with gaps.
Results you can defend
PublicInputInvisible reCAPTCHA scores every response. BotShield flags suspect activity, including submissions that skip the form entirely, and moves it to quarantine for staff review. Nothing is deleted, so a false flag can be restored.
Survey123An optional CAPTCHA in the web designer. Screening beyond that is up to you.
Comments become findings
PublicInputAI theming with staff review, sentiment by topic, moderation, and comment reports you can share the same day.
Survey123A spreadsheet column and a word cloud.
Discussion on your page, not on social media
PublicInputThreaded comment sections with upvotes, a tone check before posting, and admin moderation.
Survey123A one-way form. The conversation happens somewhere else.
One page, one link, one system
PublicInputProject story, documents, survey, map, comments, and sign-ups on one accessible page.
Survey123Two things to maintain: a Hub or CMS page plus the embedded form.
Why it matters
Where agencies feel the difference
Contested projects need defensible inputBike lanes, bus priority, and rezonings draw organized campaigns. Screening and one record per participant keep the dataset credible at the hearing.
Language access and accessibilityTranslated project pages and surveys, built to WCAG 2.1 AA, in one system instead of one form at a time. A survey that fails a screen reader user is a complaint waiting to happen.
Comparable data, year over yearStandard demographic questions across every study make equity reporting a query, not a cleanup project.
Your GIS investment staysMap questions read your ArcGIS feature layers, and responses export back as shapefile or KML keyed to your GIS ids.
Questions
Survey123 and PublicInput FAQ
Is PublicInput a replacement for ArcGIS Survey123?
Not for staff field work. Survey123 is the right tool for inspections, inventories, and offline capture that lands in your geodatabase. PublicInput is for engagement where the public is the audience: project pages, surveys, map input, comments from every channel, and reporting.
Are Survey123 forms accessible?
It depends on the form. In Survey123, accessibility rides on choices each author makes, like theme colors, custom HTML in labels, and question types, and when we scan public Survey123 forms most come back with accessibility gaps. PublicInput pages and surveys are built to WCAG 2.1 AA by default. Send us a link to one of your current forms and we'll scan it with you.
Can PublicInput use our existing ArcGIS layers?
Yes. Map questions can read your ArcGIS REST map and feature services on Esri basemaps, and responses export as shapefile or KML keyed to your GIS ids.
How does PublicInput keep bots out of public surveys?
Every response is scored by invisible reCAPTCHA Enterprise. BotShield flags suspect activity, including direct submissions that skip the form, and moves it to quarantine where staff can review and restore it.
Can we have more than one map question in a survey?
Yes. A PublicInput survey can include several map questions, each on its own layers.
See it on your own layers
Bring a current project and your GIS services
A walkthrough takes about 30 minutes. We will put one of your ArcGIS layers into a public survey, show how responses are screened and analyzed, and show how the results export back to GIS.