ArcGIS GeoPlanner
GIS software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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Small
Medium
Large
- Real estate and property management
- Public sector and nonprofit organizations
- Professional services (engineering, legal, consulting, etc.)
What is ArcGIS GeoPlanner
ArcGIS GeoPlanner is a web-based GIS planning and design application used to create, compare, and evaluate land-use and infrastructure scenarios. It targets planners, landscape architects, and GIS teams who need collaborative sketching, suitability modeling, and impact assessment tied to authoritative spatial data. GeoPlanner runs within the ArcGIS ecosystem and commonly uses ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise services for data, sharing, and governance. It differentiates through scenario-based planning workflows (e.g., design alternatives, indicators, and dashboards) rather than general-purpose mapping alone.
Scenario-based planning workflows
GeoPlanner supports creating multiple design alternatives and comparing them using configurable indicators and evaluation criteria. Users can sketch and edit features in a planning context and track how changes affect metrics such as area, proximity, or suitability. This structure fits planning processes that require documenting options and trade-offs rather than producing a single map. The workflow is more purpose-built for planning than many general web mapping tools.
Deep ArcGIS platform integration
GeoPlanner works with ArcGIS content types and services, including web maps, feature layers, and hosted services. Organizations can leverage existing ArcGIS identity, sharing, and governance models when deploying planning projects. This reduces duplication for teams already standardizing on ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise. It also enables reuse of existing basemaps, authoritative layers, and geoprocessing resources.
Collaboration and sharing controls
GeoPlanner supports collaborative planning by enabling shared projects and controlled access to layers and scenarios through ArcGIS sharing settings. Teams can publish and distribute outputs as web content for stakeholders who need review access. This helps bridge GIS analysts and non-GIS planning participants in a browser-based workflow. Governance features depend on the underlying ArcGIS deployment configuration.
ArcGIS licensing dependency
GeoPlanner typically requires ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise entitlements and is not a standalone GIS. Total cost and access depend on an organization’s ArcGIS licensing model and user types. This can be a barrier for teams that want a lightweight, independent planning tool. Procurement and administration often align with broader ArcGIS platform decisions.
Learning curve for planners
Although browser-based, GeoPlanner still assumes familiarity with GIS concepts such as layers, symbology, and spatial analysis. Configuring indicators, suitability models, and data schemas can require GIS administration or analyst support. Non-technical stakeholders may need guided workflows to avoid inconsistent scenario inputs. Training and governance are important for repeatable results.
Best within Esri ecosystem
Organizations using mixed GIS stacks may face additional work to integrate non-ArcGIS services and data management practices. Some advanced analysis and automation may require complementary ArcGIS tools or services outside GeoPlanner. Data interoperability is possible, but the most seamless experience occurs when authoritative data and identity already live in ArcGIS. This can limit flexibility for teams standardizing on alternative mapping platforms.
Seller details
Esri
Redlands, California, USA
1969
Private
https://www.esri.com/
https://x.com/Esri
https://www.linkedin.com/company/esri/
