You know your crews need real-time map access on their phones. You've seen the demos from Esri reps showing beautiful dashboards and slick mobile apps. Then you got the quote: $3,000-$10,000 per user per year for ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise. For a contractor running 15 crews, that's $45,000-$150,000 annually before you've even migrated your first CAD file.
That's not happening.
But here's what nobody tells you in those sales meetings: Esri isn't the only way to get maps to field crews. There are practical alternatives that won't require a board meeting to approve. This guide walks through your actual options, what each costs in real dollars, and how to evaluate what makes sense for a 5-30 crew operation.
Why Most Small Contractors Can't Justify ArcGIS Pricing
Esri builds enterprise software for municipalities, utilities, and Fortune 500 companies with GIS departments. Their pricing reflects that market. A typical small contractor deployment looks like this:
- ArcGIS Online: $1,500/year per named user (minimum 5 users = $7,500)
- Creator licenses for map publishers: $3,500/year each
- Field Maps app deployment and training: $5,000-$15,000 setup
- Data migration services: $80-$150/hour (often 40-100 hours for messy contractor data)
Total first-year cost: $20,000-$50,000 for a 10-15 person contractor to go from CAD files to mobile maps.
That ROI doesn't pencil out when you're running tight margins on locate tickets and project bids. You need a solution that costs what a truck payment costs, not what a full-time employee costs.
The Real Problem Isn't Software — It's Your Data
Before you evaluate any GIS platform, face the hard truth: your data is a mess.
Most small contractors have:
- CAD files from engineers in 15 different coordinate systems
- PDFs marked up with previous locate tickets
- Paper maps in crew trucks that are 6 months out of date
- No centralized database — just folders on a server named "Maps_FINAL_v3_USE_THIS_ONE"
Esri won't fix that. Open-source tools won't fix that. Cloud platforms won't fix that.
You need data migration before you need software. Any vendor selling you a platform without addressing data cleanup is setting you up to waste money.
What Data Migration Actually Involves
Turning your messy files into usable GIS layers requires:
- Georeferencing: Aligning CAD drawings to real-world coordinates (Texas State Plane, NAD83, etc.)
- Feature extraction: Converting CAD polylines into gas mains, electric lines, water pipes with proper attributes
- Data validation: Fixing overlaps, gaps, and topology errors that break mobile map rendering
- Schema design: Organizing layers so crews can actually find what they need on a 6-inch phone screen
Budget reality: Plan for $1,500-$5,000 in migration work depending on how many drawings you have and how inconsistent they are. Nobody escapes this cost, regardless of which platform you choose.
Your Three Paths to Mobile Maps (And What Each Actually Costs)
Option 1: Open-Source Self-Hosting (QGIS + GeoServer)
The pitch: "It's free! Just use QGIS for editing and GeoServer for publishing."
The reality: The software is free. The expertise isn't.
You'll need someone who can:
- Install and configure Linux servers
- Set up PostgreSQL/PostGIS databases
- Configure GeoServer for mobile map tiles
- Build custom web apps for field crews
- Maintain server security and updates
Real cost:
- Migration: $1,500-$5,000 (same as any platform)
- Hosting: $50-$200/month for cloud servers
- Development: $5,000-$15,000 for initial mobile app setup
- Maintenance: 5-10 hours/month internal IT time
Who this works for: Contractors with in-house IT staff who have time for GIS projects, or those willing to hire a GIS consultant for ongoing support.
Who this doesn't work for: Operations managers who need maps deployed next month and don't have spare IT capacity.
Option 2: Cloud GIS Platforms (Mapbox, Carto, Felt, Google Earth Engine)
The pitch: "Modern cloud platforms without Esri's pricing."
The reality: These are excellent tools, but they're built for companies with clean data and GIS expertise.
Mapbox pricing example:
- $5-$50/month base plan
- Map loads charged per 1,000 views (50,000 loads = $250/month)
- Custom styling and feature editing requires coding
Carto pricing:
- $199/month base plan
- Additional users: $99/month each
- Data migration and setup: customer's responsibility
Total first-year cost: $3,000-$8,000 for platform access, plus migration costs you handle separately.
Who this works for: Contractors with someone on staff who knows SQL, JavaScript, or has GIS training.
Who this doesn't work for: Shops where "the person who knows computers" is the office manager who also does payroll and AP.
Option 3: Hybrid Migration + Hosting Services
The pitch: "We handle data migration AND provide hosted maps for a flat monthly fee."
The reality: This is the model designed specifically for small contractors who need turnkey deployment.
Providers in this category (including MorrisUtilitySolutions, GISCloud, and a few others) offer:
- Data migration included in setup fee
- Hosted map portal accessible from any device
- Mobile-optimized interface for field crews
- Update workflow so you can publish map changes without calling support
Typical pricing:
- Setup/migration: $1,500-$3,000 one-time
- Monthly hosting: $299-$799/month (unlimited users)
- Updates: Included or $50-$150 per update depending on complexity
Total first-year cost: $5,000-$12,000 all-in.
Who this works for: Contractors who want maps deployed in 30-60 days, need unlimited crew access, and don't want to manage servers or databases.
Who this doesn't work for: Companies that need deep GIS analysis tools, extensive customization, or integration with enterprise ERP systems.
ROI Calculation: When Does This Pay for Itself?
Here's the math that matters to your bottom line.
Scenario: 10-crew locate contractor in Houston metro area.
Current workflow pain points:
- Crews drive to office to pick up ticket packets with printed maps: 30 min/day average
- Callbacks because crews used outdated maps: 2-3 per week
- Time spent on phone describing where facilities are: 15 min/day
Time savings with mobile maps:
- Eliminate office trips: 10 crews × 30 min/day × 20 days = 100 hours/month
- Reduce callbacks: 10 callbacks/month × 2 hours = 20 hours/month
- Reduce phone coordination: 10 crews × 15 min/day × 20 days = 50 hours/month
Total monthly savings: 170 hours
At $75/hour loaded crew cost: 170 hours × $75 = $12,750/month in recovered time
Break-even analysis:
- $599/month solution pays for itself if it saves just 8 hours per month across all crews
- $10,000/year Esri solution needs 133 hours saved per year (11 hours/month) to break even
The ROI is there. The question is which solution gets you there without requiring a GIS degree to operate.
The Realistic Path for Most Small Contractors
If you're running 5-30 crews and need maps deployed this quarter, here's the practical path:
Step 1: Gather your data (even if it's messy)
Collect all CAD files, PDFs, shapefiles, and paper maps you have. Put them in one folder. Don't try to organize them yet.
Step 2: Get migration quotes from 2-3 providers
Focus on turnkey migration + hosting providers first. If you have in-house IT capacity, get quotes from open-source consultants too.
Step 3: Compare total first-year cost
Add setup + 12 months of service. Include training and update costs.
Step 4: Test mobile access before signing
Insist on seeing a demo on a phone in the field, not just a desktop presentation.
Step 5: Start with a pilot project
Migrate one service area or project first. Prove it works with 2-3 crews before rolling out company-wide.
Example: MorrisUtilitySolutions Model
Full transparency on what this approach looks like:
- Migration: $1,500 one-time (handles CAD, PDF, and paper map georeferencing)
- Hosting: $599/month (unlimited users, mobile-optimized portal)
- Updates: Included for minor changes; major re-maps billed separately
- Training: Included (crew orientation via video + live walkthrough)
First-year total: $1,500 + ($599 × 12) = $8,688
What you get: Your crews access maps on phones, you update layers as needed, and you're not managing servers or software licenses.
That's one option. There are others. The point is to know your total cost and what you're actually getting for it.
Bottom Line: You Have Options Beyond Esri
Esri builds excellent software. If you're a municipality managing 500 miles of water mains with a dedicated GIS department, ArcGIS is probably the right call.
But if you're a 10-crew contractor who needs to stop printing maps and start sending them to phones, you don't need enterprise GIS. You need:
- Someone to clean up your messy CAD/PDF files
- A map server that works on mobile devices
- A simple way to update layers when things change
- Pricing that fits a contractor budget
Whether that's a self-hosted open-source setup, a modern cloud platform, or a turnkey migration + hosting service depends on your in-house expertise and timeline.
Just don't let cost keep you stuck printing PDFs and wondering why your crews are calling you 10 times a day asking where the gas tap is.