Professional Point Cloud Software at a Fair Price

Professional point cloud analysis shouldn't require an enterprise budget. Let's look at what the market charges—and what you actually need.

The drone surveying industry has experienced explosive growth over the past decade. What once required expensive manned aircraft, ground crews, and weeks of fieldwork can now be accomplished by a single surveyor with a $2,000 drone in a matter of hours. The technology democratized aerial mapping, putting professional-grade LiDAR and photogrammetry capabilities in the hands of small surveying firms, independent contractors, and in-house construction teams.

But software pricing hasn't always kept pace with this democratization.

What Does the Market Charge?

Let's look at the real numbers. Here's what the major drone processing platforms charge:

Platform	Monthly	Annual	Notes
PIX4Dmapper	€290	€2,900	Perpetual: €4,690
PIX4Dsurvey	€200	€2,000	Perpetual: €4,490
DroneDeploy	~$349*	~$4,188*	Flight & Analysis
Bentley iTwin Capture	—	~$3,200–$6,500*	Annual only
Propeller Aero	Custom	Custom	Contact for quote

Pix4D prices from official site (Dec 2025). *Other prices from resellers—verify on official sites.

Do the math. A mid-tier subscription runs you $2,000 to $4,500 per year. Over five years, that's $10,000 to $22,500 in software fees alone.

These platforms offer valuable features, but for many professionals—especially those who need to work offline or have specific data security requirements—there are more cost-effective alternatives worth considering.

When Cloud Processing Isn't Ideal

Cloud platforms work great for many use cases. But depending on your workflow, they can create challenges:

Internet Dependency

Cloud processing requires uploading massive files. A typical drone survey generates anywhere from 500MB to 50GB of raw data. On rural job sites with spotty cellular coverage, uploading can take hours—or simply fail. That "quick turnaround" your client requested? It's now waiting on your hotel WiFi.

Processing Queues

Your data doesn't process instantly on cloud platforms. It enters a queue with everyone else's data. During peak construction season, you might wait 4-8 hours for results. When you're standing on a job site with a client asking questions, "check back tomorrow" isn't an acceptable answer.

Service Outages

Cloud platforms go down. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, your entire operation stops. In March 2023, a major cloud mapping platform experienced a 14-hour outage. Every surveyor depending on that platform lost a day of productivity—and some lost client deadlines.

Platform Lock-in

What happens when you decide to switch platforms? Exporting your historical data can be tedious, and some platforms have limited export options. It's worth considering where your long-term project archive will live.

Data Privacy Considerations

An important question to consider: Where does your data go when you upload it?

Most cloud platforms process data on distributed servers. For many projects, this is perfectly fine. But certain industries have specific requirements:

Government Contracts

Many federal and state agencies have strict data residency requirements. Uploading survey data to commercial cloud servers may violate contract terms—or disqualify you from bidding entirely.

Mining and Resource Extraction

Volumetric data reveals operational capacity, extraction rates, and reserve estimates. This is competitive intelligence worth millions. Do you really want it on a shared cloud platform?

Legal Surveys and Expert Witness Work

Chain of custody matters in litigation. "The data was processed on a third-party cloud server in an undisclosed location" doesn't inspire confidence in a courtroom.

Critical Infrastructure

Power plants, water treatment facilities, transportation networks. Some clients have security requirements that explicitly prohibit cloud processing.

A Different Approach: Viizor

Viizor offers professional point cloud tools at a fraction of the cost—with flexibility to choose what works for your workflow.

Viizor Desktop is built for professionals who need local processing: no internet required, no upload queues, full control over your data. Pay once, own it forever.

Viizor Web (viizor.app) offers cloud-based collaboration for teams who need to share projects and work remotely—at competitive pricing.

Same professional tools, different delivery models. Choose what fits your needs.

Why Viizor Desktop?

• One-time purchase — Pay once, own it forever. Use it for one project or one thousand.
• Local processing — Your LAS/LAZ files process on your hardware. 50+ million points, no problem.
• Works offline — Process data in the field, on airplanes, in remote areas.
• Your data stays yours — Files on your hard drive, export in standard formats anytime.

Professional-Grade Tools

Affordable doesn't mean basic. Viizor Desktop includes:

• Volume calculations with material density libraries (98+ materials from the Caterpillar Performance Handbook)
• Cut/fill analysis for comparing surveys over time
• Automatic ground classification using PTD (Progressive TIN Densification)
• Manual reclassification tools for correcting errors
• DXF export for AutoCAD and Civil 3D integration
• Contour generation with customizable intervals
• Cross-section profiles for earthwork planning
• GCP alignment for tying to ground control
• Coordinate system detection and automatic reprojection

Everything you need for professional deliverables. Nothing you don't.

The Value Comparison

Let's put the numbers in perspective:

A typical cloud subscription costs €2,000–€3,000/year. Over three years, that's €6,000–€9,000.

For teams that need cloud collaboration, Viizor Web offers competitive pricing—typically far below what you'd pay for comparable features elsewhere.

The Right Tool for Your Workflow

Every surveyor's needs are different. Some need cloud collaboration. Others need offline reliability. Many need both at different times.

The point isn't that one model is better than another—it's that you shouldn't have to overpay for professional tools, regardless of which model fits your workflow.

Viizor gives you options:

• Desktop for local processing and data control
• Web for team collaboration and remote access
• Both at prices that make sense for independent professionals

Professional tools. Fair pricing. Your choice.