Carlson Scan3D vs QGIS Comparison
Compare Carlson Scan3D vs QGIS features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Carlson Scan3D
5.3/10
A handheld 3D scanning app for iOS LiDAR devices and Carlson Windows tablets. It produces colour point clouds for surveyors, engineers and construction teams.
QGIS
7/10
QGIS is a free, open source desktop GIS. Organisations use it to view, edit, analyse and map spatial data, including vector, raster, mesh and point cloud layers.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.3/10 | 7/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 10/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 9/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Scalability | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Free QGIS (open source) |
| Features | ||
| LiDAR Processing | ||
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Offline Field App | Not listed | |
| Work Orders | Not listed | |
Carlson Scan3D vs QGIS cost by team size
| Team size | Carlson Scan3D | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 5 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 10 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 25 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 50 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Carlson Scan3D
- Higher Ease of Use score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Security score (6/10 vs 5/10)
Why choose QGIS
- Has a free plan (Carlson Scan3D does not)
- Higher Cost score (10/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for government (9/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
Carlson Scan3D
Pros
- All processing happens on the device, so scans can be made in trenches, vaults or remote sites without a connection.
- Exports DP, E57, RCS, LAS and LAZ files, which load into most point cloud tools.
- Scans can be geo-referenced with Carlson GNSS receivers and survey control files.
- Merges with drone, terrestrial and aerial LiDAR clouds in Carlson Point Cloud to fill gaps.
Cons
- Windows prices are not published, so buyers must go through a dealer.
- Phone LiDAR and depth-camera capture suits small objects and spaces, not large sites.
- There are almost no independent user reviews or ratings to check its performance.
- LandXML model comparison and direct .DP import into Carlson Point Cloud were announced as coming soon at launch.
QGIS
Pros
- No licence fees on any number of seats, under the GPLv2+ open source licence.
- Python and C++ plugins let teams add custom tools and database connectors such as PostGIS.
- It reads many data formats and standard web services, which makes it easy to connect to existing data.
- Its print layout, atlas and report tools suit organisations that produce a lot of maps.
- It loads LAS, LAZ and virtual point cloud datasets with classification-based rendering.
Cons
- Capterra reviewers report slow performance, freezes and crashes on heavy workloads.
- Newcomers describe a steep learning curve and say installation can be difficult.
- There is no vendor-backed support contract; help comes from the community or third-party providers.
- It cannot edit point clouds and has no asset maintenance features such as work orders.
- Some reviewers say it lacks tools that ArcGIS Pro offers.
Not sold on either?
Air Inspection Automation (AiA)Our product
Plans DJI drone inspection missions for power line towers from LiDAR scans: it finds the towers, places photo stops, checks clearance, and splits the route into battery flights.
Made by the team behind b stack radar. Shown here because it fits this topic. It is not part of our rankings. How we rank tools
Frequently Asked Questions
QGIS scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 7/10 against 5.3/10 for Carlson Scan3D. The largest gap is in Cost: 5/10 for Carlson Scan3D and 10/10 for QGIS.
QGIS has a free plan; Carlson Scan3D does not list one.
QGIS is the better fit for government: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 5/10 for Carlson Scan3D.
