InspectionWorks vs QGIS Comparison
Compare InspectionWorks vs QGIS features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
InspectionWorks
5.3/10
InspectionWorks is Waygate Technologies' cloud platform for storing and analyzing non-destructive testing data. It serves asset managers and inspection teams in aerospace MRO and industry.
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 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 10/10 |
| Analytics | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 9/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| 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 | ||
| Asset Registry | Not listed | |
| Digital Twin | Not listed | |
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Inspection Automation | Not listed | |
| LiDAR Processing | Not listed | |
| Predictive Maintenance | Not listed | |
| Work Orders | Not listed | |
InspectionWorks vs QGIS cost by team size
| Team size | InspectionWorks | 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 InspectionWorks
- Higher Security score (6/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Scalability score (7/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose QGIS
- Has a free plan (InspectionWorks does not)
- Higher Cost score (10/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for engineering firms (7/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
InspectionWorks
Pros
- It accepts NDT data from Waygate hardware and from third-party devices, so inspection history from mixed device fleets ends up in one place.
- Analyze provides assisted and automated defect recognition for X-ray, CT and borescope inspections.
- Each asset's full inspection history stays linked to it, which supports long-term records for aviation MROs.
- It is backed by a large NDT hardware maker with roughly 1,500 staff, and Hexagon has agreed to buy that business.
Cons
- No public pricing.
- There are almost no independent user reviews on G2, Capterra or SourceForge.
- Hexagon's pending purchase of Waygate leaves the product roadmap uncertain.
- It has no work order, spare parts or wider maintenance management features.
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 InspectionWorks. The largest gap is in Cost: 4/10 for InspectionWorks and 10/10 for QGIS.
QGIS has a free plan; InspectionWorks does not list one.
QGIS is the better fit for engineering firms: we rate it 7/10 for them, against 5/10 for InspectionWorks.
