Katapult Pro vs PointCab Origins: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Katapult Pro and PointCab Origins to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Katapult Pro
6.5/10
Katapult Pro is a cloud pole attachment platform. It covers field data collection, make-ready engineering design, and joint use management for utilities, telecom builders, and OSP engineering firms.
PointCab Origins
5.5/10
Desktop point cloud processing software from Germany. It turns terrestrial, SLAM and drone laser scans into orthophotos, sections, vectors and CAD/BIM deliverables for surveyors and planners.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $116/mo Data Collection | €420/mo Monthly Rental (all modules and plugins) |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | $116/mo Data Collection | Free Trial |
| Features | ||
| Engineering Design | ||
| Asset Registry | Not listed | |
| Drone Inspection | Not listed | |
| Engineering Simulation | Not listed | |
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Inspection Checklists | Not listed | |
| LiDAR Processing | Not listed | |
| Power Line Inspection | Not listed | |
| Preventive Maintenance | Not listed | |
| Safety and Compliance | Not listed | |
| Spare Parts Inventory | Not listed | |
| Work Orders | Not listed | |
Katapult Pro vs PointCab Origins cost by team size
| Team size | Katapult Pro | PointCab Origins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | $116/moData Collection | FreeTrial |
| 5 users | $116/moData Collection | FreeTrial |
| 10 users | $116/moData Collection | FreeTrial |
| 25 users | $116/moData Collection | FreeTrial |
| 50 users | $116/moData Collection | FreeTrial |
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 Katapult Pro
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Analytics score (6/10 vs 4/10)
Why choose PointCab Origins
- Has a free plan (Katapult Pro does not)
- Higher Integration score (7/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
Katapult Pro
Pros
- Pricing is published, contracts are month to month, and there is no cancellation penalty, which is rare among pole engineering tools.
- Read-only users are free, so stakeholders can review data without paying for a license.
- Field crews can collect pole photos and heights without entering the power space, and photos are matched to poles automatically.
- Clearance violation detection and pole loading are built in, with SPIDAcalc export included.
- Joint use workflows track FCC shot clock deadlines for utilities.
Cons
- O-Calc Pro export costs an extra $231 a month.
- Joint Use Management and Site License pricing are not published.
- The one-time setup fee of $1,815, plus optional equipment the site lists at $3,200 to $3,450, raises the cost of getting started.
- Reviewers say results depend on clean, consistent input data, and clearance checks can feel worksheet-like for edge cases.
- It is focused on pole attachment work and does not offer general CMMS features such as work orders or spare parts.
PointCab Origins
Pros
- Orthophotos, sections and layouts are generated automatically from scans, which shortens the route from point cloud to 2D plans.
- Native plugins cover six CAD/BIM platforms: Revit, AutoCAD, Archicad, BricsCAD, Vectorworks and ZWCAD.
- Licensing is flexible: perpetual, yearly subscription, an all-inclusive 420-euro monthly rental, and free student licences.
- The trial clock runs only while the software is open, giving 25 hours of real use.
- A LiDAR News reviewer found the simplified toolbar easy for beginners, while shortcut and design options suit advanced users.
Cons
- List prices for Core and 3D licences are not published on the website and are only available in the shop.
- Plane-based registration was not fully automatic like cloud-to-cloud registration, according to the 4.0 review.
- Projects saved in Origins are not compatible with older 3.x versions, so the software saves a separate 3.x copy.
- Independent user reviews are scarce on G2, SourceForge and Slashdot.
- It focuses on drawings and documentation, with no advanced LiDAR classification or asset management features.
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
Katapult Pro scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 6.5/10 against 5.5/10 for PointCab Origins. The largest gap is in Analytics: 6/10 for Katapult Pro and 4/10 for PointCab Origins.
PointCab Origins has a free plan; Katapult Pro does not list one.
