QGIS vs Quick Terrain Modeler Comparison
Compare QGIS vs Quick Terrain Modeler features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
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.
Quick Terrain Modeler
5.7/10
Quick Terrain Modeler is Windows desktop software from Applied Imagery for viewing, analyzing and exploiting LiDAR and other 3D point cloud and terrain data.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 7/10 | 5.7/10 |
| Analytics | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 10/10 | 5/10 |
| Customization | 9/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Scalability | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free QGIS (open source) | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| GIS and Mapping | ||
| LiDAR Processing | ||
| Work Orders | Not listed | |
QGIS vs Quick Terrain Modeler cost by team size
| Team size | QGIS | Quick Terrain Modeler |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeQGIS (open source) | Contact for pricing |
| 5 users | FreeQGIS (open source) | Contact for pricing |
| 10 users | FreeQGIS (open source) | Contact for pricing |
| 25 users | FreeQGIS (open source) | Contact for pricing |
| 50 users | FreeQGIS (open source) | Contact for pricing |
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 QGIS
- Has a free plan (Quick Terrain Modeler does not)
- Higher Cost score (10/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for education (9/10 vs 5/10)
Why choose Quick Terrain Modeler
- Higher Ease of Use score (6/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Support score (6/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
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.
Quick Terrain Modeler
Pros
- Handles large point clouds quickly for loading, rendering and analysis, according to the vendor
- Takes data from many sensors, including LiDAR, photogrammetry, radar, sonar and full motion video, in one scene
- Has a long history with defense and intelligence users, including NGA maintenance contracts
- Still being developed, with version 8.4.4 released in May 2026
- Free trial lets buyers test it before asking for a quote
Cons
- No public pricing; every purchase goes through a quote
- Runs only on Windows desktops
- Very few independent user reviews on the major review sites
- Not built for asset management, maintenance or field workflows
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 5.7/10 for Quick Terrain Modeler. The largest gap is in Cost: 10/10 for QGIS and 5/10 for Quick Terrain Modeler.
QGIS has a free plan; Quick Terrain Modeler does not list one.
QGIS is the better fit for education: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 5/10 for Quick Terrain Modeler.
