PIX4Dcatch

PIX4Dcatch is a field-capture app that turns ground scans into georeferenced 3D models. It is best suited to surveyors, civil engineers and utility professionals who need location-aware capture. Its focused field workflow is useful, but making models requires a separate PIX4Dcloud or PIX4Dmatic license or trial.

Overview

The app records images with position and orientation data, while real-time coverage feedback helps crews spot gaps during a scan. Photogrammetry supports the modeling workflow on both platforms; iOS also uses LiDAR depth capture, while Android does not use depth data during processing. That distinction matters if depth capture is central to a team's workflow.

Phone GNSS geolocation is expected to be accurate to a few meters. For work that demands tighter absolute positioning, a supported RTK receiver can provide accuracy in the range of a few centimeters. RTK geotagging also requires an active NTRIP subscription for the relevant region, so the improved accuracy depends on both hardware and a service subscription. Supported devices include Trimble Catalyst DA2, Leica Zino FLX100 plus, Topcon Hyper CR, Emlid Reach RX and RX2, and Bad Elf Flex and Flex Mini.

Capture can continue offline once the user has logged in, but an internet connection is needed to start the login process and to upload to PIX4Dcloud. Processing does not happen on the phone, so this is not a standalone mobile modeling app. PIX4Dcloud can process up to 4,000 images per PIX4Dcatch project; PIX4D recommends at least 10 GB of available storage for maximum-resolution projects exceeding 1,750 images.

Key features

Coverage feedback: Real-time guidance helps field users identify missed areas before leaving a site, reducing the risk of needing a return capture.

Georeferenced capture: GPS positioning is included in the free Discovery license, while RTK support is part of Pro. That gives occasional users a way to begin with phone positioning and a route to higher accuracy when project requirements justify the added equipment and subscription.

Capture and exports: Captured data can be uploaded to PIX4Dcloud or exported to PIX4Dmapper or PIX4Dmatic. The product page also describes overlays for DXF, IFC and SHP designs, useful for comparing scans with project design data.

Field measurements and control: Point measurement and GCP and mark creation are included in Discovery; Pro adds Gaussian Splatting, AR points, volume computation and Autotags.

Pricing

PIX4Dcatch uses a freemium model, with a free plan and a 15-day trial. The Discovery license costs nothing and includes LiDAR 3D capture, GPS georeferencing, point measurement, and GCP and mark creation. It is a practical starting point for basic capture, but it does not remove the need for a PIX4Dcloud or PIX4Dmatic license or trial to process 3D data.

PIX4Dcatch Pro costs $132.50 a month, billed yearly, excluding taxes. It adds RTK support, Gaussian Splatting, AR points, volume computation, Autotags and free self-paced training to GPS georeferencing and GCP and mark tools. This tier is aimed at field professionals who need those capture and measurement capabilities; it does not include the cloud processing package.

PIX4Dcatch Pro + PIX4Dcloud Pro costs $506.67 a month, billed yearly, excluding taxes. It includes Pro features plus cloud processing, storage and sharing, Timeline, Auto GCPs, CAD overlay, 2D and volume comparison, and 2,500 free credits yearly. Teams that need cloud processing and collaboration can avoid a separate workflow, while those who already have a valid PIX4Dcloud or PIX4Dmatic license or trial may have less reason to choose this bundled tier. Both paid plans are billed yearly.

Platforms

PIX4Dcatch runs on Android and iOS for capture, with Windows also listed among its platforms. Mobile use is therefore available on both major phone ecosystems, but the LiDAR depth workflow is specific to iOS. Processing still depends on PIX4Dcloud or PIX4Dmatic rather than the mobile device.

Who it's for

The strongest fit is a surveyor, civil engineer or utility professional collecting ground scans in the field and needing georeferencing, coverage feedback or RTK positioning. Offline capture after login can help when connectivity is limited at a site, provided uploads can wait until the user is back online. The app is a weaker fit for anyone who wants to produce finished 3D models entirely on a phone or who cannot use the required PIX4D processing license or trial.

Pros and cons

Pros: Real-time coverage feedback and GPS georeferencing support practical field capture; Discovery provides LiDAR capture and point measurement at no cost; supported RTK hardware can improve absolute accuracy to a few centimeters.

Cons: Mobile capture is not mobile processing, so modeling requires a separate PIX4Dcloud or PIX4Dmatic license or trial; centimeter-range RTK positioning adds compatible hardware and an NTRIP subscription; Android does not use depth data during processing.

Alternatives

Photogrammetry Software and AI 3D Scanning Software are useful starting points for comparing tools across those categories.

Polycam is another freemium option with Android, iOS and web support; choose it if its free tier's GLTF exports and public link sharing suit the workflow.

RealityScan is a freemium alternative for readers who need Linux support as well as Android, iOS and Windows.

3Dsurvey is a paid option with a yearly subscription license at €187.50 a year; consider it when a desktop-oriented subscription is a better fit.

WebODM is free to install and use, runs locally and offline, and supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web and Windows deployments. It is worth considering if offline local processing matters more than PIX4Dcatch's mobile capture workflow.

3DF Zephyr offers a free personal-use license for Windows, capped at 50 photos or video frames with limited exports and editing; choose it for small personal projects rather than field capture with RTK positioning.

COLMAP is a free option for Linux, macOS, web and Windows.

OpenMVG is a free, open-source library for MPL-2.0 users.

PhotoCatch is a freemium option for iOS and macOS, with a free download and in-app purchases.

Verdict

PIX4Dcatch is a strong choice for field teams that need georeferenced ground capture, coverage feedback and an optional path to centimeter-range accuracy with RTK equipment. Its free Discovery license makes basic capture accessible, but processing remains dependent on PIX4Dcloud or PIX4Dmatic. Choose it when the field workflow and PIX4D ecosystem fit; look elsewhere if you need a self-contained mobile processor or want to avoid the extra license and RTK costs.