3DF Zephyr vs WebODM

3DF Zephyr is Windows desktop software that reconstructs 3D models from photos, with workflows involving camera sensors, drones, and laser scanners. It estimates camera parameters automatically and offers global or incremental reconstruction pipelines. Outputs include orthophotos, orthomosaics, DEMs, contour lines, sections, CAD drawings, measurements, and project reports. Users can upload models to Sketchfab and videos to YouTube; Unity ArtEngine integration is described for people with an ArtEngine license. Plugins include native support for several laser scanner formats, a beta Canon DSLR remote-shooting plugin, and an experimental GEOBIM Revit plugin. Python scripts and XML files can automate workflows and batch processing. The free plan is for personal use and allows 50 photos or video frames, with limited exports and editing. Zephyr requires Windows 10 or 11, at least 16 GB of RAM, and 20 GB of free disk space. The listed Lite plan costs €199 a month, while the full Zephyr plan is listed at €4,200 a month.

WebODM turns aerial images into georeferenced maps, point clouds, digital elevation models, textured 3D models, and Gaussian splats. It accepts photos or videos from any drone, including JPG, TIFF, video files, and multispectral imagery, and can run on a user's computer while offline. Exports include GeoTIFF, PNG, LAS/LAZ, OBJ, and OGC 3D Tiles. Mapping tools cover measurements, plant-health indexes, ground-control points, elevation contours, rolling-shutter correction, and sharing links. WebODM uses ODX, a free, open-source photogrammetry engine that developers can run from the command line or integrate into software. It can also connect to processing nodes that speak the NodeODX API. The API uses token authentication through the /api/token-auth/ endpoint, with tokens expiring after six hours by default. Model-level and row-level permissions govern whether users can view, add, edit, or delete objects. WebODM is free to install and use locally; optional cloud plans are listed at $24 a month billed yearly for Starter, $35 a month billed yearly for Pro, and $99 a month billed yearly for Business. Minimum requirements are 8 GB RAM and 20 GB disk space; larger datasets have higher recommended requirements.