Agisoft Metashape vs WebODM

Agisoft Metashape processes digital images into 3D spatial data for GIS, cultural heritage documentation, visual effects, and indirect measurement. It works with aerial, close-range, and satellite imagery, including automatic camera calibration and multi-camera projects. Professional Edition can create and edit terrain and surface models, georeferenced orthomosaics, and EPSG-based outputs. Its surveying functions include aerial LiDAR point attributes, laser scan registration, ground control points, targets, and scale bars. It also handles RGB, NIR, thermal, multispectral, and satellite imagery, and can calculate user-defined indices such as NDVI. Professional Edition adds Python scripting, Java bindings, distributed calculations on a local network, and a cloud processing interface. Standard and Professional installers are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. A 30-day full-function trial is available; demo mode blocks saving and exporting. Standard Edition costs $179, paid once, and Professional Edition costs $3,499, paid once. Regular licenses are not time-limited and include 12 months of email technical support and free updates through version 2.x.x.

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.