PointCab Origins vs WhiteboxTools
PointCab Origins
pointcab-software.comWhiteboxTools
whiteboxgeo.comSide by side
| Figure | PointCab Origins | WhiteboxTools |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €420/mo | $61.67/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 10 |
| Spec score · Point Cloud Software | 8.0 (#2) | 7.6 (#8) |
| Company | PointCab GmbH is a German company based in Wernau, Germany, founded in 2013 by surveyors and geodesists. | The maker is Whitebox Geospatial Inc., which lists Guelph, Canada as its location. |
| Headquarters | Wernau, Germany | Guelph, Canada |
| Integrations | The maker lists CAD plugins for Archicad, AutoCAD, BricsCAD, Revit, Vectorworks, and ZWCAD. | Whitebox works with QGIS, Python notebooks, R workflows, scripts, and local desktop processing. |
| Purpose | PointCab Origins evaluates point cloud data from laser scanners and transfers results to CAD and BIM systems. | Whitebox provides geospatial tools for terrain analysis, hydrology, LiDAR, remote sensing, and vector GIS. |
Plans
PointCab Origins
- Origins Core — monthly rental€420 a month
- Origins Core — perpetual licensePrice not published
- Origins Core — yearly subscriptionPrice not published
WhiteboxTools
- Whitebox Open Core (Python, R, QGIS)Free
- LiDAR & Forest Analytics — Entry$740 a year
- Environmental Risk & Compliance — Entry$890 a year
- Network Planning & Operations — Entry$995 a year
- LiDAR & Forest Analytics — Standard$1,270 a year
- Environmental Risk & Compliance — Standard$1,490 a year
- Network Planning & Operations — Standard$1,795 a year
- Environmental Risk & Compliance — EnterprisePriced on request
- LiDAR & Forest Analytics — EnterprisePriced on request
- Network Planning & Operations — EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
PointCab Origins
PointCab Origins evaluates laser-scanner point clouds and transfers results to CAD and BIM systems. It automatically creates front, side, and top orthophoto views; users can also make floor plans and sections and measure areas, distances, and volumes. The desktop software processes data from drone, terrestrial, and SLAM scanners, can merge point clouds, and exports 3D information in formats such as DWG and DXF. Its listed capabilities include point-cloud registration, E57 and LAS/LAZ support, geospatial analysis, and point-cloud-to-mesh processing. Origins runs on Windows and macOS. PointCab offers Origins Core and Origins 3D with perpetual, subscription, and rental license options, plus plugins for Archicad, AutoCAD, BricsCAD, Revit, Vectorworks, and ZWCAD. The Core monthly rental is €420.00 per month. A free trial lasts 24 working hours and allows up to three test projects; activation requires installation, a form, an emailed code, and a request through LicTrust Manager. Tutorials are available, and academic licenses are limited to non-commercial educational use.
WhiteboxTools
WhiteboxTools is geospatial software for terrain analysis, hydrology, LiDAR, remote sensing, and vector GIS. Its Whitebox Next Gen library includes more than 700 tools, with open tools accessible through Python, R, and a QGIS plugin. Functions include terrain derivatives from digital elevation models, watershed delineation, flow routing, point-cloud classification, image analysis, change detection, and vector operations. It fits into QGIS, Python notebooks, R workflows, scripts, and local desktop processing. Listed formats range from GeoTIFF, Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFF, LAS/LAZ, and COPC to GeoPackage, FlatGeobuf, GeoParquet, GeoJSON, and Shapefile. The maker says processing runs locally, which can support on-premises or offline workflows. Windows, macOS, and Linux are listed. The open core is free; paid Entry plans are $740 a year to $995 a year, and Standard plans are $1,270 a year to $1,795 a year. Pro EULA terms allow opting out of optional telemetry, but not license-validation reporting.