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Mining · head to head

3DEC vs CorePlan

3

3DEC

Mining

3D distinct element code for underground mining

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CorePlan logo

CorePlan

Mining

Drilling programme management for mineral exploration teams and drilling contractors

From
$1350/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 3DEC pricing is not published; licences are quoted, with subscription and perpetual options; CorePlan pricing is usage based on plods or shifts and billed annually with overage calculated monthly, so an intense drilling quarter generates an unbudgeted overage invoice, and finance teams that need a fixed annual number will struggle to get one.
  • They diverge on capability: 3DEC covers 3D distinct element analysis, CorePlan covers Digital plods.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3DEC and CorePlan actually diverge.

Attributes where 3DEC and CorePlan differ
Attribute3DECCorePlan
Starting priceOn request$1350/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer month by shift or plod volume
PlatformsWindows, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
Founded1981Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Mining).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 3DEC

  • 3D distinct element analysis
  • Block motion tracking
  • Contact detection
  • Support design
  • Dynamic simulation
  • FLAC3D
  • Leapfrog
  • Vulcan

Only in CorePlan

  • Digital plods
  • Rig scheduling
  • Contractor reconciliation
  • Sample and core tracking
  • Field Operations module
  • Advanced Analytics
  • Forms subscription
  • Interoperability service

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3DEC

  • Three-dimensional analysis of jointed rock and discontinuous materialsnot CorePlan
  • Slope stability and pillar analysis for miningnot CorePlan
  • Blast and earthquake dynamic analysisnot CorePlan
  • Groundwater flow through fractured rocknot CorePlan
  • Coupled thermal, mechanical and hydraulic modelling for geothermal, CO2 sequestration and nuclear wastenot CorePlan

CorePlan

  • A junior explorer running a two rig programme that wants cost per metre visible weekly instead of when the contractor invoice arrivesnot 3DEC
  • A drilling contractor with crews across several client sites submitting plods digitally to cut invoice disputesnot 3DEC
  • An exploration manager reconciling contractor billing against recorded shift hours before approving paymentnot 3DEC
  • A multi project mid tier miner consolidating hole planning and sample dispatch across sites that currently each run their own spreadsheetnot 3DEC

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

3DEC

  • Pricing is not published; licences are quoted, with subscription and perpetual options
  • A specialist geomechanical tool rather than general purpose simulation, so it assumes the user is a rock mechanics engineer

CorePlan

  • Pricing is usage based on plods or shifts and billed annually with overage calculated monthly, so an intense drilling quarter generates an unbudgeted overage invoice, and finance teams that need a fixed annual number will struggle to get one.
  • Only the Starter tier price is published; Professional, Enterprise and Corporate are all quote only, so comparing CorePlan against a competitor requires entering a sales process before you know the number.
  • Core modules are unbundled: field operations, advanced analytics and custom forms are separately priced add-ons that each start in the hundreds of dollars per month, so the realistic monthly cost is well above the advertised entry price.
  • It is a drilling operations system, not a geological database or modelling package, so it must sit alongside acQuire, Datashed or equivalent and the integration between them is a project rather than a switch.
  • The customer base and support depth are concentrated in Australia and the company is small and venture funded, which means teams in the Americas or Africa get thinner local implementation support and carry the usual supplier concentration risk on a system that sits in the middle of drilling spend.

Pricing, plan by plan

3DEC

On request
  • 3DEC Professional$25000/year
    • 3D distinct element analysis
    • Block-to-block interaction
    • Support installation modeling

CorePlan

$1350/month
  • Starter$1350/month
    • One project
    • Up to two rigs
    • Digital plods and rig scheduling
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • Multi-project management for mid-tier explorers
    • Higher rig and shift allowances
    • Priced on quotation
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Large-scale operations
    • Complex data integration
    • Priced on quotation
  • Field Operations add-on$800/month
    • Pre-starts and inspections
    • Field compliance forms
    • From this price

Which should you pick?

Choose 3DEC if

  • You need 3d distinct element analysis.
  • You work on Windows, Linux.
  • You also want block motion tracking.
3DEC review

Choose CorePlan if

  • You need digital plods.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want rig scheduling.
CorePlan review

Questions people ask

Is 3DEC or CorePlan better?
Neither clearly leads. 3DEC starts at On request and CorePlan at $1350/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3DEC or CorePlan?
3DEC starts at On request and CorePlan at $1350/month.
Does 3DEC or CorePlan run on more platforms?
3DEC runs on Windows, Linux. CorePlan runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is 3DEC best used for?
3DEC is most often used for three-dimensional analysis of jointed rock and discontinuous materials, slope stability and pillar analysis for mining, blast and earthquake dynamic analysis, groundwater flow through fractured rock. Of those, three-dimensional analysis of jointed rock and discontinuous materials and slope stability and pillar analysis for mining are not what CorePlan is typically brought in for.
What can 3DEC do that CorePlan cannot?
3DEC covers 3D distinct element analysis, Block motion tracking, Contact detection, Support design. CorePlan covers Digital plods, Rig scheduling, Contractor reconciliation, Sample and core tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

3DEC: Does 3DEC offer a free trial before purchasing?

Yes, 3DEC provides a free demo download available via the REQUEST DEMO button on their website. However, the specific trial period length is not stated on the product page.

Source
CorePlan: Is CorePlan a geological database?

No. It manages drilling operations, plods, scheduling and sample dispatch. Geological data still lives in acQuire, Datashed or similar.

3DEC: What licensing models does 3DEC support?

3DEC offers both subscription-based licenses (annual) and perpetual licenses. Subscription licenses are available through their FastSpring store with annual subscription terms.

Source
CorePlan: Can drilling contractors use it too?

Yes, and that is the point. Contractors submit plods on the same platform their client uses, which removes the invoice reconciliation argument.

3DEC: How is 3DEC pricing determined?

3DEC uses a quote-based pricing model rather than publishing fixed rates. Customers can request a quote through the website or purchase through their software store, with pricing customized based on specific needs.

Source
CorePlan: What does it actually cost?

Starter is 1,350 US dollars a month for one project and two rigs, billed annually. Everything above that is quoted, and the analytics and field modules add several hundred dollars a month each.

3DEC: What support resources are included with 3DEC?

3DEC includes documentation, tutorials, forum access, FAQs, applied examples, and training courses. Support appears to be included with purchases rather than sold separately.

Source
CorePlan: Does it work without mobile signal?

Yes, field capture works offline and syncs when the rig comes back into coverage.

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