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Maps · head to head

Agisoft Metashape vs AssetWorks

Agisoft Metashape logo

Agisoft Metashape

Maps

Desktop photogrammetry that turns photographs into point clouds, meshes, orthomosaics and DEMs

From
$179/one-time
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
AssetWorks logo

AssetWorks

Fleet Management

Fleet and enterprise asset management software built for government and public sector buyers, owned by Constellation Software subsidiary Volaris Group

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Agisoft Metashape processing is entirely local, so throughput is a function of your workstation, and a large project on modest hardware can take days where a cloud service would return results overnight.; AssetWorks pricing is entirely unpublished and reportedly often includes ancillary fees beyond the headline licence or subscription cost, making total cost of ownership hard to estimate before a formal quote.
  • They diverge on capability: Agisoft Metashape covers Structure-from-motion alignment, AssetWorks covers Fleet lifecycle tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Agisoft Metashape and AssetWorks actually diverge.

Attributes where Agisoft Metashape and AssetWorks differ
AttributeAgisoft MetashapeAssetWorks
Starting price$179/one-timeOn request
Pricing modelOne-time purchasequote
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb
CategoryMapsFleet Management

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

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 Agisoft Metashape

  • Structure-from-motion alignment
  • Dense point cloud generation
  • Mesh and texture
  • Orthomosaic and DEM
  • Ground control points
  • Point cloud classification
  • Multispectral processing
  • Python and Java scripting

Only in AssetWorks

  • Fleet lifecycle tracking
  • Preventative maintenance scheduling
  • Fuel management
  • Inspection and licensing compliance
  • Enterprise Asset Management integration
  • Public-sector procurement fit

What people use each for

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

Agisoft Metashape

  • A survey or engineering firm processing high volumes of drone imagery that wants unlimited local processing instead of per-hectare cloud creditsnot AssetWorks
  • A quarry or mine measuring stockpile volumes monthly, where the same flight is reprocessed repeatedly and cloud pricing by area is punitivenot AssetWorks
  • An archaeology or heritage team documenting sites on a capital grant with no recurring software budget to renew a subscriptionnot AssetWorks
  • A VFX or games studio scanning props and environments, where Standard at $179 covers the whole requirement because georeferencing is irrelevantnot AssetWorks

AssetWorks

  • A municipal or county government needing fleet management that integrates with broader roads, facilities and parks asset managementnot Agisoft Metashape
  • A public utility needing fuel, maintenance and compliance tracking suited to public-sector audit requirementsnot Agisoft Metashape
  • A government buyer wanting to procure through an existing competitively solicited group purchasing agreement rather than an independent RFPnot Agisoft Metashape
  • An agency wanting a stable, long-term software vendor backed by Constellation Software acquire-and-hold ownership model rather than a venture-backed startupnot Agisoft Metashape

Where each one falls short

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

Agisoft Metashape

  • Processing is entirely local, so throughput is a function of your workstation, and a large project on modest hardware can take days where a cloud service would return results overnight.
  • The vendor is a Russian company, and since 2022 payment is restricted to wire transfer, ACH and SEPA direct debit with no card payment, which some corporate and government procurement departments simply cannot process.
  • There is no collaboration layer: no shared projects, no web viewer, no permissions. Sharing results means sending files, which is a real limitation on multi-office teams.
  • Support is thin compared with commercial drone platforms, and the software assumes photogrammetric competence; users who do not understand overlap, ground control and residuals produce confidently wrong models.
  • A node-locked licence is tied to a machine, and moving it or covering a second workstation means either a reseller-quoted floating licence or buying twice, which erodes the cost advantage for teams rather than individuals.

AssetWorks

  • Pricing is entirely unpublished and reportedly often includes ancillary fees beyond the headline licence or subscription cost, making total cost of ownership hard to estimate before a formal quote.
  • Being owned by Constellation Software, known for acquiring and holding software businesses with limited reinvestment pressure, can mean slower feature innovation compared with venture-backed competitors racing to add AI and modern UX.
  • The platform is explicitly built and marketed around public-sector procurement and workflow needs, so a private commercial fleet may find it less tailored to their process than a fleet-first competitor.
  • Multi-year public-sector contracts reduce flexibility to switch providers even if requirements or the competitive landscape change during the term.
  • Choosing between perpetual licence and SaaS subscription is itself a significant decision with different long-term cost profiles, and neither option pricing is published to compare in advance.

Pricing, plan by plan

Agisoft Metashape

$179/one-time
  • Standard$179/one-time
    • Photogrammetric alignment, dense cloud, mesh and texture
    • No georeferencing or coordinate systems
    • No ground control points
  • Professional$3499/one-time
    • Everything in Standard
    • Georeferencing, coordinate systems and ground control points
    • Orthomosaic, DEM and point cloud classification
  • Floating licence$undefined/one-time
    • Shared across machines rather than node-locked
    • Sold through authorised resellers only
    • Quoted rather than listed

AssetWorks

On request
  • FleetFocus$undefined/year
    • Perpetual licence or SaaS subscription options
    • No published pricing, quote required
    • Contracts typically multi-year with ancillary fees reported

Which should you pick?

Choose Agisoft Metashape if

  • You need structure-from-motion alignment.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want dense point cloud generation.
Agisoft Metashape review

Choose AssetWorks if

  • You need fleet lifecycle tracking.
  • You also want preventative maintenance scheduling.
AssetWorks review

Questions people ask

Is Agisoft Metashape or AssetWorks better?
Neither clearly leads. Agisoft Metashape starts at $179/one-time and AssetWorks at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Agisoft Metashape or AssetWorks?
Agisoft Metashape starts at $179/one-time and AssetWorks at On request.
Does Agisoft Metashape or AssetWorks run on more platforms?
Agisoft Metashape runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. AssetWorks runs on Web.
What is Agisoft Metashape best used for?
Agisoft Metashape is most often used for a survey or engineering firm processing high volumes of drone imagery that wants unlimited local processing instead of per-hectare cloud credits, a quarry or mine measuring stockpile volumes monthly, where the same flight is reprocessed repeatedly and cloud pricing by area is punitive, an archaeology or heritage team documenting sites on a capital grant with no recurring software budget to renew a subscription, a vfx or games studio scanning props and environments, where standard at $179 covers the whole requirement because georeferencing is irrelevant. Of those, a survey or engineering firm processing high volumes of drone imagery that wants unlimited local processing instead of per-hectare cloud credits and a quarry or mine measuring stockpile volumes monthly, where the same flight is reprocessed repeatedly and cloud pricing by area is punitive are not what AssetWorks is typically brought in for.
What can Agisoft Metashape do that AssetWorks cannot?
Agisoft Metashape covers Structure-from-motion alignment, Dense point cloud generation, Mesh and texture, Orthomosaic and DEM. AssetWorks covers Fleet lifecycle tracking, Preventative maintenance scheduling, Fuel management, Inspection and licensing compliance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Agisoft Metashape: How much does Metashape cost?

Professional is $3,499 and Standard is $179, both node-locked. Floating licences are quoted through resellers.

AssetWorks: Who owns AssetWorks?

Volaris Group, a division of Constellation Software, which acquires and holds vertical-market software businesses long term rather than growing and reselling them.

Agisoft Metashape: Is it a subscription?

No. These are perpetual node-locked licences. Major version upgrades are charged separately.

AssetWorks: Is AssetWorks only for government fleets?

It is primarily built and marketed for public sector buyers, though private fleets can also use it; government-specific features like competitive group purchasing access are a key differentiator.

Agisoft Metashape: What is the difference between Standard and Professional?

Standard has no georeferencing, coordinate systems, ground control points, orthomosaic export or scripting. Anything survey or mapping related requires Professional.

AssetWorks: Perpetual licence or SaaS?

Both options exist, but neither is priced publicly, so a buyer needs a quote to compare the two structures directly.

Agisoft Metashape: Does it process in the cloud?

No. All processing is local on your own hardware, which is the main reason it is cheap at volume and slow on weak machines.

Agisoft Metashape: Are there educational licences?

Yes, Agisoft offers reduced academic pricing on a separate page.

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