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Maps · head to head

Agisoft Metashape vs deck.gl

Agisoft Metashape logo

Agisoft Metashape

Maps

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

From
$179/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
deck.gl logo

deck.gl

Maps

WebGL-powered framework for visual exploratory data analysis of large datasets, developed by

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only deck.gl has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; deck.gl open source framework with no commercial support tier available; support relies on community and GitHub issues
  • They diverge on capability: Agisoft Metashape covers Structure-from-motion alignment, deck.gl covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Agisoft Metashape and deck.gl actually diverge.

Attributes where Agisoft Metashape and deck.gl differ
AttributeAgisoft Metashapedeck.gl
Starting price$179/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps).

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 deck.gl

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

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 deck.gl
  • A quarry or mine measuring stockpile volumes monthly, where the same flight is reprocessed repeatedly and cloud pricing by area is punitivenot deck.gl
  • An archaeology or heritage team documenting sites on a capital grant with no recurring software budget to renew a subscriptionnot deck.gl
  • A VFX or games studio scanning props and environments, where Standard at $179 covers the whole requirement because georeferencing is irrelevantnot deck.gl

deck.gl

  • GPU-accelerated visualisation of large geospatial datasets in the browsernot Agisoft Metashape
  • Composing map overlays from reusable layersnot Agisoft Metashape
  • Adding data layers on top of Google Maps or Mapbox basemapsnot Agisoft Metashape
  • High-precision plotting using 64-bit GPU computationnot Agisoft Metashape
  • Use from React or plain JavaScriptnot 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.

deck.gl

  • Open source framework with no commercial support tier available; support relies on community and GitHub issues
  • Maintained by community contributors (vis.gl contributors), not by a dedicated company support team

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

deck.gl

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the deck.gl review.

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 deck.gl if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
deck.gl review

Questions people ask

Is Agisoft Metashape or deck.gl better?
Neither clearly leads. Agisoft Metashape starts at $179/one-time and deck.gl at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Agisoft Metashape or deck.gl?
deck.gl has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $179/one-time for Agisoft Metashape and Free for deck.gl.
Does Agisoft Metashape or deck.gl run on more platforms?
Agisoft Metashape runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. deck.gl runs on Web.
Can I use deck.gl for free?
Yes. deck.gl has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Agisoft Metashape starts at $179/one-time.
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 deck.gl is typically brought in for.
What can Agisoft Metashape do that deck.gl cannot?
Agisoft Metashape covers Structure-from-motion alignment, Dense point cloud generation, Mesh and texture, Orthomosaic and DEM. deck.gl covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

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.

deck.gl: How much does deck.gl cost?

deck.gl is completely free to use. It is an open source framework maintained by the OpenJS Foundation and community contributors. The project is available on GitHub for anyone to use, modify, and contribute to without cost.

Source
Agisoft Metashape: Is it a subscription?

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

deck.gl: Is deck.gl open source?

Yes, deck.gl is open source software maintained by the OpenJS Foundation and vis.gl contributors. The source code is publicly available, and the framework can be used freely in any project.

Source
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.

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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