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Maps · head to head

Agisoft Metashape vs Foursquare Places API

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
F

Foursquare Places API

Maps

Access to the world's most trusted location data, including points of interest

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Foursquare Places API 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.; Foursquare Places API premium endpoint features like photos and ratings require paid calls with no free option
  • They diverge on capability: Agisoft Metashape covers Structure-from-motion alignment, Foursquare Places API 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 Foursquare Places API actually diverge.

Attributes where Agisoft Metashape and Foursquare Places API differ
AttributeAgisoft MetashapeFoursquare Places API
Starting price$179/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android

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 Foursquare Places API

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

Foursquare Places API

No use cases recorded yet. See the Foursquare Places API review.

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.

Foursquare Places API

  • Premium endpoint features like photos and ratings require paid calls with no free option
  • Entry-level free tier ($200/month) may be insufficient for high-volume applications
  • Limited real-time update frequency compared to enterprise solutions
  • Requires API key management and developer portal familiarity

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

Foursquare Places API

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • $200 monthly free credits
    • 500 free Pro endpoint calls
    • Access to standard place data
  • Pro Endpoints$0.00375/per call
    • Basic place search
    • Details and photos
  • Premium Endpoints$18.75/per 1000 calls
    • Photos
    • Tips
    • Hours

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 Foursquare Places API if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want user interface.
Foursquare Places API review

Questions people ask

Is Agisoft Metashape or Foursquare Places API better?
Neither clearly leads. Agisoft Metashape starts at $179/one-time and Foursquare Places API at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Agisoft Metashape or Foursquare Places API?
Foursquare Places API has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $179/one-time for Agisoft Metashape and Free for Foursquare Places API.
Does Agisoft Metashape or Foursquare Places API run on more platforms?
Agisoft Metashape runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Foursquare Places API runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Foursquare Places API for free?
Yes. Foursquare Places API 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 Foursquare Places API is typically brought in for.
What can Agisoft Metashape do that Foursquare Places API cannot?
Agisoft Metashape covers Structure-from-motion alignment, Dense point cloud generation, Mesh and texture, Orthomosaic and DEM. Foursquare Places API 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.

Foursquare Places API: How much free usage does Foursquare Places API provide?

All developer accounts receive $200 per month in free usage credits. After these are consumed, pay-as-you-go pricing applies. Pro endpoints have 500 free calls monthly, while premium endpoints have no free tier.

Source
Agisoft Metashape: Is it a subscription?

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

Foursquare Places API: What data does Foursquare Places API provide?

Foursquare provides a dataset of 100M+ places across 200 countries with 50+ attributes per place, including venue details, categories, hours, ratings, photos, and tips.

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.

Foursquare Places API: What are the pricing tiers for premium endpoints?

Premium endpoints like photos, tips, hours, and ratings cost $18.75 per 1,000 calls with no free tier available. Pricing scales with usage.

Source
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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