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Maps · head to head

Agisoft Metashape vs OpenRouteService

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
OpenRouteService logo

OpenRouteService

Maps

Open-source routing, geocoding, and isochrone APIs based on OpenStreetMap data for developers and enterprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenRouteService 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.; OpenRouteService free tier limited to 500 Isochrones requests per day
  • They diverge on capability: Agisoft Metashape covers Structure-from-motion alignment, OpenRouteService 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 OpenRouteService actually diverge.

Attributes where Agisoft Metashape and OpenRouteService differ
AttributeAgisoft MetashapeOpenRouteService
Starting price$179/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchasefreemium
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 OpenRouteService

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

OpenRouteService

  • Directions routing for cars, trucks, bikes, walking, hiking, wheelchairnot Agisoft Metashape
  • Reachability analysis with isochrones for time and distance calculationsnot Agisoft Metashape
  • Many-to-many distance matrix calculationsnot Agisoft Metashape
  • Location geocoding and conversion to coordinatesnot Agisoft Metashape
  • Points of interest discovery and mappingnot Agisoft Metashape
  • Elevation data enrichment using SRTM satellite datanot Agisoft Metashape
  • Vehicle routing problem optimizationnot 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.

OpenRouteService

  • Free tier limited to 500 Isochrones requests per day
  • API restrictions exist but details not fully documented on main page
  • Specific pricing tiers and costs not published on primary website

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

OpenRouteService

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the OpenRouteService 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 OpenRouteService if

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

Questions people ask

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

OpenRouteService: How much does OpenRouteService cost?

OpenRouteService is free to use and open source. The free tier includes up to 500 Isochrones requests per day. Specific pricing for higher usage tiers is not published on the main pricing page.

Source
Agisoft Metashape: Is it a subscription?

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

OpenRouteService: Is there a free version of OpenRouteService?

Yes, OpenRouteService is completely free to use and built on open source technology. All services are presented as free to use and based on user-generated and collaboratively collected geographic data from OpenStreetMap.

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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