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Maps · head to head

Agisoft Metashape vs Whip Around

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
Whip Around logo

Whip Around

Fleet Management

Digital vehicle inspection and maintenance software priced per asset per month, with a firm minimum monthly charge that changes the real cost for small fleets

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Whip Around 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.; Whip Around the $120 (Standard) or $220 (Pro) monthly minimum covers the first 20 assets regardless of actual fleet size, so a fleet with fewer than 20 vehicles pays a per-asset rate well above the advertised $5 or $10 headline figure.
  • They diverge on capability: Agisoft Metashape covers Structure-from-motion alignment, Whip Around covers Digital DVIR inspections.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Agisoft Metashape and Whip Around actually diverge.

Attributes where Agisoft Metashape and Whip Around differ
AttributeAgisoft MetashapeWhip Around
Starting price$179/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchasePer asset per month, with a monthly minimum on paid tiers
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryMapsFleet Management

Identical on both: 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 Whip Around

  • Digital DVIR inspections
  • Automated work orders
  • Preventative maintenance scheduling
  • Parts and inventory tracking
  • Driver and asset document storage
  • AI-enabled photo inspection

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

Whip Around

  • A small trucking or field service fleet needing DOT-compliant digital DVIR inspections instead of paper formsnot Agisoft Metashape
  • A fleet manager wanting inspection defects to automatically generate maintenance work orders rather than a separate manual stepnot Agisoft Metashape
  • An owner-operator with a single vehicle wanting free inspection record-keepingnot Agisoft Metashape
  • A mid-size fleet wanting parts and inventory tracking tied directly to inspection-triggered work ordersnot 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.

Whip Around

  • The $120 (Standard) or $220 (Pro) monthly minimum covers the first 20 assets regardless of actual fleet size, so a fleet with fewer than 20 vehicles pays a per-asset rate well above the advertised $5 or $10 headline figure.
  • It does not include GPS tracking or route optimisation, so fleets wanting live location visibility need a separate telematics platform alongside it.
  • Signing an annual contract is needed to access the better per-asset rate, reducing flexibility for a fleet uncertain about its growth trajectory.
  • As an inspection-first rather than telematics-first product, it competes against broader platforms like Samsara or Geotab that bundle inspection features into a wider telematics suite, which can make Whip Around a second subscription rather than a full replacement.
  • AI-enabled photo inspection is a newer feature, and its defect-detection accuracy has less of an independent track record than the platform core manual inspection workflow.

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

Whip Around

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Free for 1 asset
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • $5 per asset per month
    • $120/month minimum on month-to-month billing, covers first 20 assets
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • $10 per asset per month
    • $220/month minimum on month-to-month billing, covers first 20 assets
  • Fixed Unlimited$undefined/month
    • Custom fixed price for large fleets, quote required

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 Whip Around if

  • You need digital dvir inspections.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated work orders.
Whip Around review

Questions people ask

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

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.

Whip Around: Is Whip Around really free?

Only for a single asset. Any fleet with more than one vehicle moves to a paid tier with a $120 or $220 monthly minimum.

Agisoft Metashape: Is it a subscription?

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

Whip Around: Does it include GPS tracking?

No. It focuses on inspections, maintenance and work orders; GPS tracking requires a separate telematics product.

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.

Whip Around: What is the real cost for a small fleet?

Because the minimum covers up to 20 assets, a fleet with fewer vehicles effectively pays more per asset than the $5 or $10 headline rate suggests.

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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