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Mining · head to head

Carlson Mining vs Carlson Software

Carlson Mining logo

Carlson Mining

Mining

Mining and surveying software solution

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Carlson Software logo

Carlson Software

CAD

Survey and civil design CAD sold as a perpetual licence with optional maintenance

From
$4450/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Carlson Mining no pricing published on primary domain; Carlson Software the perpetual licence is a larger upfront cost than a first-year subscription, which is harder to approve for a practice with tight cash flow even though it is cheaper over five years.
  • They diverge on capability: Carlson Mining covers Pit design, Carlson Software covers Survey data reduction.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carlson Mining and Carlson Software actually diverge.

Attributes where Carlson Mining and Carlson Software differ
AttributeCarlson MiningCarlson Software
Starting priceOn request$4450/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionOne-time purchase
CategoryMiningCAD
Founded1983Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Windows), 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 Carlson Mining

  • Pit design
  • Grade control
  • Production planning
  • Survey integration
  • Mapping
  • AutoCAD
  • ArcGIS
  • GPS

Only in Carlson Software

  • Survey data reduction
  • Civil design
  • Hydrology
  • GIS module
  • Earthwork takeoff
  • IntelliCAD engine included
  • AutoCAD compatibility
  • SurvCE field software

What people use each for

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

Carlson Mining

  • Pit designnot Carlson Software
  • Grade controlnot Carlson Software
  • Mine planningnot Carlson Software
  • Surveyingnot Carlson Software
  • Mappingnot Carlson Software

Carlson Software

  • A small surveying practice that wants to stop paying an annual Civil 3D subscription and own its CAD outrightnot Carlson Mining
  • A firm running mixed instrument brands in the field that needs data collector software not tied to one manufacturernot Carlson Mining
  • A civil consultancy doing road, site grading and stormwater design without needing an enterprise BIM environmentnot Carlson Mining
  • A land development office that renews maintenance only in years when a release actually adds something it needsnot Carlson Mining

Where each one falls short

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

Carlson Mining

  • No pricing published on primary domain
  • No pricing page accessible via /pricing or /plans
  • Vendor contact required to obtain cost information

Carlson Software

  • The perpetual licence is a larger upfront cost than a first-year subscription, which is harder to approve for a practice with tight cash flow even though it is cheaper over five years.
  • It is Windows only, so a practice on macOS has to run virtualisation, and there is no browser or mobile design client.
  • Carlson is a smaller ecosystem than Autodesk, so hiring staff who already know it is harder and training time is a real cost when a new surveyor joins.
  • Skipping maintenance saves money but leaves you on an old release, and when a client eventually sends a file from a much newer version the compatibility gap becomes your problem to solve.
  • Pricing is largely sold through resellers with figures varying by dealer and region, so the published $4,450 Civil Suite price is a reference point rather than a firm quote.

Pricing, plan by plan

Carlson Mining

On request
  • Carlson Mining Standard$7000/year
    • Mining design
    • Pit design
    • Grade control
  • Carlson Mining Professional$15000/year
    • Advanced mine planning
    • Production scheduling
    • Equipment management

Carlson Software

$4450/one-time
  • Civil Suite$4450/one-time
    • Survey, Civil, Hydrology and GIS modules
    • Perpetual licence
    • IntelliCAD engine included
  • Individual modules$undefined/one-time
    • Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS or Takeoff purchased separately
    • Perpetual licence
    • Pricing varies by module and reseller
  • Annual maintenance$undefined/year
    • Approximately 10 per cent of purchase price
    • Optional, software continues running without it
    • Provides version updates and support

Which should you pick?

Choose Carlson Mining if

  • You need pit design.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want grade control.
Carlson Mining review

Choose Carlson Software if

  • You need survey data reduction.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want civil design.
Carlson Software review

Questions people ask

Is Carlson Mining or Carlson Software better?
Neither clearly leads. Carlson Mining starts at On request and Carlson Software at $4450/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carlson Mining or Carlson Software?
Carlson Mining starts at On request and Carlson Software at $4450/one-time.
Does Carlson Mining or Carlson Software run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Carlson Mining best used for?
Carlson Mining is most often used for pit design, grade control, mine planning, surveying. Of those, pit design and grade control are not what Carlson Software is typically brought in for.
What can Carlson Mining do that Carlson Software cannot?
Carlson Mining covers Pit design, Grade control, Production planning, Survey integration. Carlson Software covers Survey data reduction, Civil design, Hydrology, GIS module.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Carlson Mining: How much does Carlson Software cost?

Carlson Software does not publish pricing. No pricing page is available on carlsonsw.com. Contact the vendor directly for quotes and licensing terms.

Source
Carlson Software: Is Carlson a perpetual licence?

Yes. You buy it once and it keeps running. Annual maintenance at roughly ten per cent is optional and only affects updates and support.

Carlson Mining: What is Carlson Software's pricing model?

Carlson Software's pricing model is not published online. The vendor appears to use a custom quote or contact-sales model. Reach out to their sales team to discuss your specific project needs.

Source
Carlson Software: Do I need AutoCAD as well?

No. An IntelliCAD engine is included. You can alternatively run Carlson on top of AutoCAD if your practice already licenses it.

Carlson Software: Does Carlson field software work with other brands of instrument?

Yes. SurvCE supports total stations and GNSS receivers from several manufacturers, which is one of the main reasons firms choose it.

Carlson Software: What does the Civil Suite include?

Survey, Civil, Hydrology and GIS, listed at $4,450.

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