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Maps & Navigation · head to head

CesiumJS vs Vulcan

CesiumJS logo

CesiumJS

Maps & Navigation

Open-source JavaScript library for creating 3D globes and 2D maps with support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vulcan logo

Vulcan

Mining & Resources

Industry-standard 3D mine planning and modeling software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CesiumJS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CesiumJS the free Community tier does not permit commercial use; Vulcan neither the Vulcan product page nor the Maptek store page shows a price, a licence term or a subscription length
  • They diverge on capability: CesiumJS covers Core Functionality, Vulcan covers Geological modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CesiumJS and Vulcan actually diverge.

Attributes where CesiumJS and Vulcan differ
AttributeCesiumJSVulcan
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWindows
CategoryMaps & NavigationMining & Resources
FoundedUnknown1981

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 CesiumJS

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

Only in Vulcan

  • Geological modeling
  • Block modeling
  • Mine design
  • Resource estimation
  • Production scheduling
  • Surpac
  • Leapfrog
  • I-Site

What people use each for

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

CesiumJS

  • Streaming 3D terrain, imagery and building data into web applicationsnot Vulcan
  • Tiling and hosting large geospatial and reality capture datasetsnot Vulcan

Vulcan

  • Geological modelling, block modelling and resource estimationnot CesiumJS
  • Open pit and underground mine design and schedulingnot CesiumJS
  • Grade control and geotechnical analysis at operating minesnot CesiumJS

Where each one falls short

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

CesiumJS

  • The free Community tier does not permit commercial use
  • The cheapest commercial plan is $149 a month for an individual and $524 for a team
  • Team accounts are capped at 5 members on both the Commercial and Premium plans
  • Three separate quotas apply at once, being storage, monthly streaming and monthly reality modelling gigapixels, and exceeding any one of them constrains the account
  • Streaming is capped at 15 GB a month on the free tier

Vulcan

  • Neither the Vulcan product page nor the Maptek store page shows a price, a licence term or a subscription length
  • Vulcan is a base product extended by nine paid add on modules covering geology and estimation, open pit design, underground design, scheduling, grade control and geotechnics, so the entry licence does not cover a full workflow
  • Buying requires going through the Maptek store or contacting Maptek directly for a quote

Pricing, plan by plan

CesiumJS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CesiumJS review.

Vulcan

On request
  • Vulcan Standard$8000/year
    • 3D modeling
    • Mine design
    • Block modeling
  • Vulcan Professional$15000/year
    • Advanced geostatistics
    • Resource estimation
    • Pit optimization
  • Vulcan Enterprise$25000/year
    • All modules
    • Custom solutions
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose CesiumJS if

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

Choose Vulcan if

  • You need geological modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want block modeling.
Vulcan review

Questions people ask

Is CesiumJS or Vulcan better?
Neither clearly leads. CesiumJS starts at Free and Vulcan at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CesiumJS or Vulcan?
CesiumJS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CesiumJS and On request for Vulcan.
Does CesiumJS or Vulcan run on more platforms?
CesiumJS runs on Web. Vulcan runs on Windows.
Can I use CesiumJS for free?
Yes. CesiumJS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Vulcan starts at On request.
What is CesiumJS best used for?
CesiumJS is most often used for streaming 3d terrain, imagery and building data into web applications, tiling and hosting large geospatial and reality capture datasets. Of those, streaming 3d terrain, imagery and building data into web applications and tiling and hosting large geospatial and reality capture datasets are not what Vulcan is typically brought in for.
What can CesiumJS do that Vulcan cannot?
CesiumJS covers Core Functionality, User Interface. Vulcan covers Geological modeling, Block modeling, Mine design, Resource estimation.
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