Softwr

Maps · head to head

Correlator3D vs Google Maps Platform

Correlator3D logo

Correlator3D

Maps

SimActive photogrammetry with a published price list and a perpetual licence still on sale

From
$295/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Maps Platform logo

Google Maps Platform

Maps

Comprehensive set of APIs and SDKs that allow developers to embed Google

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Maps Platform has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Correlator3D the standard licence caps at 61 megapixel sensors, so an operator moving to a medium or large format camera has to buy a different and separately quoted licence rather than paying an upgrade fee.; Google Maps Platform free allowances are per service rather than pooled, at 10,000 events a month for dynamic maps, geocoding and autocomplete
  • They diverge on capability: Correlator3D covers Aerial triangulation, Google Maps Platform covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Correlator3D and Google Maps Platform actually diverge.

Attributes where Correlator3D and Google Maps Platform differ
AttributeCorrelator3DGoogle Maps Platform
Starting price$295/monthFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchasesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWeb
FoundedUnknown2005

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 Correlator3D

  • Aerial triangulation
  • DSM and DTM generation
  • Orthomosaic production
  • Point cloud and 3D mesh output
  • Feature extraction
  • GPU acceleration
  • Satellite imagery support
  • Batch and unattended processing

Only in Google Maps Platform

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

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

Correlator3D

  • An aerial survey company processing large photographic blocks where per-project cloud credits would be more expensive than owning a licencenot Google Maps Platform
  • A national or regional mapping agency that needs software it can run offline on classified or restricted imagerynot Google Maps Platform
  • A drone service provider producing bare-earth terrain models for volumetrics and corridor mapping at high throughputnot Google Maps Platform
  • An organisation that wants a perpetual licence because a multi-year subscription cannot be justified against its capital budgeting rulesnot Google Maps Platform

Google Maps Platform

  • Embedding dynamic maps, Street View and photorealistic 3D tiles in an applicationnot Correlator3D
  • Route computation, navigation and fleet route optimisationnot Correlator3D
  • Geocoding, place autocomplete and address validationnot Correlator3D
  • Environmental data including weather, solar, air quality and pollennot Correlator3D
  • Geospatial analytics through Earth Enginenot Correlator3D

Where each one falls short

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

Correlator3D

  • The standard licence caps at 61 megapixel sensors, so an operator moving to a medium or large format camera has to buy a different and separately quoted licence rather than paying an upgrade fee.
  • It is Windows desktop only with no cloud processing option, so throughput is bounded by the workstation and GPU you buy, and there is no way to burst capacity for one large job.
  • There is no collaboration layer, client portal or field application, so deliverable sharing, review and version control all have to be handled by other software.
  • The interface and workflow are built for photogrammetry specialists; an occasional drone operator will find the learning curve steeper than a consumer-oriented mapping package.
  • The perpetual licence includes only one year of support and updates, and staying current afterwards means paying maintenance, so the headline $5,900 is not the whole long-term cost.

Google Maps Platform

  • Free allowances are per service rather than pooled, at 10,000 events a month for dynamic maps, geocoding and autocomplete
  • Dynamic Maps cost $7.00 per 1,000 calls at the entry tier
  • Geocoding and the Directions API both cost $5.00 per 1,000 calls at the entry tier
  • Pricing is tiered by volume, so the effective unit price depends on total monthly usage and is hard to predict in advance
  • Billing is usage based with no flat plan, so a traffic spike is a cost spike

Pricing, plan by plan

Correlator3D

$295/month
  • Monthly subscription$295/month
    • Unlimited images
    • Sensors up to 61 megapixels
    • All modules and tools
  • Yearly subscription$2950/year
    • Unlimited images
    • Sensors up to 61 megapixels
    • All modules and tools
  • Permanent licence$5900/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Unlimited images up to 61 megapixels
    • All modules and tools
  • Permanent floating licence$6400/one-time
    • Perpetual floating licence shared across machines
    • Unlimited images up to 61 megapixels
    • One year of support and updates included

Google Maps Platform

Free
  • Starter$100/month
    • 50,000 monthly calls
    • Dynamic Maps
    • Geocoding
  • Essentials$275/month
    • 100,000 monthly calls
    • Dynamic Maps
    • Geocoding
  • Pro$1200/month
    • 250,000 monthly calls
    • All Essentials features
    • Address Validation Pro
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom monthly call allowances
    • Maximum flexibility
    • Extensive customization

Which should you pick?

Choose Correlator3D if

  • You need aerial triangulation.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want dsm and dtm generation.
Correlator3D review

Choose Google Maps Platform if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
Google Maps Platform review

Questions people ask

Is Correlator3D or Google Maps Platform better?
Neither clearly leads. Correlator3D starts at $295/month and Google Maps Platform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Correlator3D or Google Maps Platform?
Google Maps Platform has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $295/month for Correlator3D and Free for Google Maps Platform.
Does Correlator3D or Google Maps Platform run on more platforms?
Correlator3D runs on Windows. Google Maps Platform runs on Web.
Can I use Google Maps Platform for free?
Yes. Google Maps Platform has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Correlator3D starts at $295/month.
What is Correlator3D best used for?
Correlator3D is most often used for an aerial survey company processing large photographic blocks where per-project cloud credits would be more expensive than owning a licence, a national or regional mapping agency that needs software it can run offline on classified or restricted imagery, a drone service provider producing bare-earth terrain models for volumetrics and corridor mapping at high throughput, an organisation that wants a perpetual licence because a multi-year subscription cannot be justified against its capital budgeting rules. Of those, an aerial survey company processing large photographic blocks where per-project cloud credits would be more expensive than owning a licence and a national or regional mapping agency that needs software it can run offline on classified or restricted imagery are not what Google Maps Platform is typically brought in for.
What can Correlator3D do that Google Maps Platform cannot?
Correlator3D covers Aerial triangulation, DSM and DTM generation, Orthomosaic production, Point cloud and 3D mesh output. Google Maps Platform covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Correlator3D: Can I still buy a perpetual licence?

Yes. $5,900 for a permanent licence and $6,400 for a permanent floating licence, each including a year of support and updates.

Google Maps Platform: How much does Google Maps Platform cost?

Google Maps Platform offers subscription plans starting at $100/month for the Starter plan (50,000 calls), $275/month for Essentials (100,000 calls), and $1,200/month for Pro (250,000 calls). Enterprise pricing is custom.

Source
Correlator3D: What limits the standard licence?

Sensor resolution, up to 61 megapixels. Medium format, large format and satellite imagery need separately priced licences.

Google Maps Platform: Is there a free tier for Google Maps Platform?

Yes, Google Maps Platform provides a free tier with 10,000 calls per SKU monthly for Essentials and Pro products, plus automatic volume discounts starting at 20% for usage exceeding 100K monthly requests.

Source
Correlator3D: Is there a cloud version?

No. Processing runs on your own Windows workstation. SimActive offers a data processing service as an alternative to buying the software.

Google Maps Platform: What API products are included in each Google Maps tier?

Starter includes Dynamic Maps and Geocoding. Essentials adds Autocomplete, Geolocation, Place Details, Time Zone, Routes, Air Quality, Solar API, and Weather. Pro adds Address Validation, Places Aggregate API, Nearby Search Pro, Text Search Pro, Immersive Maps, Aerial View, Elevation, Route Optimization, and Pollen.

Source
Correlator3D: Does it handle satellite imagery?

Yes, under a separate satellite licence class quoted on request.

Google Maps Platform: Do new Google Maps Platform customers get any trial credits?

Yes, new customers receive $300 in trial credit toward their Google Maps Platform usage.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Correlator3D

More on Google Maps Platform

Keep looking

Other head to heads