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Maps · head to head

Correlator3D vs LocationIQ

Correlator3D logo

Correlator3D

Maps

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

From
$295/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LocationIQ logo

LocationIQ

Maps

Enterprise-grade location APIs at affordable prices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LocationIQ 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.; LocationIQ smaller ecosystem of integrations compared to Google Maps
  • They diverge on capability: Correlator3D covers Aerial triangulation, LocationIQ covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Correlator3D and LocationIQ actually diverge.

Attributes where Correlator3D and LocationIQ differ
AttributeCorrelator3DLocationIQ
Starting price$295/monthFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchasesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsAPI

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 LocationIQ

  • 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 LocationIQ
  • A national or regional mapping agency that needs software it can run offline on classified or restricted imagerynot LocationIQ
  • A drone service provider producing bare-earth terrain models for volumetrics and corridor mapping at high throughputnot LocationIQ
  • An organisation that wants a perpetual licence because a multi-year subscription cannot be justified against its capital budgeting rulesnot LocationIQ

LocationIQ

  • Geocoding and reverse geocoding addresses at scalenot Correlator3D
  • Store locators and address autofill in web and mobile appsnot Correlator3D
  • Asset and vehicle tracking with route optimisationnot Correlator3D
  • Serving static and dynamic map tilesnot Correlator3D
  • Distance matrix and route planningnot 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.

LocationIQ

  • Smaller ecosystem of integrations compared to Google Maps
  • Less documentation than industry-leading platforms
  • Less brand recognition than Google or Mapbox

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

LocationIQ

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5,000 requests/day
    • Limited commercial use with attribution
  • Maps Lite$45/month
    • 10,000 map views/day
    • Geocoding APIs
    • No routing
  • Developer$100/month
    • 25,000 requests/day
    • All APIs (geocoding, routing, maps)
  • Startup$200/month
    • 60,000 requests/day
    • Priority email support

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 LocationIQ if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on API.
  • You also want user interface.
LocationIQ review

Questions people ask

Is Correlator3D or LocationIQ better?
Neither clearly leads. Correlator3D starts at $295/month and LocationIQ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Correlator3D or LocationIQ?
LocationIQ has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $295/month for Correlator3D and Free for LocationIQ.
Does Correlator3D or LocationIQ run on more platforms?
Correlator3D runs on Windows. LocationIQ runs on API.
Can I use LocationIQ for free?
Yes. LocationIQ 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 LocationIQ is typically brought in for.
What can Correlator3D do that LocationIQ cannot?
Correlator3D covers Aerial triangulation, DSM and DTM generation, Orthomosaic production, Point cloud and 3D mesh output. LocationIQ 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.

LocationIQ: How much does LocationIQ cost?

LocationIQ offers a Free plan with 5,000 requests/day, Maps Lite at $45/month for 10,000 map views/day, Developer at $100/month for 25,000 requests/day, and higher tiers up to Business Plus at $950/month for 30M requests/month. All plans are billed monthly with 2 months free for annual prepayment.

Source
Correlator3D: What limits the standard licence?

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

LocationIQ: Is LocationIQ free?

Yes, LocationIQ offers a free tier with 5,000 requests/day, providing access to geocoding and mapping APIs. Free tier users must include attribution and cannot use for commercial purposes.

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.

LocationIQ: What support levels does LocationIQ offer?

Free and early paid tiers receive best-effort email support. The Startup plan ($200/month) includes priority email support. Business Plus ($950/month) includes priority live chat support with dedicated AWS endpoints for improved performance.

Source
Correlator3D: Does it handle satellite imagery?

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

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