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Maps · head to head

Correlator3D vs Mapzen

Correlator3D logo

Correlator3D

Maps

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

From
$295/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mapzen logo

Mapzen

Maps

Mapzen was an open-source mapping platform that provided geocoding, routing, and map rendering services

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Mapzen no pricing information published on main product page describing services and features
  • They diverge on capability: Correlator3D covers Aerial triangulation, Mapzen covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Correlator3D and Mapzen actually diverge.

Attributes where Correlator3D and Mapzen differ
AttributeCorrelator3DMapzen
Starting price$295/monthOn request
Pricing modelOne-time purchasefreemium
PlatformsWindowsWeb

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Mapzen

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

Mapzen

  • Mapping platform with vector tiles and terrain datanot Correlator3D
  • Search, routing, and navigation servicesnot 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.

Mapzen

  • No pricing information published on main product page describing services and features
  • No clear indication of whether Mapzen is still actively maintained or in legacy status
  • No published tier structure or usage limits visible to potential customers

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

Mapzen

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Mapzen review.

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 Mapzen if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You also want user interface.
Mapzen review

Questions people ask

Is Correlator3D or Mapzen better?
Neither clearly leads. Correlator3D starts at $295/month and Mapzen at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Correlator3D or Mapzen?
Correlator3D starts at $295/month and Mapzen at On request.
Does Correlator3D or Mapzen run on more platforms?
Correlator3D runs on Windows. Mapzen runs on Web.
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 Mapzen is typically brought in for.
What can Correlator3D do that Mapzen cannot?
Correlator3D covers Aerial triangulation, DSM and DTM generation, Orthomosaic production, Point cloud and 3D mesh output. Mapzen 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.

Mapzen: What is Mapzen's pricing model for mapping and routing services?

Mapzen does not publish pricing information on its main website. The platform describes various services including map display, search, turn-by-turn navigation, routing (isochrone, map matching, optimized routes), and data products (vector tiles, terrain tiles, elevation data), but no cost details are disclosed.

Source
Correlator3D: What limits the standard licence?

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

Mapzen: What data products does Mapzen offer?

Mapzen offers vector tiles, terrain tiles, and elevation data products. Specific pricing for accessing these data products is not published on the website. Interested customers should contact Mapzen directly for commercial licensing information.

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.

Mapzen: Does Mapzen provide turn-by-turn navigation and routing services?

Yes, Mapzen includes turn-by-turn navigation and routing services including isochrone, map matching, and optimized routes functionality. Pricing and API rate limits for these services are not disclosed on the main website.

Source
Correlator3D: Does it handle satellite imagery?

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

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