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Agriculture · head to head

Cropin vs DroneDeploy

Cropin logo

Cropin

Agriculture

Agri-intelligence platform for organisations running programmes across thousands of smallholder farms

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DroneDeploy logo

DroneDeploy

Agriculture

Drone mapping and analytics for agriculture

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cropin data quality depends on field agents entering records honestly and consistently, so an organisation without an existing extension network has to build one before the software returns anything useful.; DroneDeploy sold as annual subscriptions rather than monthly, at $1,908 a year for the agriculture plan
  • They diverge on capability: Cropin covers Plot digitisation, DroneDeploy covers Automated flight planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cropin and DroneDeploy actually diverge.

Attributes where Cropin and DroneDeploy differ
AttributeCropinDroneDeploy
Starting priceOn request$29/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Agriculture).

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 Cropin

  • Plot digitisation
  • Field agent mobile app
  • Satellite crop monitoring
  • Yield prediction
  • Traceability
  • Farmer advisory
  • Risk scoring
  • Data hub

Only in DroneDeploy

  • Automated flight planning
  • Orthomosaic maps
  • NDVI analysis
  • 3D modeling
  • Progress tracking
  • DJI
  • John Deere
  • Climate FieldView

What people use each for

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

Cropin

  • A food company that must demonstrate where a crop was grown and under what practices, across thousands of contract growersnot DroneDeploy
  • A bank or insurer that needs an independent view of yield and risk before lending against a harvestnot DroneDeploy
  • A development programme reporting outcomes to a donor across multiple countries and cropsnot DroneDeploy
  • A seed or input business tracking demonstration plots and field trial performance at scalenot DroneDeploy

DroneDeploy

  • Mapping fields with drone imagery for crop health analysisnot Cropin
  • Producing stand counts and plant health indices from aerial surveysnot Cropin

Where each one falls short

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

Cropin

  • Data quality depends on field agents entering records honestly and consistently, so an organisation without an existing extension network has to build one before the software returns anything useful.
  • Satellite-derived yield and health estimates degrade on small fragmented plots and during monsoon cloud cover, which is precisely where much of the customer base operates.
  • It is not a tool for running a single farm, so an individual grower or estate evaluating it will find an enterprise programme platform with no meaningful single-farm workflow.
  • Contracts are typically project shaped and tied to programme or donor funding, so the software can be switched off when a funding round ends rather than renewed on its merits.
  • There is no equipment telemetry or machinery integration of consequence, so any customer that also runs a mechanised operation needs a second platform for that side of the business.

DroneDeploy

  • Sold as annual subscriptions rather than monthly, at $1,908 a year for the agriculture plan
  • Images per map are capped by plan, at 1,000 on Ag Lite and 3,000 on the general individual plan
  • The Ag Lite plan is limited to the VARI index for RGB plant health rather than the full analysis set
  • Ground capture processing is excluded from every published individual plan
  • Team plans publish no price at all and require a custom quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Cropin

On request
  • Cropin Cloud$undefined/year
    • Quoted per programme, by grower count and geography
    • Field agent licences and implementation services quoted separately
    • Satellite and imagery layers often priced by area monitored

DroneDeploy

$29/month
  • Individual$299/month
    • Unlimited maps
    • 3D models
    • Basic analytics
  • Business$599/month
    • Team features
    • NDVI analysis
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Cropin if

  • You need plot digitisation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want field agent mobile app.
Cropin review

Choose DroneDeploy if

  • You need automated flight planning.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want orthomosaic maps.
DroneDeploy review

Questions people ask

Is Cropin or DroneDeploy better?
Neither clearly leads. Cropin starts at On request and DroneDeploy at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cropin or DroneDeploy?
Cropin starts at On request and DroneDeploy at $29/month.
Does Cropin or DroneDeploy run on more platforms?
Cropin runs on Web, iOS, Android. DroneDeploy runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Cropin best used for?
Cropin is most often used for a food company that must demonstrate where a crop was grown and under what practices, across thousands of contract growers, a bank or insurer that needs an independent view of yield and risk before lending against a harvest, a development programme reporting outcomes to a donor across multiple countries and crops, a seed or input business tracking demonstration plots and field trial performance at scale. Of those, a food company that must demonstrate where a crop was grown and under what practices, across thousands of contract growers and a bank or insurer that needs an independent view of yield and risk before lending against a harvest are not what DroneDeploy is typically brought in for.
What can Cropin do that DroneDeploy cannot?
Cropin covers Plot digitisation, Field agent mobile app, Satellite crop monitoring, Yield prediction. DroneDeploy covers Automated flight planning, Orthomosaic maps, NDVI analysis, 3D modeling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cropin: Can an individual farm buy Cropin?

In practice no. It is sold to organisations managing many growers, and the pricing and implementation model assume programme scale.

DroneDeploy: What is the cost of DroneDeploy's Flight & Analysis plan for individual pilots?

The Flight & Analysis Plan costs $4,188/year billed annually for a single user license, with support for up to 3,000 images per map and email/live chat support.

Source
Cropin: Does it need field staff on the ground?

Yes for most deployments. Satellite layers supplement agent-collected data, they do not replace it.

DroneDeploy: Does DroneDeploy have a specialized agriculture plan?

Yes. The Ag Lite Plan costs $1,908/year and is designed for agriculture pilots with up to 1,000 images per map, stand count analysis, and plant health tools.

Source
Cropin: Which regions is it strongest in?

India, South East Asia and Africa, where smallholder programmes are the dominant structure. Coverage in North America and Europe exists but the reference base is thinner.

DroneDeploy: How long is the DroneDeploy free trial?

DroneDeploy offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Source
Cropin: Is pricing published?

No. Everything is quoted by grower count, geography and the modules taken.

DroneDeploy: Can I cancel my DroneDeploy subscription early?

Yes. DroneDeploy billing is flexible with monthly or annual payment options (annual offers savings). Cancellations take effect at your billing cycle end. After cancellation, you retain basic data access for 30 days.

Source
DroneDeploy: What is the image upload limit on DroneDeploy's Advanced Flight & Analysis plan?

The Advanced Flight & Analysis Plan has a 10,000 image upload limit and includes cut/fill analysis, thermal imaging, and unlimited Google Cloud Print mapping. This plan requires a custom quote.

Source
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