Maps · head to head
Global Mapper vs Leica Infinity
Global Mapper
Maps
A GIS and lidar desktop that still sells a genuine perpetual licence with published prices
- From
- $700/one-time
- Rated
- -
Leica Infinity
Maps
Office software that combines total station, GNSS, level, UAV and scanner data into one survey project
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Global Mapper it is Windows only with no macOS or Linux build, so mixed-platform teams end up running a virtual machine and lose graphics performance on large point clouds; Leica Infinity leica publishes no pricing at all and sells through dealers, so identical firms in different regions pay different rates for the same modules and cannot benchmark a quote.
- They diverge on capability: Global Mapper covers Format breadth, Leica Infinity covers Multi-sensor project.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Global Mapper and Leica Infinity actually diverge.
| Attribute | Global Mapper | Leica Infinity |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $700/one-time | On request |
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | quote |
Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Windows), 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 Global Mapper
- Format breadth
- Lidar processing
- Pixels to Points
- Coordinate transformation
- Terrain analysis
- Scripting
- Mobile companion
Only in Leica Infinity
- Multi-sensor project
- Network adjustment
- GNSS baseline processing
- Point cloud handling
- Surface and volume
- Field data exchange
- Imaging and UAV workflow
- CAD, GIS and BIM export
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Global Mapper
- A survey office that receives lidar in a different format from every client and needs reliable conversion without writing scriptsnot Leica Infinity
- A consultancy that wants to classify ground points and extract building footprints from a drone survey without an Esri enterprise agreementnot Leica Infinity
- An organisation with an irregular workload that wants to buy the licence outright and skip maintenance in quiet yearsnot Leica Infinity
- A geologist producing volumes, contours and cross sections from terrain data on a standalone office workstationnot Leica Infinity
Leica Infinity
- A survey practice running Leica instruments that wants control adjustment, GNSS post-processing and scan registration in one project rather than three packagesnot Global Mapper
- A contractor computing monthly earthworks volumes from drone and GNSS data measured against a design surface for payment applicationsnot Global Mapper
- A monitoring job comparing repeated survey epochs of a structure or slope where the adjustment history and residuals must be defensiblenot Global Mapper
- An office preparing stakeout data and control for field crews on Leica Captivate and receiving as-built observations back into the same projectnot Global Mapper
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Global Mapper
- It is Windows only with no macOS or Linux build, so mixed-platform teams end up running a virtual machine and lose graphics performance on large point clouds
- The interface has grown by accretion over two decades and features are scattered across menus, so new users are slow to find capabilities that are already installed
- Node-locked perpetual licences are tied to the machine identifier, so a hardware refresh or a failed workstation means a support request rather than a login on a new device
- Multi-user and web publishing are weak relative to Esri or QGIS with a server stack, so it is a desktop analysis tool and not a platform for sharing data across an organisation
- Published prices apply to North America and differ elsewhere, so buyers outside that market must go through a reseller and cannot rely on the listed figures for budgeting
Leica Infinity
- Leica publishes no pricing at all and sells through dealers, so identical firms in different regions pay different rates for the same modules and cannot benchmark a quote.
- It is modular, which means the advertised capability list is not what you get: sensor and processing modules are licensed separately and the useful configuration costs considerably more than the entry one.
- Third-party instrument data is supported but always second-class; a mixed Leica and Trimble fleet will have one manufacturer’s raw data going through a lossier import path.
- Windows only, with no macOS, Linux or browser option, which is a hard constraint for organisations moving field and office work to tablets or cloud desktops.
- Perpetual licences require an ongoing customer care contract to receive updates and support, so the perpetual option saves less over five years than it first appears.
Pricing, plan by plan
Global Mapper
$700/one-time- Global Mapper Standard, node-locked$700/one-time
- Perpetual licence tied to one machine
- First year of maintenance and support included
- Renewal 245 USD per year, optional
- Global Mapper Standard, floating or dongle$1050/one-time
- Shared between users or carried on a USB dongle
- Maintenance renewal 365 USD per year
- Network licence 2,100 USD with a two-seat minimum
- Global Mapper Pro, node-locked$1750/one-time
- Adds lidar classification, feature extraction and Pixels to Points
- Maintenance renewal 610 USD per year
- Upgrade from Standard version 26 costs 1,050 USD
- Global Mapper Pro, floating or dongle$2625/one-time
- Shared or dongle licence
- Maintenance renewal 915 USD per year
- Network licence 5,250 USD with a two-seat minimum
Leica Infinity
On request- Infinity perpetual licence$undefined/year
- Bought once, owned outright
- Modular by sensor and processing capability
- Annual customer care contract needed for updates
- Infinity subscription$undefined/year
- Annual or multi-year term
- Includes updates for the term
- Modules added or removed at renewal
Which should you pick?
Choose Global Mapper if
- You need format breadth.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want lidar processing.
Choose Leica Infinity if
- You need multi-sensor project.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want network adjustment.
Questions people ask
- Is Global Mapper or Leica Infinity better?
- Neither clearly leads. Global Mapper starts at $700/one-time and Leica Infinity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Global Mapper or Leica Infinity?
- Global Mapper starts at $700/one-time and Leica Infinity at On request.
- Does Global Mapper or Leica Infinity run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Global Mapper best used for?
- Global Mapper is most often used for a survey office that receives lidar in a different format from every client and needs reliable conversion without writing scripts, a consultancy that wants to classify ground points and extract building footprints from a drone survey without an esri enterprise agreement, an organisation with an irregular workload that wants to buy the licence outright and skip maintenance in quiet years, a geologist producing volumes, contours and cross sections from terrain data on a standalone office workstation. Of those, a survey office that receives lidar in a different format from every client and needs reliable conversion without writing scripts and a consultancy that wants to classify ground points and extract building footprints from a drone survey without an esri enterprise agreement are not what Leica Infinity is typically brought in for.
- What can Global Mapper do that Leica Infinity cannot?
- Global Mapper covers Format breadth, Lidar processing, Pixels to Points, Coordinate transformation. Leica Infinity covers Multi-sensor project, Network adjustment, GNSS baseline processing, Point cloud handling.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Global Mapper: Is there still a perpetual licence?
Yes. Blue Marble sells perpetual node-locked, floating, dongle and network licences that keep working after maintenance lapses.
Leica Infinity: Is Leica Infinity available as a perpetual licence?
Yes. Leica sells Infinity both as a subscription and as a perpetual licence, though updates on a perpetual licence require an active customer care contract.
Global Mapper: What is the difference between Standard and Pro?
Pro is an add-on to a matching Standard licence and carries the lidar classification, feature extraction, Pixels to Points photogrammetry and advanced terrain tools.
Leica Infinity: How much does it cost?
Leica does not publish prices. Infinity is quoted per module through authorised dealers.
Global Mapper: Do I have to pay maintenance?
Only for the first year, which is included. After that it is optional; without it the software continues to run but you receive no upgrades or support.
Leica Infinity: Does it work with non-Leica instruments?
It imports common third-party and standard formats, but Leica raw data is the first-class path. Expect reduced fidelity with competing raw formats.
Global Mapper: Can it replace ArcGIS?
For desktop format conversion, lidar and terrain analysis, often yes. For enterprise data management, web services and organisation-wide sharing, no.
Leica Infinity: Is there a free version?
No, only a 30-day trial.
Leica Infinity: Does it replace Cyclone for scanning?
No. Infinity handles scan data in a survey context; heavy registration and modelling work still belongs in Leica Cyclone.
Related pages
More on Global Mapper
More on Leica Infinity
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