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Maps · head to head

Google Maps vs Leica Infinity

Google Maps logo

Google Maps

Maps

Consumer navigation and local search app, distinct from the paid Google Maps Platform developer API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Leica Infinity logo

Leica Infinity

Maps

Office software that combines total station, GNSS, level, UAV and scanner data into one survey project

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Maps has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Maps location history (Timeline) is stored to the Google account unless disabled, and many users are unaware of how much of their movement is retained by default.; 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: Google Maps covers Turn-by-turn navigation, 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 Google Maps and Leica Infinity actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Maps and Leica Infinity differ
AttributeGoogle MapsLeica Infinity
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree consumer app, funded by Google's advertising businessquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWindows

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 Google Maps

  • Turn-by-turn navigation
  • Local search
  • Offline maps
  • Street View
  • Timeline location history
  • Live transit and incident reporting

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.

Google Maps

  • Getting turn-by-turn driving or transit directions to a destinationnot Leica Infinity
  • Searching for and comparing nearby restaurants, shops or services with reviewsnot Leica Infinity
  • Downloading an offline map before travelling somewhere with unreliable data coveragenot Leica Infinity
  • Checking real time traffic conditions before or during a drivenot 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 Google Maps
  • A contractor computing monthly earthworks volumes from drone and GNSS data measured against a design surface for payment applicationsnot Google Maps
  • A monitoring job comparing repeated survey epochs of a structure or slope where the adjustment history and residuals must be defensiblenot Google Maps
  • An office preparing stakeout data and control for field crews on Leica Captivate and receiving as-built observations back into the same projectnot Google Maps

Where each one falls short

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

Google Maps

  • Location history (Timeline) is stored to the Google account unless disabled, and many users are unaware of how much of their movement is retained by default.
  • Local business rankings and prominent ads mix paid placement with organic results, so top results are not purely a relevance ranking.
  • Offline maps expire after a period and must be manually refreshed, which can catch travellers out if they rely on an old download without checking it.
  • Public transit data quality varies significantly by city and country, and is considerably weaker or absent in many smaller or lower-income regions.
  • It is a different product from Google Maps Platform, the paid developer API, and businesses evaluating navigation for their own app need to compare that API's pricing separately rather than assuming free consumer access extends to embedding.

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

Google Maps

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited navigation and local search
    • Offline maps included
    • No subscription tier for the consumer app

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 Google Maps if

  • You need turn-by-turn navigation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want local search.
Google Maps review

Choose Leica Infinity if

  • You need multi-sensor project.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want network adjustment.
Leica Infinity review

Questions people ask

Is Google Maps or Leica Infinity better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Maps starts at Free and Leica Infinity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Maps or Leica Infinity?
Google Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Maps and On request for Leica Infinity.
Does Google Maps or Leica Infinity run on more platforms?
Google Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web. Leica Infinity runs on Windows.
Can I use Google Maps for free?
Yes. Google Maps has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Leica Infinity starts at On request.
What is Google Maps best used for?
Google Maps is most often used for getting turn-by-turn driving or transit directions to a destination, searching for and comparing nearby restaurants, shops or services with reviews, downloading an offline map before travelling somewhere with unreliable data coverage, checking real time traffic conditions before or during a drive. Of those, getting turn-by-turn driving or transit directions to a destination and searching for and comparing nearby restaurants, shops or services with reviews are not what Leica Infinity is typically brought in for.
What can Google Maps do that Leica Infinity cannot?
Google Maps covers Turn-by-turn navigation, Local search, Offline maps, Street View. Leica Infinity covers Multi-sensor project, Network adjustment, GNSS baseline processing, Point cloud handling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Maps: Is Google Maps free?

Yes, the consumer app is free with no subscription for navigation, local search or offline maps.

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.

Google Maps: Is this the same as Google Maps Platform?

No, Google Maps Platform is a separate, metered API product sold to developers embedding map functionality into their own apps and websites, with its own usage-based pricing.

Leica Infinity: How much does it cost?

Leica does not publish prices. Infinity is quoted per module through authorised dealers.

Google Maps: Does Google Maps track my location history?

It can, through the optional Timeline feature, which is on by default in some configurations and can be reviewed or disabled in Google account settings.

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.

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.

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