Maps · head to head
Leica Infinity vs SW Maps
Leica Infinity
Maps
Office software that combines total station, GNSS, level, UAV and scanner data into one survey project
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
SW Maps
Maps
Free Android GIS data collector that pairs with external RTK GNSS receivers
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only SW Maps has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 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.; SW Maps android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
- They diverge on capability: Leica Infinity covers Multi-sensor project, SW Maps covers Custom feature layers.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Leica Infinity and SW Maps actually diverge.
| Attribute | Leica Infinity | SW Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | Open source, no licence fee |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Windows | Android |
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 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
Only in SW Maps
- Custom feature layers
- External GNSS support
- Offline basemaps
- Geospatial PDF layers
- Vector import
- Photo and media capture
- Export formats
- NTRIP client
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
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 SW Maps
- A contractor computing monthly earthworks volumes from drone and GNSS data measured against a design surface for payment applicationsnot SW Maps
- A monitoring job comparing repeated survey epochs of a structure or slope where the adjustment history and residuals must be defensiblenot SW Maps
- An office preparing stakeout data and control for field crews on Leica Captivate and receiving as-built observations back into the same projectnot SW Maps
SW Maps
- An NGO or municipal utility mapping water points, pipe networks or road assets on a budget that cannot absorb per-user GIS subscriptionsnot Leica Infinity
- A survey team pairing a low-cost RTK receiver with Android tablets to collect centimetre-accurate attributed features without buying field software seatsnot Leica Infinity
- A university field course teaching GNSS data collection where every student needs the tool on their own devicenot Leica Infinity
- A consultant doing a one-off asset inventory who needs shapefile or GeoPackage output and does not want to start an annual subscription for a three-week jobnot Leica Infinity
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
SW Maps
- Android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
- There is no back end: no user management, no central project sync, no audit trail. Data lives on the device until someone exports it, and a lost tablet is lost data.
- No commercial support contract exists, so an organisation with a compliance requirement for vendor support cannot use it for regulated work regardless of technical fit.
- It is maintained by a small consultancy as a side product of its own project work, so the roadmap follows Softwel’s needs and a feature you depend on may never be prioritised.
- Form logic is basic compared with dedicated survey platforms: no meaningful skip logic, validation or multi-user assignment, so complex questionnaires quickly outgrow it.
Pricing, plan by plan
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
SW Maps
Free- SW MapsFree
- All features included
- External RTK GNSS support
- Unlimited layers and exports
Which should you pick?
Choose Leica Infinity if
- You need multi-sensor project.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want network adjustment.
Choose SW Maps if
- You need custom feature layers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Android.
- You also want external gnss support.
Questions people ask
- Is Leica Infinity or SW Maps better?
- Neither clearly leads. Leica Infinity starts at On request and SW Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Leica Infinity or SW Maps?
- SW Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Leica Infinity and Free for SW Maps.
- Does Leica Infinity or SW Maps run on more platforms?
- Leica Infinity runs on Windows. SW Maps runs on Android.
- Can I use SW Maps for free?
- Yes. SW Maps has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Leica Infinity starts at On request.
- What is Leica Infinity best used for?
- Leica Infinity is most often used for a survey practice running leica instruments that wants control adjustment, gnss post-processing and scan registration in one project rather than three packages, a contractor computing monthly earthworks volumes from drone and gnss data measured against a design surface for payment applications, a monitoring job comparing repeated survey epochs of a structure or slope where the adjustment history and residuals must be defensible, an office preparing stakeout data and control for field crews on leica captivate and receiving as-built observations back into the same project. Of those, a survey practice running leica instruments that wants control adjustment, gnss post-processing and scan registration in one project rather than three packages and a contractor computing monthly earthworks volumes from drone and gnss data measured against a design surface for payment applications are not what SW Maps is typically brought in for.
- What can Leica Infinity do that SW Maps cannot?
- Leica Infinity covers Multi-sensor project, Network adjustment, GNSS baseline processing, Point cloud handling. SW Maps covers Custom feature layers, External GNSS support, Offline basemaps, Geospatial PDF layers.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SW Maps: Is SW Maps really free?
Yes. It is free with no advertising and no paid tier. There is no subscription and no feature paywall.
Leica Infinity: How much does it cost?
Leica does not publish prices. Infinity is quoted per module through authorised dealers.
SW Maps: Does it support RTK receivers?
Yes, over Bluetooth or USB serial, with NTRIP correction support, antenna height and per-point fix quality recording.
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.
SW Maps: Is there an iOS version?
No. Android only.
Leica Infinity: Is there a free version?
No, only a 30-day trial.
SW Maps: Who maintains it?
Softwel, an engineering consultancy in Kathmandu, Nepal, which built it for its own infrastructure projects.
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.
SW Maps: Can we get support?
Not contractually. There is no commercial support agreement, which is the main reason organisations with compliance obligations choose a paid alternative.
Related pages
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