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Mining · head to head

Maptek I-Site vs RealityScan

Maptek I-Site logo

Maptek I-Site

Mining

3D laser scanning and point cloud processing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RealityScan logo

RealityScan

CAD

The photogrammetry engine formerly called RealityCapture, free below a one million dollar revenue line

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only RealityScan has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Maptek I-Site no pricing information published on product page, requiring direct contact with Maptek sales for quotes; RealityScan the free tier is bounded by company revenue rather than by usage, so a business crossing one million US dollars of turnover acquires a per-seat cost overnight for software its workflow now depends on
  • They diverge on capability: Maptek I-Site covers Point cloud processing, RealityScan covers Photogrammetric reconstruction.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Maptek I-Site and RealityScan actually diverge.

Attributes where Maptek I-Site and RealityScan differ
AttributeMaptek I-SiteRealityScan
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree below a revenue threshold, then per seat per year
Free tierNoYes
CategoryMiningCAD
Founded1981Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Maptek I-Site

  • Point cloud processing
  • 3D model creation
  • Pit wall monitoring
  • Stockpile measurement
  • Change detection
  • Vulcan
  • CAD systems
  • GIS platforms

Only in RealityScan

  • Photogrammetric reconstruction
  • Laser scan fusion
  • Ground control points
  • Texturing and unwrapping
  • Command line interface
  • Unreal Engine path
  • Component alignment control

What people use each for

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

Maptek I-Site

  • Laser scanning surveys of open pit and underground mine workingsnot RealityScan
  • Geotechnical monitoring of pit walls and slopesnot RealityScan
  • Volume and stockpile measurement from point cloud datanot RealityScan

RealityScan

  • A two-person heritage survey practice under the revenue threshold that can now run professional photogrammetry at no licence costnot Maptek I-Site
  • A film or games asset team scanning props and environments at very high image counts where processing speed decides the schedulenot Maptek I-Site
  • A survey firm combining terrestrial laser scans with drone photography and needing both aligned in a single reconstructionnot Maptek I-Site
  • A construction reality-capture operator producing meshes for Unreal-based client visualisation from the same source imagerynot Maptek I-Site

Where each one falls short

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

Maptek I-Site

  • No pricing information published on product page, requiring direct contact with Maptek sales for quotes
  • No self-service pricing or trial options mentioned, creating barrier to entry for smaller organizations
  • Product page focuses on technical specifications rather than pricing or licensing models

RealityScan

  • The free tier is bounded by company revenue rather than by usage, so a business crossing one million US dollars of turnover acquires a per-seat cost overnight for software its workflow now depends on
  • New perpetual licences are no longer sold, so an organisation that deliberately avoided subscription software has no route in; existing perpetual holders keep their version but stop receiving updates unless they accept the current terms
  • It is Windows only and needs an NVIDIA CUDA capable GPU, which excludes macOS studios and makes the real cost of adoption a workstation purchase rather than a licence
  • The rename from RealityCapture to RealityScan in 2025 means tutorials, forum answers and third party pipeline documentation are split across two names and several licensing regimes, and much of it is now wrong about price
  • The interface assumes photogrammetry knowledge; alignment failures, control point placement and reconstruction region setup are not guided, so a team without an experienced operator produces poor models quickly rather than good ones slowly

Pricing, plan by plan

Maptek I-Site

On request
  • I-Site Studio$11000/year
    • Point cloud processing
    • 3D modeling
    • Pit wall analysis

RealityScan

Free
  • Free tierFree
    • For individuals and companies with annual revenue under 1,000,000 USD
    • Full application, no metered input charges
    • Epic account required
  • RealityScan seat$1250/year
    • Required once annual revenue exceeds 1,000,000 USD
    • Per seat, per year
    • Commercial use without output restrictions
  • Unreal Engine subscription$1850/year
    • Per seat per year
    • Includes RealityScan and Twinmotion
    • For teams that also need Unreal Engine for non-game commercial use

Which should you pick?

Choose Maptek I-Site if

  • You need point cloud processing.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want 3d model creation.
Maptek I-Site review

Choose RealityScan if

  • You need photogrammetric reconstruction.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want laser scan fusion.
RealityScan review

Questions people ask

Is Maptek I-Site or RealityScan better?
Neither clearly leads. Maptek I-Site starts at On request and RealityScan at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Maptek I-Site or RealityScan?
RealityScan has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Maptek I-Site and Free for RealityScan.
Does Maptek I-Site or RealityScan run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use RealityScan for free?
Yes. RealityScan has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Maptek I-Site starts at On request.
What is Maptek I-Site best used for?
Maptek I-Site is most often used for laser scanning surveys of open pit and underground mine workings, geotechnical monitoring of pit walls and slopes, volume and stockpile measurement from point cloud data. Of those, laser scanning surveys of open pit and underground mine workings and geotechnical monitoring of pit walls and slopes are not what RealityScan is typically brought in for.
What can Maptek I-Site do that RealityScan cannot?
Maptek I-Site covers Point cloud processing, 3D model creation, Pit wall monitoring, Stockpile measurement. RealityScan covers Photogrammetric reconstruction, Laser scan fusion, Ground control points, Texturing and unwrapping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Maptek I-Site: What is the pricing for Maptek i-site laser scanning products?

Pricing for Maptek i-site laser scanners (NS4, XR3, XR3-D, UR3) and related software tools is not published. Interested parties must contact Maptek through their support channels or complete a contact form to request a specification sheet and pricing information.

Source
RealityScan: Is RealityCapture still called that?

No. Epic rebranded it to RealityScan with version 2.0 in 2025. It is the same engine and the same team.

Maptek I-Site: What geomatics software tools are available with i-site products?

Maptek offers related geomatics software including PointStudio, PointModeller, Sentry, FieldControl, FieldHHC, and Drive. Specific pricing and licensing for each software tool is not disclosed on the product page.

Source
RealityScan: Who gets it free?

Individuals and companies with annual revenue under one million US dollars. Above that, a seat is 1,250 US dollars per year.

Maptek I-Site: How can I get pricing and detailed specifications for i-site?

The product page includes a contact form prompting users to 'Request a spec sheet.' Interested customers can also access support email and general contact options to obtain pricing details and product specifications.

Source
RealityScan: Can I still buy a perpetual licence?

Not for new purchases. Existing perpetual licences remain valid for the version owned, with updates only under the current terms.

RealityScan: Does the free version restrict output?

No output metering or watermarking; the restriction is on who qualifies, based on company revenue, not on what you export.

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