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CAD · head to head

MicroSurvey CAD vs nTop

MicroSurvey CAD logo

MicroSurvey CAD

CAD

Survey drafting and COGO on an IntelliCAD engine, sold outright rather than by subscription

From
$2945/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
nTop logo

nTop

CAD

Implicit computational design for lattices, heat exchangers and topology-driven parts

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MicroSurvey CAD dWG compatibility is file-level, not feature-level, so Civil 3D corridors, pipe networks and other object-enabled entities do not arrive intact and collaboration with engineering consultants remains awkward; nTop nTop is a specialist tool that sits alongside mainstream CAD rather than replacing it, so you pay for an extra seat and accept a handoff between two geometry systems.
  • They diverge on capability: MicroSurvey CAD covers Coordinate geometry, nTop covers Implicit modelling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MicroSurvey CAD and nTop actually diverge.

Attributes where MicroSurvey CAD and nTop differ
AttributeMicroSurvey CADnTop
Starting price$2945/one-timeOn request
Pricing modelOne-time purchasequote
PlatformsWindowsWindows, Cloud

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CAD).

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 MicroSurvey CAD

  • Coordinate geometry
  • Traverse adjustment
  • Field data reduction
  • IntelliCAD drafting
  • Legal descriptions
  • Surface and contours
  • Point cloud viewing

Only in nTop

  • Implicit modelling
  • Lattice and cellular structures
  • Field-driven design
  • Integrated simulation
  • Reusable workflows
  • Topology optimisation
  • CAD and AM interoperability

What people use each for

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

MicroSurvey CAD

  • A boundary surveying practice that wants to reduce field data, adjust the traverse and write the legal description in one packagenot nTop
  • A firm that refuses to pay an AutoCAD subscription but must deliver DWG files clients can opennot nTop
  • A survey office standardised on Leica total stations that wants instrument data flowing in without a translation stepnot nTop
  • A two-person practice with irregular workload that wants to own its software outright rather than lose access if it stops payingnot nTop

nTop

  • Designing a variable-density lattice bracket where mass must drop without losing stiffness in the loaded regionsnot MicroSurvey CAD
  • Generating a heat exchanger with thousands of internal channels that a conventional CAD kernel cannot representnot MicroSurvey CAD
  • Producing patient-specific implant geometry with porous surfaces at scale rather than one at a timenot MicroSurvey CAD
  • Automating a family of parts as a reusable design workflow that reruns when the load case changesnot MicroSurvey CAD

Where each one falls short

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

MicroSurvey CAD

  • DWG compatibility is file-level, not feature-level, so Civil 3D corridors, pipe networks and other object-enabled entities do not arrive intact and collaboration with engineering consultants remains awkward
  • Only one price is listed publicly, for the floating network licence, and the differences between the Standard, Premium and Ultimate editions are resolved through a reseller conversation rather than a published comparison
  • It is Windows only and the installed base is concentrated in North America, so support, training material and experienced staff are much harder to find elsewhere
  • IntelliCAD lags AutoCAD on newer drawing format features and on third party plug-in availability, so a firm depending on a specific AutoCAD add-in will not find an equivalent
  • MicroSurvey now sits inside Hexagon alongside Leica Geosystems, which means the product competes for investment with a much larger portfolio, and buyers of a perpetual licence should ask about the release cadence commitment before assuming years of updates

nTop

  • nTop is a specialist tool that sits alongside mainstream CAD rather than replacing it, so you pay for an extra seat and accept a handoff between two geometry systems.
  • Implicit modelling requires a different way of thinking from feature-based CAD, and the retraining period is long enough that unused licences are a common and expensive outcome.
  • No pricing is published and there is no free or hobbyist tier, so evaluation runs through a sales process and small teams cannot try it seriously without engaging.
  • Subscription only, with no perpetual licence, means the geometry logic you built stops being editable the day you stop paying, which is a real risk for long-lifecycle aerospace and medical programmes.
  • The output is most valuable when you have additive manufacturing capacity to make it; organisations without machines that can print the geometry end up designing parts nobody can produce.

Pricing, plan by plan

MicroSurvey CAD

$2945/one-time
  • MicroSurvey CAD, floating network licence$2945/one-time
    • Perpetual licence, shared use with no USB dongle
    • Includes one year of maintenance and support
    • Standard, Premium and Ultimate editions differ in included modules
  • Edition upgrades and add-ons$undefined/one-time
    • Premium and Ultimate edition pricing quoted by MicroSurvey or a reseller
    • Point cloud and scanning modules priced separately
    • Reseller pricing varies by region

nTop

On request
  • nTop$undefined/year
    • Annual named or floating seat subscription
    • No perpetual licence offered
    • Capability tiers quoted by use case

Which should you pick?

Choose MicroSurvey CAD if

  • You need coordinate geometry.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want traverse adjustment.
MicroSurvey CAD review

Choose nTop if

  • You need implicit modelling.
  • You work on Windows, Cloud.
  • You also want lattice and cellular structures.
nTop review

Questions people ask

Is MicroSurvey CAD or nTop better?
Neither clearly leads. MicroSurvey CAD starts at $2945/one-time and nTop at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MicroSurvey CAD or nTop?
MicroSurvey CAD starts at $2945/one-time and nTop at On request.
Does MicroSurvey CAD or nTop run on more platforms?
MicroSurvey CAD runs on Windows. nTop runs on Windows, Cloud.
What is MicroSurvey CAD best used for?
MicroSurvey CAD is most often used for a boundary surveying practice that wants to reduce field data, adjust the traverse and write the legal description in one package, a firm that refuses to pay an autocad subscription but must deliver dwg files clients can open, a survey office standardised on leica total stations that wants instrument data flowing in without a translation step, a two-person practice with irregular workload that wants to own its software outright rather than lose access if it stops paying. Of those, a boundary surveying practice that wants to reduce field data, adjust the traverse and write the legal description in one package and a firm that refuses to pay an autocad subscription but must deliver dwg files clients can open are not what nTop is typically brought in for.
What can MicroSurvey CAD do that nTop cannot?
MicroSurvey CAD covers Coordinate geometry, Traverse adjustment, Field data reduction, IntelliCAD drafting. nTop covers Implicit modelling, Lattice and cellular structures, Field-driven design, Integrated simulation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MicroSurvey CAD: Do I need AutoCAD to run it?

No. It is built on the IntelliCAD engine and reads and writes DWG natively without an Autodesk licence.

nTop: Is nTop the same company as nTopology?

Yes. nTopology rebranded to nTop. The product is the same lineage.

MicroSurvey CAD: Is it a perpetual licence or a subscription?

Perpetual. The listed 2,945 US dollar licence includes one year of maintenance and support, after which maintenance is optional.

nTop: Does it replace SolidWorks or NX?

No. It is used alongside them. Mainstream CAD handles the conventional geometry and assembly; nTop handles the lattice, field-driven and complex internal structure work.

MicroSurvey CAD: Who owns MicroSurvey?

Hexagon, the same group that owns Leica Geosystems.

nTop: Is there a free version?

No free commercial tier is published. Access runs through a demo and sales process, with academic programmes handled separately.

MicroSurvey CAD: Will Civil 3D drawings open correctly?

The geometry will. Civil 3D object data such as corridors and pipe networks will not come through as editable objects.

nTop: Can I buy a perpetual licence?

No. It is sold as an annual subscription, so budget it as recurring cost across the life of the programme.

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