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PDAL vs Sigil

PDAL logo

PDAL

Libraries

Open source C++ library and command line tool for point cloud translation and processing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sigil logo

Sigil

Publishing

Open source EPUB editor for working directly on the file, not generating it

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PDAL it is a library and command line tool with no graphical interface, so anyone expecting to inspect, edit or visualise a point cloud needs entirely separate software.; Sigil it produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
  • They diverge on capability: PDAL covers Format translation, Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PDAL and Sigil actually diverge.

Attributes where PDAL and Sigil differ
AttributePDALSigil
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOSWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryLibrariesPublishing

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), 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 PDAL

  • Format translation
  • JSON pipelines
  • Ground classification filters
  • Reprojection
  • Rasterisation
  • Python bindings
  • Streaming mode
  • Cloud-native output

Only in Sigil

  • Direct EPUB editing
  • Code and preview views
  • EPUB 2 and EPUB 3
  • Regex across files
  • Validation
  • Python plugins

What people use each for

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

PDAL

  • A mapping agency building a repeatable pipeline that reprojects, classifies ground and tiles a national lidar datasetnot Sigil
  • A developer converting client-delivered LAS files into cloud-optimised COPC for streaming to a web viewernot Sigil
  • A researcher scripting outlier removal and DEM generation from drone lidar inside a Python notebooknot Sigil
  • A survey firm automating quality checks on incoming point cloud deliveries rather than opening each file by handnot Sigil

Sigil

  • Fixing an EPUB that a retailer validator has rejected, without re-exporting from the tool that generated itnot PDAL
  • Correcting the table of contents, reading order or metadata in a file supplied by a conversion servicenot PDAL
  • Preparing a back-catalogue title where the only surviving source is the EPUB itselfnot PDAL
  • Applying a consistent stylesheet or a bulk text correction across every chapter of a book at oncenot PDAL

Where each one falls short

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

PDAL

  • It is a library and command line tool with no graphical interface, so anyone expecting to inspect, edit or visualise a point cloud needs entirely separate software.
  • Pipelines are written as JSON with filter-specific parameters, and getting classification results right requires understanding the underlying algorithms rather than tuning a slider.
  • Development depends heavily on a small contributor base and on public sector contract funding, which is a concentration risk for an organisation making it load-bearing.
  • There is no vendor support tier to purchase; paid help means a consulting engagement, which suits an agency with a procurement process and suits a small firm poorly.
  • Error messages and documentation assume geospatial and command line fluency, so the practical adoption cost is staff capability rather than licence fees.

Sigil

  • It produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
  • Meaningful use requires reading and writing HTML and CSS, which puts it out of reach of most authors who simply want a finished file.
  • There is no cloud storage, sync or collaboration, so the book exists as a file on one machine and version control is whatever you set up yourself.
  • Development depends on a small number of volunteer maintainers, so release timing and platform builds follow their availability rather than a roadmap, and a lapse in maintenance would leave no obvious successor.
  • It provides no distribution, no retailer connection and no Kindle-native output, so it sits in the middle of a workflow that other tools have to complete on both sides.

Pricing, plan by plan

PDAL

Free
  • PDALFree
    • BSD licence
    • Library, command line tool and Python bindings
    • No usage or seat limits

Sigil

Free
  • SigilFree
    • GPL licensed with no cost or account required
    • Full functionality with no feature gating
    • Community support through forums and the issue tracker

Which should you pick?

Choose PDAL if

  • You need format translation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want json pipelines.
PDAL review

Choose Sigil if

  • You need direct epub editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want code and preview views.
Sigil review

Questions people ask

Is PDAL or Sigil better?
Neither clearly leads. PDAL starts at Free and Sigil at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PDAL or Sigil?
PDAL starts at Free and Sigil at Free.
Does PDAL or Sigil run on more platforms?
PDAL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS. Sigil runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use PDAL for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PDAL best used for?
PDAL is most often used for a mapping agency building a repeatable pipeline that reprojects, classifies ground and tiles a national lidar dataset, a developer converting client-delivered las files into cloud-optimised copc for streaming to a web viewer, a researcher scripting outlier removal and dem generation from drone lidar inside a python notebook, a survey firm automating quality checks on incoming point cloud deliveries rather than opening each file by hand. Of those, a mapping agency building a repeatable pipeline that reprojects, classifies ground and tiles a national lidar dataset and a developer converting client-delivered las files into cloud-optimised copc for streaming to a web viewer are not what Sigil is typically brought in for.
What can PDAL do that Sigil cannot?
PDAL covers Format translation, JSON pipelines, Ground classification filters, Reprojection. Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing, Code and preview views, EPUB 2 and EPUB 3, Regex across files.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PDAL: Is PDAL a product I can buy?

No. It is a free BSD-licensed library and command line tool. There is nothing to purchase.

Sigil: Can I write my book in Sigil?

You can, but you should not. It is an EPUB editor, not a word processor, and writing long-form prose in it is unpleasant. Write elsewhere, import, then finish in Sigil.

PDAL: Who maintains it?

An open contributor community with development led substantially by Hobu Inc, funded largely through US public sector contracts.

Sigil: Does it make Kindle files?

Not natively. Produce a valid EPUB in Sigil and let Amazon convert it, or use a separate conversion tool for other Kindle formats.

PDAL: Can I get commercial support?

Only by contracting Hobu or an independent consultancy. There is no support subscription.

Sigil: Is it safe to rely on a volunteer project for commercial work?

The files it produces are standard EPUB, so nothing is locked in. The risk is that maintenance stops, not that your books become unreadable.

PDAL: Does it have a viewer?

No. Use QGIS, CloudCompare or a web viewer for visualisation; PDAL handles the processing.

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