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Aviation · head to head

Pix4D vs RealityScan

Pix4D logo

Pix4D

Aviation

Professional drone photogrammetry software

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Pix4D split into separate products by job, so PIX4Dreact at $55 a month, PIX4Dfields at $111, PIX4Dmatic at $125 and PIX4Dmapper at $333 are different purchases rather than tiers; 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: Pix4D covers Photogrammetry, RealityScan covers Photogrammetric reconstruction.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pix4D and RealityScan actually diverge.

Attributes where Pix4D and RealityScan differ
AttributePix4DRealityScan
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree below a revenue threshold, then per seat per year
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows
CategoryAviationCAD
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Pix4D

  • Photogrammetry
  • 3D modeling
  • Point clouds
  • Orthomosaics
  • DSM/DTM generation
  • CAD software
  • GIS platforms
  • BIM tools

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.

Pix4D

  • Photogrammetry from drone imagery into orthomosaics and point cloudsnot RealityScan
  • Survey-grade 2D maps and 3D models with PIX4Dmappernot RealityScan
  • Rapid 2D mapping for emergency response with PIX4Dreactnot RealityScan
  • Multispectral crop analysis with PIX4Dfieldsnot RealityScan
  • Large-scale processing with LiDAR integration through PIX4Dmaticnot RealityScan

RealityScan

  • A two-person heritage survey practice under the revenue threshold that can now run professional photogrammetry at no licence costnot Pix4D
  • A film or games asset team scanning props and environments at very high image counts where processing speed decides the schedulenot Pix4D
  • A survey firm combining terrestrial laser scans with drone photography and needing both aligned in a single reconstructionnot Pix4D
  • A construction reality-capture operator producing meshes for Unreal-based client visualisation from the same source imagerynot Pix4D

Where each one falls short

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

Pix4D

  • Split into separate products by job, so PIX4Dreact at $55 a month, PIX4Dfields at $111, PIX4Dmatic at $125 and PIX4Dmapper at $333 are different purchases rather than tiers
  • Subscription only, with monthly, yearly or three year cycles and no perpetual licence
  • No refunds, and cancellation only takes effect at renewal
  • Cloud processing is an add-on to the desktop subscriptions
  • Hardware scanning kit prices are quoted on request

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

Pix4D

Free
  • PIX4Dreact$55/month
    • Accurate 2D maps from aerial imagery
    • Processing in minutes
    • Monthly, yearly, or 3-year subscription available
  • PIX4Dfields$111/month
    • Precision agriculture mapping
    • Crop analysis and digital farming
    • Monthly, yearly, or 3-year subscription available
  • PIX4Dmatic$125/month
    • Photogrammetry and terrestrial LiDAR capabilities
    • Local machine processing with full control
    • Monthly, yearly, or 3-year subscription available
  • PIX4Dmapper$333/month
    • Professional photogrammetry software
    • Drone mapping capabilities
    • Monthly, yearly, or 3-year subscription available

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 Pix4D if

  • You need photogrammetry.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want 3d modeling.
Pix4D 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 Pix4D or RealityScan better?
Neither clearly leads. Pix4D starts at Free and RealityScan at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pix4D or RealityScan?
Pix4D starts at Free and RealityScan at Free.
Does Pix4D or RealityScan run on more platforms?
Pix4D runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. RealityScan runs on Windows.
Can I use Pix4D for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Pix4D best used for?
Pix4D is most often used for photogrammetry from drone imagery into orthomosaics and point clouds, survey-grade 2d maps and 3d models with pix4dmapper, rapid 2d mapping for emergency response with pix4dreact, multispectral crop analysis with pix4dfields. Of those, photogrammetry from drone imagery into orthomosaics and point clouds and survey-grade 2d maps and 3d models with pix4dmapper are not what RealityScan is typically brought in for.
What can Pix4D do that RealityScan cannot?
Pix4D covers Photogrammetry, 3D modeling, Point clouds, Orthomosaics. RealityScan covers Photogrammetric reconstruction, Laser scan fusion, Ground control points, Texturing and unwrapping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Pix4D: What is the lowest-cost PIX4D subscription?

PIX4Dreact starts at $55/month and produces accurate 2D maps from aerial imagery processed in minutes. Subscriptions are available on monthly, yearly, or 3-year billing cycles.

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.

Pix4D: Does PIX4D offer a free trial?

Yes, PIX4D provides a 15-day free trial with no credit card required to test the software before committing to a subscription.

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.

Pix4D: What payment methods does PIX4D accept?

PIX4D accepts credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link globally. Regional options include bank transfers, SEPA Direct Debit for Europe, ACH transfers for the US, and country-specific payment methods.

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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