Softwr

Agriculture · head to head

Pix4Dfields vs Propeller Aero

Pix4Dfields logo

Pix4Dfields

Agriculture

Drone mapping software for agriculture

From
$330/month
Rated
-
Propeller Aero logo

Propeller Aero

Construction

Drone survey processing and earthworks volume measurement for sites that measure stockpiles weekly

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Pix4Dfields satellite imagery is sold as separate credit packages on top of the subscription, with only 100 free credits included per year; Propeller Aero platform pricing is not published and is scoped by sites and users, so a contractor with many short-lived sites can be quoted very differently from one with a few long ones, and neither can benchmark against a list price
  • They diverge on capability: Pix4Dfields covers Orthomosaic generation, Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pix4Dfields and Propeller Aero actually diverge.

Attributes where Pix4Dfields and Propeller Aero differ
AttributePix4DfieldsPropeller Aero
Starting price$330/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionHardware purchase plus a quoted platform subscription
PlatformsWindows, IosWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryAgricultureConstruction
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Pix4Dfields

  • Orthomosaic generation
  • NDVI & vegetation indices
  • Multispectral processing
  • Zonation mapping
  • Prescription maps
  • Stand count
  • Export to machinery
  • Offline processing

Only in Propeller Aero

  • Photogrammetric processing
  • AeroPoints ground control
  • Volume measurement
  • Design surface comparison
  • Progress timeline
  • Machine telemetry
  • Corrections network

What people use each for

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

Pix4Dfields

  • Processing drone imagery of fields into orthomosaics without acreage limitsnot Propeller Aero
  • Generating vegetation indices and crop health maps from aerial surveysnot Propeller Aero
  • Producing variable rate prescription maps for exporting to farm machinerynot Propeller Aero
  • Agronomists producing crop scouting reports from drone flightsnot Propeller Aero

Propeller Aero

  • A quarry that reconciles stockpile inventory monthly for its accounts and wants the volume evidence to survive an auditnot Pix4Dfields
  • An earthworks contractor claiming progress payments on cubic metres moved who needs an independent measurement the client will acceptnot Pix4Dfields
  • A civil site checking whether a subgrade is within tolerance of the design before the surfacing crew arrivesnot Pix4Dfields
  • A mine that wants weekly volume reporting without a survey crew on the ground every weeknot Pix4Dfields

Where each one falls short

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

Pix4Dfields

  • Satellite imagery is sold as separate credit packages on top of the subscription, with only 100 free credits included per year
  • Monthly billing is listed at $165.83 per month against $1,990 for a year, so paying monthly costs substantially more
  • The software runs only on Windows and macOS, with no Linux build

Propeller Aero

  • Platform pricing is not published and is scoped by sites and users, so a contractor with many short-lived sites can be quoted very differently from one with a few long ones, and neither can benchmark against a list price
  • The corrections network is free only while you hold a current platform licence, so cancelling the platform subscription reintroduces a 1,000 dollar per year per group hardware cost that many buyers do not model
  • AeroPoints are a hardware purchase at 1,000 dollars each and most sites need several, so the true entry cost includes several thousand dollars of equipment on top of a subscription
  • It measures rather than designs, so a contractor still needs Civil 3D, Trimble Business Center or an equivalent to produce and revise the design surfaces the measurement is compared against
  • Accuracy depends on flight planning, ground control placement and weather, and a poorly flown survey produces a confident wrong volume, so an organisation still needs someone who understands survey error rather than only a drone pilot

Pricing, plan by plan

Pix4Dfields

$330/month
  • Monthly$330/month
    • RGB & multispectral processing
    • Vegetation indices
    • Zonation maps
  • Annual$2640/year
    • Everything in Monthly
    • 33% savings
    • Priority support
  • Perpetual$5500/one-time
    • Lifetime license
    • 1 year updates
    • Local processing

Propeller Aero

On request
  • AeroPoint ground control unit$1000/one-time
    • Single solar-powered GNSS ground control marker
    • Includes 12 months of the Propeller Corrections Network
    • Network renewal 1,000 USD per year per AeroPoint group
  • Propeller Platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted by number of sites, users and survey volume
    • Not published
    • Processing turnaround and support level vary by agreement

Which should you pick?

Choose Pix4Dfields if

  • You need orthomosaic generation.
  • You work on Windows, Ios.
  • You also want ndvi & vegetation indices.

Choose Propeller Aero if

  • You need photogrammetric processing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want aeropoints ground control.

Questions people ask

Is Pix4Dfields or Propeller Aero better?
Neither clearly leads. Pix4Dfields starts at $330/month and Propeller Aero at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pix4Dfields or Propeller Aero?
Pix4Dfields starts at $330/month and Propeller Aero at On request.
Does Pix4Dfields or Propeller Aero run on more platforms?
Pix4Dfields runs on Windows, Ios. Propeller Aero runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Pix4Dfields best used for?
Pix4Dfields is most often used for processing drone imagery of fields into orthomosaics without acreage limits, generating vegetation indices and crop health maps from aerial surveys, producing variable rate prescription maps for exporting to farm machinery, agronomists producing crop scouting reports from drone flights. Of those, processing drone imagery of fields into orthomosaics without acreage limits and generating vegetation indices and crop health maps from aerial surveys are not what Propeller Aero is typically brought in for.
What can Pix4Dfields do that Propeller Aero cannot?
Pix4Dfields covers Orthomosaic generation, NDVI & vegetation indices, Multispectral processing, Zonation mapping. Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing, AeroPoints ground control, Volume measurement, Design surface comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Pix4Dfields: How much does PIX4Dfields cost?

PIX4Dfields costs $111 per month for a monthly subscription plan. The software offers actionable data and insights from drone imagery for high efficiency and productivity in precision agriculture. Source: https://pix4d.com/pricing

Source
Propeller Aero: How much does Propeller cost?

The platform is quoted and not published. AeroPoints are 1,000 US dollars each, with the corrections network included for twelve months and thereafter free while a platform licence is current, otherwise 1,000 dollars a year per group.

Pix4Dfields: Does PIX4Dfields offer a free trial?

Yes, PIX4Dfields provides a free 15-day trial that requires no credit card to start. You can cancel before renewal without incurring charges, though no refunds are issued upon cancellation. Source: https://pix4d.com/pricing

Source
Propeller Aero: Do I need AeroPoints?

No, you can use conventional surveyed ground control, but the AeroPoints workflow is the main reason contractors choose Propeller over generic photogrammetry.

Pix4Dfields: Can I add cloud processing credits to PIX4Dfields?

Yes, PIX4Dfields subscriptions allow you to add cloud processing credits to your account for additional image processing beyond the standard monthly allocation. Credits can be purchased as needed. Source: https://pix4d.com/pricing

Source
Propeller Aero: Is it survey grade?

Propeller states centimetre-level accuracy with correct ground control. Whether that satisfies a contract depends on your specification and on how the survey was flown, not on the software alone.

Propeller Aero: Who owns the data?

You retain your survey data and can export surfaces and point clouds, but check the export formats and retention terms in your contract before closeout, because bulk historical export is not a self-service one-click operation.

Share

Related pages

Other head to heads