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Construction · head to head

PlanGrid vs Propeller Aero

PlanGrid logo

PlanGrid

Construction

Construction productivity software for the field

From
$39/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Propeller Aero logo

Propeller Aero

Construction

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PlanGrid autodesk states PlanGrid is no longer available for purchase by net-new customers, with new buyers directed to Forma 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
  • They diverge on capability: PlanGrid covers Blueprint management, Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where PlanGrid and Propeller Aero differ
AttributePlanGridPropeller Aero
Starting price$39/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionHardware purchase plus a quoted platform subscription
Founded1982Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

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 PlanGrid

  • Blueprint management
  • Issue tracking
  • Photo documentation
  • Punch lists
  • RFI management
  • Autodesk BIM 360
  • Procore
  • Box

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.

PlanGrid

  • Giving field crews real-time access to construction plans, issues and photosnot Propeller Aero
  • Capturing site forms and photos from a tablet on a job sitenot Propeller Aero
  • Managing organization licences for a construction document appnot Propeller Aero

Propeller Aero

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

Where each one falls short

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

PlanGrid

  • Autodesk states PlanGrid is no longer available for purchase by net-new customers, with new buyers directed to Forma Build
  • PlanGrid access is now sold only through Forma Build, so pricing is set by the Forma Build subscription rather than PlanGrid itself
  • Mobile users must access PlanGrid projects through the Autodesk Forma mobile app rather than a standalone PlanGrid app
  • The PlanGrid desktop app requires Windows 10 or higher
  • The Admin Console for managing users and licences is a separate site restricted to designated organization admins

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

PlanGrid

$39/month
  • Build$39/month
    • Sheet management
    • Issue tracking
    • RFIs
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom integrations
    • Priority support

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 PlanGrid if

  • You need blueprint management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want issue tracking.
PlanGrid review

Choose Propeller Aero if

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

Questions people ask

Is PlanGrid or Propeller Aero better?
Neither clearly leads. PlanGrid starts at $39/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, PlanGrid or Propeller Aero?
PlanGrid starts at $39/month and Propeller Aero at On request.
Does PlanGrid or Propeller Aero run on more platforms?
PlanGrid runs on Web, Ios, Android. Propeller Aero runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is PlanGrid best used for?
PlanGrid is most often used for giving field crews real-time access to construction plans, issues and photos, capturing site forms and photos from a tablet on a job site, managing organization licences for a construction document app. Of those, giving field crews real-time access to construction plans, issues and photos and capturing site forms and photos from a tablet on a job site are not what Propeller Aero is typically brought in for.
What can PlanGrid do that Propeller Aero cannot?
PlanGrid covers Blueprint management, Issue tracking, Photo documentation, Punch lists. Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing, AeroPoints ground control, Volume measurement, Design surface comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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.

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.

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