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Construction · head to head

ALICE Technologies vs Topcon MAGNET

ALICE Technologies logo

ALICE Technologies

Construction

Generative construction scheduling that produces and compares millions of build sequences

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Topcon MAGNET logo

Topcon MAGNET

Construction

Field, office and cloud software for surveying and civil construction, built around Topcon instruments

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ALICE Technologies the output is only as good as the recipes, and building accurate recipes is specialist modelling work most contractors cannot staff, so engagements depend on ALICE or a consultant doing it, which turns software into a services contract.; Topcon MAGNET mAGNET is built around Topcon and Sokkia hardware, so a firm running mixed instrument brands will not get the field workflows it expects and is better served by manufacturer-independent field software.
  • They diverge on capability: ALICE Technologies covers Generative scheduling, Topcon MAGNET covers MAGNET Field.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ALICE Technologies and Topcon MAGNET actually diverge.

Attributes where ALICE Technologies and Topcon MAGNET differ
AttributeALICE TechnologiesTopcon MAGNET
PlatformsWeb, WindowsWindows, Android, Web

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 ALICE Technologies

  • Generative scheduling
  • Recipe modelling
  • Optioneering
  • Schedule recovery
  • Resource levelling
  • 4D visualisation
  • P6 and MS Project import
  • Scenario comparison reports

Only in Topcon MAGNET

  • MAGNET Field
  • MAGNET Office
  • MAGNET Enterprise
  • Machine control model preparation
  • Mass haul and earthwork
  • Point layout and stakeout
  • Live field to office link
  • Standard format exchange

What people use each for

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

ALICE Technologies

  • A data centre programme where six months of earlier energisation is worth more than the entire construction management budget, and the owner wants evidence that a proposed sequence change actually delivers itnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A contractor facing liquidated damages that must decide between a second shift, a second crane and resequencing, and needs the cost and duration consequence of each before committingnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A bid team wanting to submit a shorter programme than competitors while proving to the client that the resource profile is achievable rather than optimisticnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A delay claim where the contractor must demonstrate to a client or adjudicator what the schedule would have looked like without a specific disruptionnot Topcon MAGNET

Topcon MAGNET

  • A civil contractor running Topcon grade control that needs design models prepared and pushed to machines from one environmentnot ALICE Technologies
  • A survey crew doing construction layout with Topcon total stations and wanting field data to reach the office without a memory cardnot ALICE Technologies
  • An earthworks estimator producing takeoff quantities and mass haul plans from engineering drawingsnot ALICE Technologies
  • A firm standardising on one manufacturer end to end to reduce the number of software packages its crews have to learnnot ALICE Technologies

Where each one falls short

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

ALICE Technologies

  • The output is only as good as the recipes, and building accurate recipes is specialist modelling work most contractors cannot staff, so engagements depend on ALICE or a consultant doing it, which turns software into a services contract.
  • Pricing is quoted per project or programme with no published rates, so the tool is effectively unavailable to anyone who cannot justify a bespoke enterprise negotiation.
  • It only pays back on projects where float has a high monetary value; on a mid-size commercial building the modelling effort exceeds the schedule saving, which is why the customer list skews to data centres, energy and heavy civils.
  • A generated schedule still has to be accepted by superintendents and subcontractors who did not build it, and adoption failures are usually social rather than technical: the field runs the plan it believes in.
  • The 2026 McKinsey alliance pushes distribution towards consulting-led engagements, which raises the effective cost of entry and makes the direct-purchase path less certain for a contractor that just wants a licence.

Topcon MAGNET

  • MAGNET is built around Topcon and Sokkia hardware, so a firm running mixed instrument brands will not get the field workflows it expects and is better served by manufacturer-independent field software.
  • Topcon does not publish a rate card and sells through dealers, so two customers can pay materially different prices for the same licences depending on region and negotiation.
  • Cloud connectivity through MAGNET Enterprise is commonly bundled for the first year and then charged, which surprises firms that budgeted only for the licence.
  • Office capability is spread across modules and disciplines rather than sold as one product, so getting from data collection to machine control model preparation can require more than one purchase.
  • The office desktop software is Windows only and the wider line has been reorganised more than once, so buyers should confirm which specific product name their dealer is quoting and how long it will be supported.

Pricing, plan by plan

ALICE Technologies

On request
  • ALICE$undefined/year
    • Quoted per project or per programme
    • Generative scheduling and optioneering
    • Recipe modelling support

Topcon MAGNET

On request
  • MAGNET Field$undefined/year
    • Data collector licence
    • Sold through Topcon dealers
    • Annual service plan renewals available
  • MAGNET Office$undefined/year
    • Desktop licence with modules by discipline
    • Includes cloud connectivity for a first year
    • Renewal quoted separately
  • MAGNET Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Cloud project storage and field to office exchange
    • Subscription renewed annually
    • Bundled initially with Office licences

Which should you pick?

Choose ALICE Technologies if

  • You need generative scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want recipe modelling.
ALICE Technologies review

Choose Topcon MAGNET if

  • You need magnet field.
  • You work on Windows, Android, Web.
  • You also want magnet office.
Topcon MAGNET review

Questions people ask

Is ALICE Technologies or Topcon MAGNET better?
Neither clearly leads. ALICE Technologies starts at On request and Topcon MAGNET at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ALICE Technologies or Topcon MAGNET?
ALICE Technologies starts at On request and Topcon MAGNET at On request.
Does ALICE Technologies or Topcon MAGNET run on more platforms?
ALICE Technologies runs on Web, Windows. Topcon MAGNET runs on Windows, Android, Web.
What is ALICE Technologies best used for?
ALICE Technologies is most often used for a data centre programme where six months of earlier energisation is worth more than the entire construction management budget, and the owner wants evidence that a proposed sequence change actually delivers it, a contractor facing liquidated damages that must decide between a second shift, a second crane and resequencing, and needs the cost and duration consequence of each before committing, a bid team wanting to submit a shorter programme than competitors while proving to the client that the resource profile is achievable rather than optimistic, a delay claim where the contractor must demonstrate to a client or adjudicator what the schedule would have looked like without a specific disruption. Of those, a data centre programme where six months of earlier energisation is worth more than the entire construction management budget, and the owner wants evidence that a proposed sequence change actually delivers it and a contractor facing liquidated damages that must decide between a second shift, a second crane and resequencing, and needs the cost and duration consequence of each before committing are not what Topcon MAGNET is typically brought in for.
What can ALICE Technologies do that Topcon MAGNET cannot?
ALICE Technologies covers Generative scheduling, Recipe modelling, Optioneering, Schedule recovery. Topcon MAGNET covers MAGNET Field, MAGNET Office, MAGNET Enterprise, Machine control model preparation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ALICE Technologies: What does ALICE actually produce?

A set of alternative construction sequences generated from your constraints, scored on duration, cost and resource use, so you can choose rather than accept one plan.

Topcon MAGNET: Does MAGNET work with Trimble or Leica instruments?

Not as a practical daily workflow. It exchanges standard file formats but the field software is designed for Topcon and Sokkia hardware.

ALICE Technologies: Does it replace Primavera P6?

No. It imports from and exports to P6. P6 remains the contractual schedule of record on most projects.

Topcon MAGNET: Is pricing published?

No. MAGNET is sold through Topcon dealers with quotes varying by region and configuration.

ALICE Technologies: Is the company still operating?

Yes. ALICE is active as of 2026 and announced an alliance with McKinsey in April 2026 to deliver AI scheduling to McKinsey clients.

Topcon MAGNET: Is the cloud service included?

Typically for a first year with a licence, then renewable as a paid subscription.

ALICE Technologies: How much does it cost?

Not published. It is quoted per project or programme and typically includes modelling and onboarding services.

Topcon MAGNET: Can I get my data out at project closeout?

Yes, through LandXML, DXF and standard survey exchange formats, though field-specific configuration does not transfer to a competitor.

ALICE Technologies: What size project justifies it?

Projects where a week of schedule has a large monetary value: data centres, energy, industrial and major infrastructure. It is hard to justify on standard commercial building work.

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