Comparison · Aerial and drone LiDAR, GIS and photogrammetry
Neurones 3D vs Agisoft Metashape
Looking for a Agisoft Metashape alternative? Neurones 3D is free, offline point cloud and Gaussian splatting software for Windows: the free viewer runs every process, from AI classification to dimensioned floor plans, and a one-time paid edition saves the results.
Agisoft Metashape is photogrammetry software that builds point clouds, DEMs, orthomosaics and textured 3D models from aerial, close-range and satellite imagery. The Professional Edition adds LiDAR and laser scan support, point classification and Python and Java APIs.
By Dr. Florent Poux, maker of Neurones 3D · Agisoft Metashape's facts from Agisoft's own documentation, checked
The short answer
Choose Neurones 3D if your input is already a point cloud and you want ready-trained classifiers, M3C2 change detection, terrain, contours and dimensioned plans in an offline Windows application, with a free viewer that runs every process. Choose Agisoft Metashape if you create 3D data from photographs, from drone survey to heritage, and want a mature photogrammetry pipeline on Windows, macOS or Linux with a licence that is not time-limited and Python and Java APIs.
At a glance
| Neurones 3D | Agisoft Metashape | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) | Windows, macOS and Linux |
| Where it runs | desktop | desktop |
| Licence | free viewer + one-time paid editions | licence that is not time-limited (node-locked or floating), free updates up to version 2.x.x |
| Price | Free viewer; paid editions bought once, no subscription | Professional Edition $3,499; Standard Edition $179 (node-locked) source |
| Free use | The free viewer opens, views and runs every process; writing results out needs a paid edition | Demo mode, or a 30-day trial licence |
Feature by feature
"Not stated" means we could not find it in Agisoft's documentation, not that it is missing. Each of Agisoft Metashape's cells links to where we read it.
| Capability | Neurones 3D | Agisoft Metashape |
|---|---|---|
| Runs fully offline | YesNo account, no internet connection, no telemetry | Not statedDesktop processing with an optional cloud; offline activation is not stated on the pages read |
| One-time licence available | YesBought once; no subscription | YesThe Metashape licence is not time-limited source |
| Opens LAS/LAZ and E57 | YesLAS, LAZ, COPC, E57, PLY, PCD and more; a 127.8 M point E57 opens in about 22 s | YesAerial LiDAR point attributes; E57 import and export source |
| Scan registration | PartlyCloud-to-cloud alignment (ICP and graph matching, no initial placement needed), RMS shown with the inlier share | YesAlign Laser Scans (geometric matching), marker-based alignment, external registration source |
| AI point cloud classification | YesFour trained models ship in every build: indoor, aerial LiDAR, powerline, streetscape; a confidence per point | YesAutomatic multi-class point classification; point classifier training added in the 2.4.0 preview (Professional) source |
| Segmentation | YesUnsupervised segmentation, primitive decomposition, components, rooms | Not stated |
| Automatic floor plans | YesAutomatic, dimensioned, with sections and elevations | Not stated |
| DXF / CAD drawings | YesDXF R2000, SVG and PDF; no DWG | YesContour lines to DXF; 3DFace DXF model export source |
| DTM / DSM | YesDTM, DSM, CHM, slope, aspect, hillshade on one grid | YesDSM and DTM generation and editing with breaklines source |
| Contour lines | YesContours that cannot cross | YesGenerate Contours, with export to KML and DXF source |
| Change detection | YesM3C2 with a 95 % level of detection; cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-BIM deviation | PartlyDifference view mode for laser scans source |
| Meshing | YesPoisson and clean meshing; the clean mesh is closed, not edge-manifold | YesTextured 3D models and hierarchical tiled models source |
| Gaussian splats | YesOpens PLY and SPZ splats, converts them to points, meshes them; does not train splats | Not stated |
| Reports | YesSelf-contained HTML reports with provenance | YesProcessing reports, with a Laser Scans page source |
| Scripting / SDK | YesEngine & SDK edition: Python package and headless command line | YesPython scripting and Java bindings source |
Where Neurones 3D is stronger
- M3C2 change detection with a 95 % level of detection, plus cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-BIM deviation; Metashape documents a difference view mode for laser scans.
- Four scene-specific classifiers (indoor, aerial LiDAR, powerline, streetscape) ship trained, with a confidence per point; Metashape’s classifier training arrives in a 2.4.0 preview.
- A free viewer that opens, views and runs every process; Metashape’s trial licence lasts 30 days.
Where Agisoft Metashape is stronger
- Photogrammetry from aerial, close-range and satellite imagery, with orthomosaics, tiled city models and 4D; N3D does not process photos.
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, with network processing across several computers.
- Registers terrestrial laser scans together with photos, and detects powerlines from images alone.
Who should choose which
Choose Neurones 3D to take a point cloud or a splat capture to a finished deliverable on your own machine: classified LAS, a dimensioned floor plan with sections and elevations in DXF, a DTM with contours, a change map or a report, without an account, an upload or a subscription. Every figure it publishes is measured; see the benchmarks.
Choose Agisoft Metashape: Photogrammetry users, from drone survey to heritage and VFX, who need a proven image-to-3D pipeline with a licence that does not expire.
Questions
Is Agisoft Metashape free?
Agisoft Metashape: Professional Edition $3,499; Standard Edition $179 (node-locked). Free use: Demo mode, or a 30-day trial licence. Neurones 3D’s free viewer opens, views and runs every process; writing results out needs a paid edition bought once.
Can Agisoft Metashape classify point clouds with AI?
Agisoft Metashape: yes. Automatic multi-class point classification; point classifier training added in the 2.4.0 preview (Professional). Neurones 3D: yes. Four trained models ship in every build: indoor, aerial LiDAR, powerline, streetscape; a confidence per point.
What is the best alternative to Agisoft Metashape?
Choose Neurones 3D if your input is already a point cloud and you want ready-trained classifiers, M3C2 change detection, terrain, contours and dimensioned plans in an offline Windows application, with a free viewer that runs every process. Choose Agisoft Metashape if you create 3D data from photographs, from drone survey to heritage, and want a mature photogrammetry pipeline on Windows, macOS or Linux with a licence that is not time-limited and Python and Java APIs.
How this comparison was made
Written by the maker of Neurones 3D, so read it as such. Agisoft Metashape's column comes only from Agisoft's published documentation and listings, read on 2026-09-24; where we found nothing, the cell says "not stated". Neurones 3D's column comes from its own guides, which give the limits too. If something here is wrong or out of date, write to howto@learngeodata.eu and it will be corrected.
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