3-GIS vs DRIVE NDT (2026): Pricing, Features & Verdict
3-GIS is our pick, scoring 6.4/10 against 5.7/10 for DRIVE NDT on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria. Its biggest advantage: higher Security score (7/10 vs 5/10). Neither 3-GIS nor DRIVE NDT lists a free plan.
Last updated: November 2026
3-GIS
6.4/10
3-GIS sells GIS-based network management software that telecom operators and electric and gas utilities use to plan, design, record, inspect and maintain fiber and utility networks.
DRIVE NDT
5.7/10
Cloud-based workflow management software for non-destructive testing service providers and in-house NDT departments, covering inspection orders, test reports, inspectors, and equipment.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.4/10 | 5.7/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| Asset Registry | ||
| Inspection Checklists | ||
| Work Orders | ||
| Document Control | Not listed | |
| Engineering Design | Not listed | |
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Offline Field App | Not listed | |
| Safety and Compliance | Not listed | |
Who 3-GIS and DRIVE NDT suit
3-GIS fits field teams better; DRIVE NDT fits engineering firms better.
| Audience | 3-GIS | DRIVE NDT |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Firms | 6/10Fiber design contractors can use the design and work-packet tools, with contractor access managed in Admin. | 8/10Built for NDT inspection service companies such as Applus+, DEKRA, and HEMATITE that manage orders, inspectors, and reports for clients. |
| Field Teams | 8/10The Mobile and MIMS apps let crews redline, inspect, take photos and trace outages offline, then sync back to the office. | 6/10Inspectors can enter results on tablets at the site, but offline operation is not documented. |
| Small Business | 3/10Quote-only pricing, implementation services and a reliance on the Esri ecosystem make it heavy for very small operators. | 4/10Small NDT firms can use it, and a Lite edition has come bundled with D-Tect X, but setup is a consultative, quote-based process. |
| Energy Companies | 7/10Electric and gas network operators are a stated target market, though the products focus on network records rather than generation assets. | 7/10The vendor lists energy, utilities, and oil and gas among its target industries, and Applus+ used it on a wind energy project. |
| Enterprise | 8/10The vendor cites deployments with thousands of users and more than 500 million network records, and offers role-based administration and APIs for OSS/BSS integration. | Not rated |
| Manufacturing | Not rated | 6/10Chemical and aerospace in-house NDT departments, such as Evonik, are named users and target industries. |
| Utilities | 9/10The utility products cover Esri Utility Network editing, mobile inspections, work management and pole attachment management for electric and gas networks. | Not rated |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose 3-GIS
- Higher Security score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Scalability score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for field teams (8/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose DRIVE NDT
- Higher Cost score (5/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for engineering firms (8/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
3-GIS
Pros
- One web system covers the fiber lifecycle: planning in Prospector, design and work packets, strand-level tracing, and operations reporting.
- The Mobile app supports offline work on iOS and Android, and syncs crew redlines, photos and asset updates back to the central record.
- The utility products build on Esri ArcGIS and Utility Network, which suits utilities already invested in Esri.
- Customers can choose between SaaS and on-premises deployment, and the company displays an ISO 27001 badge from A-LIGN.
- Capterra reviewers praise the support team and the ability to configure the software to their needs, giving customer service a 4.4 sub-score.
Cons
- No public pricing, and implementation and data migration services add to total cost; Capterra users scored value for money at 3.9.
- Capterra reviewers report lag and slow navigation at times.
- Users coming from ArcGIS say they miss some ArcGIS features in the 3-GIS interface.
- Only a handful of independent reviews are public, so peer evidence is limited.
- Few turnkey OMS, ADMS or SCADA connectors are documented; deeper integrations rely on APIs or services.
- The November 2026 acquisition by SAM adds some roadmap uncertainty.
DRIVE NDT
Pros
- Covers the whole NDT job cycle in one cloud system, from order entry through inspector and equipment assignment to report approval and archiving.
- A direct link with DÜRR NDT's D-Tect X moves digital radiography results into a report with one click and sends it for Level 3 approval.
- Tracks NDT-specific staff data such as certificates, re-certification dates, medical checks, and radiation doses, and sends automatic reminders.
- Has users among large inspection firms: DEKRA Incos reported an estimated 90 to 99 percent drop in report errors, and Applus+ cut report delivery that used to take 24 to 48 hours on a wind project.
- Report templates are customizable, and every change is logged with an automatic revision update, which supports audit traceability.
Cons
- No public pricing, and no information on licence model or contract terms.
- No published security certifications, hosting location, or encryption details.
- Offline use in the field is not documented, and no native mobile app is described beyond browser access on tablets.
- No reviews on G2, Capterra, or SourceForge, so nearly all the evidence comes from the vendor or from case studies.
- The deepest automation is for digital radiography with D-Tect X; film-based RT and other methods get less automation.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
3-GIS scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 6.4/10 against 5.7/10 for DRIVE NDT. The largest gap is in Scalability: 8/10 for 3-GIS and 6/10 for DRIVE NDT.
No, neither 3-GIS nor DRIVE NDT lists a free plan.
DRIVE NDT is the better fit for engineering firms: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 6/10 for 3-GIS.
