Blue Marble Geographics vs Carlson Scan: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Blue Marble Geographics and Carlson Scan to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Blue Marble Geographics
6.6/10
Blue Marble Geographics makes geospatial software. Its products are Global Mapper for desktop GIS and LiDAR processing, Geographic Calculator for coordinate conversion, and the Avenza Maps offline field app.
Carlson Scan
4.8/10
Windows software that runs Carlson's laser scanners and borehole tools to capture, mesh and measure underground voids, stopes and boreholes for mining and civil surveyors.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | C Carlson Scan |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.6/10 | 4.8/10 |
| Analytics | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 4/10 |
| Scalability | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| LiDAR Processing | ||
| Offline Field App | ||
| Drone Inspection | Not listed | |
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Inspection Automation | Not listed | |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Blue Marble Geographics
- Has a free plan (Carlson Scan does not)
- Higher Integration score (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Customization score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for engineering firms (8/10 vs 6/10)
CWhy choose Carlson Scan
Our data shows no clear advantage over Blue Marble Geographics.
Pros & Cons
Blue Marble Geographics
Pros
- Global Mapper reads and writes more than 300 spatial formats, and none of them need an extra license.
- Lidar classification, cleanup and feature extraction come in a desktop tool that costs far less than enterprise GIS suites.
- The GeoCalc geodetic engine includes more than 12,000 definitions and time-dependent transformations, which suits survey-grade work.
- Since the Avenza merger, field data from the Avenza Maps offline app flows back into Global Mapper for analysis.
Cons
- It is not an asset management or maintenance system. There are no work orders, maintenance scheduling or condition monitoring.
- Licensing has changed recently, and third-party listings show conflicting perpetual and subscription prices.
- Global Mapper is a Windows desktop tool, so collaboration across teams is limited compared with cloud GIS platforms.
CCarlson Scan
Pros
- Shows the point cloud and mesh live during a scan, so crews can check coverage before they leave the site.
- Calculates closed surfaces and volumes on the spot, which suits stope and void reconciliation.
- Processes data on the device, so it works underground with no internet connection.
- The license allows installation on any number of tablets, and version updates have been free for hardware owners.
- Exports to E57, LAS, PTS and DXF for use in CAD and blast design tools.
Cons
- Works only with Carlson's own scanners and probes, so it cannot be bought or used on its own.
- Older C-ALS Mk3 and original Void Scanner units cannot move past legacy version 1.3.6.
- There is no public pricing, and the hardware must be quoted through sales or dealers.
- Almost no independent user reviews were found, which makes it hard to compare against rivals.
- Runs on Windows only.
Not sold on either?
Air Inspection Automation (AiA)Our product
Plans DJI drone inspection missions for power line towers from LiDAR scans: it finds the towers, places photo stops, checks clearance, and splits the route into battery flights.
Made by the team behind b stack radar. Shown here because it fits this topic. It is not part of our rankings. How we rank tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Blue Marble Geographics scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 4.8/10 for Carlson Scan. The largest gap is in Integration: 8/10 for Blue Marble Geographics and 4/10 for Carlson Scan.
Blue Marble Geographics has a free plan; Carlson Scan does not list one.
Blue Marble Geographics is the better fit for engineering firms: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 6/10 for Carlson Scan.
