DJI Terra vs QGIS Comparison
Compare DJI Terra vs QGIS features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
DJI Terra
5.9/10
Windows desktop software that turns DJI drone imagery and LiDAR data into 2D maps, 3D models, and point clouds for surveying, inspection, and agriculture.
QGIS
7/10
QGIS is a free, open source desktop GIS. Organisations use it to view, edit, analyse and map spatial data, including vector, raster, mesh and point cloud layers.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | D DJI Terra | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.9/10 | 7/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Cost | 6/10 | 10/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 9/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Free Trial | Free QGIS (open source) |
| Features | ||
| GIS and Mapping | ||
| LiDAR Processing | ||
| Digital Twin | Not listed | |
| Drone Inspection | Not listed | |
| Inspection Automation | Not listed | |
| Power Line Inspection | Not listed | |
| Preventive Maintenance | Not listed | |
| Spare Parts Inventory | Not listed | |
| Work Orders | ||
DJI Terra vs QGIS cost by team size
DJI Terra and QGIS cost the same at every team size we checked.
| Team size | DJI Terra | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree Trial | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 5 users | FreeFree Trial | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 10 users | FreeFree Trial | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 25 users | FreeFree Trial | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 50 users | FreeFree Trial | FreeQGIS (open source) |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
DWhy choose DJI Terra
- Higher Ease of Use score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Scalability score (7/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose QGIS
- Higher Cost score (10/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for education (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for government (9/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
DDJI Terra
Pros
- Zenmuse L2 and L3 point cloud processing is free, and cluster processing has been included at no cost since V5.1.
- Permanent licenses need no maintenance or upgrade fees from V5.0 onward.
- Standard's entry price of 1,850 USD a year is below PIX4Dmatic's comparable plan.
- Exports cover many formats, including LAS, LAZ, GeoTIFF, FBX, OSGB, B3DM, and I3S.
- Native handling of DJI flight data and camera calibration means little setup is needed.
Cons
- It runs only on 64-bit Windows with an NVIDIA GPU and at least 32 GB of RAM, with no Mac version.
- It is tuned for DJI hardware, and DJI warns that results from non-DJI drones may be worse.
- Mapping flight planning was removed in V5.0, so a separate DJI app is needed for it.
- Online licenses stop working after three days offline, and activated licenses are non-refundable.
- It has no client delivery, job tracking, or collaboration features.
QGIS
Pros
- No licence fees on any number of seats, under the GPLv2+ open source licence.
- Python and C++ plugins let teams add custom tools and database connectors such as PostGIS.
- It reads many data formats and standard web services, which makes it easy to connect to existing data.
- Its print layout, atlas and report tools suit organisations that produce a lot of maps.
- It loads LAS, LAZ and virtual point cloud datasets with classification-based rendering.
Cons
- Capterra reviewers report slow performance, freezes and crashes on heavy workloads.
- Newcomers describe a steep learning curve and say installation can be difficult.
- There is no vendor-backed support contract; help comes from the community or third-party providers.
- It cannot edit point clouds and has no asset maintenance features such as work orders.
- Some reviewers say it lacks tools that ArcGIS Pro offers.
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
QGIS scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 7/10 against 5.9/10 for DJI Terra. The largest gap is in Cost: 6/10 for DJI Terra and 10/10 for QGIS.
Both are free for 10 users.
Yes, both DJI Terra and QGIS have a free plan.
QGIS is the better fit for education: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 5/10 for DJI Terra.
