DRIVE NDT vs QGIS (2026): Pricing, Features & Verdict
QGIS is our pick, scoring 7/10 against 5.7/10 for DRIVE NDT on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria. Its biggest advantage: higher Cost score (10/10 vs 5/10). Only QGIS has a free plan.
Last updated: November 2026
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.
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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.7/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 10/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Scalability | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Free QGIS (open source) |
| Features | ||
| Work Orders | ||
| Asset Registry | Not listed | |
| Document Control | Not listed | |
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Inspection Checklists | Not listed | |
| LiDAR Processing | Not listed | |
| Safety and Compliance | Not listed | |
DRIVE NDT vs QGIS cost by team size
| Team size | DRIVE NDT | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 5 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 10 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 25 users | Contact for pricing | FreeQGIS (open source) |
| 50 users | Contact for pricing | 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.
Who DRIVE NDT and QGIS suit
| Audience | DRIVE NDT | QGIS |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Firms | 8/10Built for NDT inspection service companies such as Applus+, DEKRA, and HEMATITE that manage orders, inspectors, and reports for clients. | 7/10It covers spatial analysis and point cloud viewing, but CAD and BIM work need other tools. |
| Consultancies | Not rated | 8/10Firms can deploy it on any number of seats for analysis and map production without licence fees. |
| Education | Not rated | 9/10Reviewers note that being free and open source makes it popular for students and academic projects. |
| Energy Companies | 7/10The vendor lists energy, utilities, and oil and gas among its target industries, and Applus+ used it on a wind energy project. | Not rated |
| Field Teams | 6/10Inspectors can enter results on tablets at the site, but offline operation is not documented. | Not rated |
| Government | Not rated | 9/10Public bodies use it widely for mapping because it has no licence cost and supports open standards. |
| Manufacturing | 6/10Chemical and aerospace in-house NDT departments, such as Evonik, are named users and target industries. | Not rated |
| Small Business | 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. | Not rated |
| Utilities | Not rated | 7/10It can map networks and assets, and plugins and PostGIS extend it, but it has no built-in maintenance workflows. |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose DRIVE NDT
- Higher Support score (6/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Ease of Use score (6/10 vs 5/10)
- Includes Work Orders, which QGIS lacks
Why choose QGIS
- Has a free plan (DRIVE NDT does not)
- Higher Cost score (10/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Analytics score (8/10 vs 4/10)
Pros & Cons
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.
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?
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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 5.7/10 for DRIVE NDT. The largest gap is in Cost: 5/10 for DRIVE NDT and 10/10 for QGIS.
QGIS has a free plan; DRIVE NDT does not list one.
DRIVE NDT has Work Orders, which QGIS lacks.
