Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS vs QGIS Comparison
Compare Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS vs QGIS features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS
5.8/10
Desktop point cloud registration software from Leica Geosystems. Surveyors, engineers and reality capture teams use it to align, check and publish terrestrial laser scan data.
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 | 5.8/10 | 7/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Cost | 3/10 | 10/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 9/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Scalability | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| 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 | ||
| LiDAR Processing | ||
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Preventive Maintenance | Not listed | |
| Spare Parts Inventory | Not listed | |
| Work Orders | ||
Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS vs QGIS cost by team size
| Team size | Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS | 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS
- Higher Ease of Use score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Support score (6/10 vs 5/10)
Why choose QGIS
- Has a free plan (Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS does not)
- Higher Cost score (10/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for consultancies (8/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS
Pros
- Automatic alignment works for both target-based and targetless scan projects, guided by a simple import, review and publish workflow.
- RTC360 pre-registration from the scanner's Visual Inertial System cuts down manual registration work.
- Since 2023 the PLUS licence includes publishing to LGS, RCP and Cyclone ENTERPRISE at no extra cost.
- Built-in QA and QC tools and registration reports produce deliverables that can go straight to clients.
Cons
- Third-party comparisons list high cost and complex licensing as drawbacks.
- Targetless stitching can need manual work when scenes lack large shared surfaces, according to a 2021 user comparison.
- Leica does not publish list prices, so buyers have to request a quote.
- As of 2021, data from Leica RTC360 scanners could only be processed in Leica's own software, which limits third-party workflows.
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 5.8/10 for Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS. The largest gap is in Cost: 3/10 for Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS and 10/10 for QGIS.
QGIS has a free plan; Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS does not list one.
QGIS is the better fit for consultancies: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 6/10 for Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS.
