PointCab Origins
5.5/10Desktop point cloud processing software from Germany. It turns terrestrial, SLAM and drone laser scans into orthophotos, sections, vectors and CAD/BIM deliverables for surveyors and planners.
Data last updated November 2026 · Our methodology
Overview
PointCab Origins is desktop software from PointCab GmbH of Wernau, Germany. It processes laser scan point clouds from terrestrial, SLAM and drone scanners into 2D and 3D deliverables. The core workflow automatically creates orthophotos of a scan, including top, front and side views, layouts and sections. Users can then vectorize those images with automatic edge detection, measure distances and areas, and organize the results in layers and sheets before exporting to CAD. A registration module aligns scans using checkerboard, sphere and plane targets. Plugins carry point cloud data into Revit, AutoCAD, Archicad, BricsCAD, Vectorworks and ZWCAD. A sister product, Nebula, is an online viewer for sharing point clouds. The software suits surveyors, architects, building documentation firms and engineering offices that need plans and BIM inputs from scans without a steep learning curve. There are two editions, Origins Core and Origins 3D. Each can be bought as a perpetual licence or a yearly subscription, with a 10 percent discount for a three-year subscription. A monthly rental at 420 euros includes every module, registration and all plugins. As of 2025, the 4Revit, 4Archicad and 4AutoCAD plugins cost 700 euros each, and 4Brics and 4ZWCAD cost 400 euros. The Core and 3D list prices are not published and are only in the shop. A 25-working-hour trial is limited to three projects. The main limitation is scope: the tool is built for producing drawings from scans. It does not do classification-heavy LiDAR analytics, asset management or collaboration, and independent user reviews are scarce.
Our Rating
Who PointCab Origins is best for
Good fit
Its orthophotos, sections and CAD/BIM plugins are aimed at offices that produce plans from laser scans.
Building documentation and as-built plans for Revit and Archicad are central use cases.
- Freelancers7/10
The monthly rental is intended for users with fewer than five projects a year, and a beta-test reviewer was a freelance surveyor.
Less suited
Academic licences and free three-month student licences are offered.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Orthophotos, sections and layouts are generated automatically from scans, which shortens the route from point cloud to 2D plans.
- Native plugins cover six CAD/BIM platforms: Revit, AutoCAD, Archicad, BricsCAD, Vectorworks and ZWCAD.
- Licensing is flexible: perpetual, yearly subscription, an all-inclusive 420-euro monthly rental, and free student licences.
- The trial clock runs only while the software is open, giving 25 hours of real use.
- A LiDAR News reviewer found the simplified toolbar easy for beginners, while shortcut and design options suit advanced users.
Cons
- List prices for Core and 3D licences are not published on the website and are only available in the shop.
- Plane-based registration was not fully automatic like cloud-to-cloud registration, according to the 4.0 review.
- Projects saved in Origins are not compatible with older 3.x versions, so the software saves a separate 3.x copy.
- Independent user reviews are scarce on G2, SourceForge and Slashdot.
- It focuses on drawings and documentation, with no advanced LiDAR classification or asset management features.
Key Features
Not included
- Work Orders
- Spare Parts Inventory
- Preventive Maintenance
PointCab Origins Pricing
Trial
- Limited to 3 projects
- 25 working hours of use
- Timer runs only while the software is open
Monthly Rental (all modules and plugins)
- All Origins modules
- All CAD/BIM plugins included
- Point cloud registration included
- Suited to fewer than 5 projects per year
Origins 3D
- Adds 3D functionality to Core
- 10% discount on a 3-year subscription
- Perpetual licence or yearly subscription
Origins Core
- Vectorization and measurement
- 10% discount on a 3-year subscription
- Perpetual licence or yearly subscription
- Orthophoto generation, layouts and sections
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The trial gives 25 working hours, counted only while the software is open, and is limited to three projects.
The monthly rental costs 420 euros. It includes all Origins modules, including point cloud registration, and all plugins.
Plugins are available for Revit, AutoCAD, Archicad, BricsCAD, Vectorworks and ZWCAD.
Origins Pro was discontinued in 2025. Registration is now an add-on module, and the base product was renamed Origins Core.
A three-year subscription gets an extra 10 percent off. Academic licences for non-commercial use are quoted on request, and students can get Origins with plugins free for three months for a thesis or research project.
It handles point clouds from terrestrial, SLAM and drone laser scanners.
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