PIX4Dcatch vs Drone Scanner
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PIX4Dcatch
Transform your mobile device into a powerful 3D scanner. Capture images and LiDAR data to create accurate 3D models for professional use. Visualize, measure, and share your creations in AR.
- 3D model creation from images and LiDAR
- RTK device compatibility for centimeter accuracy
- Live feedback during capture
- Augmented reality (AR) model visualization
- Cloud processing and desktop export options
- Measurement and geolocation capabilities
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Digitize Reality: Transform your mobile device into a powerful 3D scanner. Simply point and record to create professional-grade 3D models. Pair with a compatible RTK device for centimeter-level accuracy, precise measurements, and geolocated 3D reconstructions. Visualize the captured model in the app, upload and export, and view it in AR. New ArcGIS Workflow: PIX4Dcatch now streams ArcGIS data in realtime in AR to provide in-field operators full contextual information about the entire site including 3D reconstructions and attributes. Our capture feature generates complete and defensible georeferenced 3D reconstructions which can be communicated seamlessly back to ArcGIS. New Guide-To Feature: PIX4Dcatch has a guide-to feature directing users to specified geolocated assets for staking, boosting onsite efficiency and accuracy. Just select the point or reconstruction you would like to find and follow the arrows in AR. WORKFLOW 1 – Scan & Capture Walk around your site. The app automatically gathers data and provides live feedback using iOS LiDAR, ensuring you capture every detail. For enhanced accuracy, use an RTK device compatible with PIX4Dcatch, PIX4D Autotags with a fully automated workflow, or combine both. 2 – Process, Analyze & Share Process your data by uploading to PIX4Dcloud for online analysis and sharing, or export to PIX4Dmatic for desktop processing. Both platforms offer a 14-day free trial. Projects can also be exported to third-party photogrammetry software. Measure spaces, document results, and enjoy all the benefits of a detailed 2D/3D model of your surroundings. 3 – View in AR Experience an immersive augmented-reality view. Display 3D models and points directly in your phone camera in AR. ____________________ USE CASES • Digitize construction sites • Measure stockpiles and other objects • Document underground utilities • Digitize indoor and outdoor spaces with Autotags • Visualize and verify 3D models in AR in real time • Perform single-point measurements with RTK accuracy ____________________ COMPATIBILITY • Optimized for LiDAR-equipped devices (Pro series phones) • All ARKit-enabled devices • RTK devices: Emlid Reach RX and RX2, TopCon HiPer CR, Bad Elf Flex Mini, Bad Elf Flex, Trimble DA2, Leica Zeno FLX100 ____________________ TERMS OF USE https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Drone Scanner
Transform your device into a drone scanner to track nearby flights in real-time. View detailed flight information, including pilot data and location history, on an interactive map. The app is updated to comply with current EU and US regulations.
- Real-time drone tracking
- Detailed drone information
- Interactive flight map
- Support for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi broadcasts
- Flying zone highlighting
- Data export functionality
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The world's first drone Remote ID scanner made by Dronetag. _____ READ BEFORE DOWNLOADING! Limited access to features on some phones is caused by manufacturers’ restrictions. All iOS phones, for example, prohibit app access to Wi-Fi, so only Bluetooth data transmission will work (if and only the drone has an active Remote ID over Bluetooth). It is not a flaw of our app; we cannot fix this, and we don’t deserve negative reviews for these issues. _____ Transform your phone or tablet into a drone scanner and track all the nearby flights over Direct / Broadcast Remote ID standards. Browse real-time data about drones on a detailed map highlighting specific flying space zones. Download Drone Scanner for free and discover what drones fly above your head. Favourite features: - Discover more about drones flying nearby in real-time - Examine detailed information broadcasted by drones via Bluetooth 4, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi Beacon, and Wi-Fi NAN - Browse a detailed map with your location and all nearby aircraft - Check available data about drones, including real-time height, direction, pilot identification, pilot position, operation description, and location history - Various flying zones marked and highlighted on the map - Easy export of collected data - Continuously updated to reflect the latest EU & US regulations All these features you find in Drone Scanner – a free app for tracking drones. The app is developed by Dronetag, manufacturing devices for remote drone identification. How it works: Anyone can quickly identify what drones are flying in the sky nearby. Direct Remote ID is a feature that transmits live flight data via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to the surrounding area. Drone manufacturers use various technologies to build an identification feature in new drones. Older drone pilots use add-on devices, enabling them to become digitally visible. With hardware on your smartphone, Drone Scanner can receive and read broadcasted data.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PIX4Dcatch at 4.7 against Drone Scanner's 1.8. PIX4Dcatch also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (33% vs 16%). Drone Scanner's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. PIX4Dcatch sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $159.00 per month. Drone Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.
PIX4Dcatch holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 262 and 145 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of PIX4Dcatch's written reviews are positive against 16% of Drone Scanner's.
PIX4Dcatch ships an update fortnightly, Drone Scanner every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PIX4Dcatch | Drone Scanner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (262 ratings) — better | 1.8 (145 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 32.5% of reviews — better | 15.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 262 — better | 145 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 320 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pix4D | Dronetag |
Customer experience
PIX4Dcatch
Drone Scanner
User reviews
PIX4Dcatch
From 262 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great idea for photogrammetry
- 🚀 Works well for professional use
- 👍 Consistently gets survey grade results
- 👍 Useful as an additional survey tool
- 👍 Amazing, game changer
Room to improve
- 💰 Very expensive subscription
- 💰 High monthly subscription cost
- 💰 Way too expensive for small objects
- 💰 Unclear cost structure
- 💰 Credits add up unexpectedly
Drone Scanner
From 145 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Works as advertised
- 🚀 Great app for Android
- 💡 Excellent Remote ID scanner
Room to improve
- 🐛 Does not work on iOS
- 🐛 Unable to detect drones
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 🔒 Collects personal information
Bugs and requests
PIX4Dcatch
Reported bugs
18 issues- App crashes or shows SDK error with Emlid RX
- Upload doesn't work for Dropbox or OneDrive
- Mesh doesn't display like past versions
- Cannot build an accurate model
- App locks out
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- Outputs contradict (geo tags vs GCP coordinates)
- Cannot log into Pix account inside the app (keyboard issue)
- Does not recognize license
- Stopped uploading
- Photos stored in app, impossible to get if not uploading
- Create account impossible
- Cannot register
- Cannot get contact without registration
- App unbrauchbar (unusable)
- Trial cannot be cancelled
- Scan took 4 days to process
- Fatal results
- Slow and annoying
Requested features
6 requests- Make it possible to work with any GNSS through NMEA Protocol
- Export GCP's in GPS coordinates as well
- Add instructions or tips
- Allow export to local device instead of cloud
- Allow export of images to PC for free
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- Allow testing of 3D generation with a limit of pictures or generated 3Ds for free
Drone Scanner
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes on launch
- Unable to locate drones in proximity
- Inaccurate location tracking
Requested features
3 requests- Add support for WiFi-based Remote ID
- Add support for more drone models
- Allow changing units from metric to imperial
In-app purchases
PIX4Dcatch
- PIX4Dcatch Professional14 Days trial$159.001 Month
Drone Scanner
No in-app purchases









