Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry·Comparison
Agisoft Metashape vs RealityCapture for Heritage Photogrammetry
Quick Answer
Agisoft Metashape Pro is the heritage photogrammetry industry standard — well documented, predictable, with a perpetual licence option. RealityCapture is faster and produces excellent mesh quality but uses per-credit pricing that can be costly for large projects. For most heritage practitioners in India, Metashape is the better practical choice due to its licensing model and established workflow support.
Overview
The long-established photogrammetry standard for heritage, archaeology and architecture. Used by UNESCO, INTACH-affiliated projects and most Indian heritage documentation practitioners. Available as a perpetual licence.
Pricing: USD 3,499 perpetual | USD 549/yr subscription | Free trial available
Strengths
- Perpetual licence available (USD 3,499) — no ongoing per-project cost
- Widely documented in heritage documentation literature and standards
- Strong chunk merge capability for multi-area capture projects
- Python scripting API for automation of large documentation projects
- Export to virtually all heritage and BIM formats (OBJ, FBX, LAS, DWG)
- Well-supported batch processing for large datasets
Limitations
- Processing is slower than RealityCapture on equivalent hardware
- Higher memory requirement for very large datasets
- Interface can be complex for occasional users
- USD 3,499 upfront cost (though perpetual and one-time)
Epic Games' photogrammetry software, known for extremely fast GPU-accelerated processing and high mesh quality. Per-credit pricing replaced subscription in 2023.
Pricing: Free up to 2,500 images/month; per-credit beyond (check Epic Fab store for current rates)
Strengths
- Significantly faster processing than Metashape — 2–10x on GPU-equipped hardware
- Excellent mesh quality, particularly for complex organic geometry and sculptural detail
- Free to use up to 2,500 input images per month under Epic Games personal licence
- Strong point cloud processing and direct mesh export
- Handles very large datasets that would cause memory issues in Metashape
Limitations
- Per-credit pricing model can make large professional projects expensive
- Less well documented in heritage-specific literature
- Requires a powerful NVIDIA CUDA GPU for full speed advantage
- Fewer export format options than Metashape
- Per-image pricing discourages the high overlap ratios that give the best heritage documentation results
Specification Comparison
| Attribute | Agisoft Metashape Pro | RealityCapture | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processing speed | Moderate — CPU + GPU | Fast — GPU-first (CUDA) | RealityCapture is typically 2–5x faster on equivalent hardware |
| Licensing | Perpetual or annual subscription | Per-credit (free tier: 2,500 images/month) | Metashape's perpetual licence is predictable for professional use |
| Mesh quality | Good | Excellent, especially for organic geometry | Both produce professional results; RC slightly better for sculptural detail |
| Heritage workflow documentation | Extensive — used in INTACH, UNESCO, ASI work | Limited heritage-specific guides | Metashape is the established heritage standard |
| Python scripting | Full Python API included | Limited CLI automation | Metashape better for batch and archive workflows |
| GPU requirement | GPU accelerated but not required | NVIDIA CUDA GPU essential for speed advantage | Metashape runs acceptably on CPU-only hardware |
| Format export | Extensive (OBJ, FBX, LAS, DXF, E57, Revit, more) | Good (OBJ, FBX, LAS, XYZ) | Metashape has broader format support for heritage deliverables |
Verdict
Agisoft Metashape Pro remains the professional standard for heritage photogrammetry in India and internationally. Its perpetual licence, established workflow documentation, Python API and broad format support make it the safer choice for practices doing regular heritage work. RealityCapture is compelling for its processing speed and mesh quality, and its free tier suits smaller temple documentation projects. For large projects where processing time is critical and you have GPU hardware, RealityCapture is worth evaluating alongside Metashape.
When to Choose Each
Choose Agisoft Metashape Pro when:
- Practices doing regular heritage photogrammetry where a perpetual licence makes financial sense
- Large multi-chunk projects (temple complexes, fort surveys, historic towns)
- Workflows requiring Python scripting or batch processing of image archives
- Projects where the client or conservation body specifies Metashape
- When reference to established heritage photogrammetry literature is important
Choose RealityCapture when:
- Projects with fewer than 2,500 images where the free tier eliminates software cost
- Practitioners with high-end GPU workstations who need fast turnaround
- 3D visualisation and public engagement outputs where mesh quality is paramount
- One-off or occasional photogrammetry work where a perpetual licence is hard to justify
Can You Use Both?
Combined approach
Some practitioners use RealityCapture for rapid initial processing and preview, then run final processing in Metashape for deliverables requiring Metashape workflow documentation. Point clouds and dense mesh outputs from either software are interoperable with standard downstream tools (CloudCompare, Revit, ArcGIS).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which photogrammetry software is best for South Indian temple documentation?
Agisoft Metashape Pro is the standard for professional temple documentation in India. It handles large multi-level captures, chunk merging for complex sites, and exports to the formats required for conservation drawings. RealityCapture's free tier works well for smaller temples under 2,500 images.
Is RealityCapture free to use for heritage documentation?
RealityCapture is free for projects under 2,500 input images per month under the Epic Games Fab personal licence. Beyond this threshold, per-credit pricing applies. For a comprehensive drone and ground survey of a mid-size temple, 2,500 images may be exceeded — check your project image count before starting.
What are the hardware requirements for photogrammetry processing?
Minimum: 32GB RAM, dedicated GPU (NVIDIA GTX 1080 or better for RealityCapture; any GPU for Metashape). Recommended: 64–128GB RAM, NVIDIA RTX 3080/4080 or better, NVMe SSD storage. Large datasets push requirements higher. Fast NVMe storage is often the practical bottleneck.