CloudCompare is a free, open-source desktop app for point cloud processing; Pointscape is the mobile companion for iOS. There is no official CloudCompare for iPad, so if you want to open E57, LAS, LAZ, PLY, or XYZ scans on an iPhone or iPad for fast on-device viewing, Pointscape is the practical choice. It is a free download on the App Store.
Honest take
CloudCompare is a mature, free, open-source desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is excellent at heavy lifting: cloud registration and alignment, distance computation, segmentation, editing, and analysis. If your work is at a workstation, it is hard to beat — and Pointscape is not trying to replace it there.
Pointscape solves a different problem: getting a scan in front of someone on an iPad or iPhone, in the field or in a meeting, without a laptop. It opens the same common formats, renders them on-device with no internet required, and streams very large COPC datasets from the cloud. Think of it as the mobile viewer that complements your desktop pipeline, not a substitute for it.
A common workflow: process and register in CloudCompare on the desktop, export to E57 or LAZ, then open that file in Pointscape on your iPad to review on site or present to a client.
Side by side
An honest comparison of where each tool is strongest.
| CloudCompare | Pointscape | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Windows, macOS, Linux (desktop) | iPhone & iPad (iOS, iPadOS) |
| Best for | Processing, editing, analysis | Viewing & presenting in the field |
| Formats | E57, LAS, LAZ, PLY, XYZ, and many more | E57, LAS, LAZ, PLY, COPC, XYZ |
| Registration & editing | Extensive | Not the focus — view-first |
| COPC streaming | Limited | Yes — stream billions of points |
| Works in the field | Needs a laptop | Runs on the device in your pocket |
| Price | Free & open-source | Free download; optional Pro/Cloud |
Choose well
FAQ
CloudCompare is a desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and there is no official iPad version. Pointscape is a native iPad and iPhone app that opens the same point cloud formats — E57, LAS, LAZ, PLY, and XYZ — for fast viewing on-device.
For heavy desktop processing — registration, editing, segmentation, and analysis — CloudCompare remains the tool of choice. Pointscape is best as the mobile companion: opening, viewing, and presenting scans on an iPad or iPhone in the field, without a workstation.
Yes for the common point cloud formats: both open E57, LAS, LAZ, PLY, and XYZ. Pointscape also streams COPC. Export from CloudCompare in one of these formats and open it directly on your iPad.
Pointscape is a free download on the App Store for viewing point clouds on iPhone and iPad. CloudCompare is free, open-source desktop software. Pointscape's optional Pro and Cloud plans add larger files, cloud streaming, and team workspaces.
