Matterport vs. laser scanning: choosing the right capture for the job

Every week a client asks whether they need "a Matterport" or "a scan". The honest answer is that they are different products that happen to start with the same walk through a building.

Matterport: the visual record

A Matterport tour is a photographic, navigable model with a floor plan, measurements to roughly 1 to 2 percent, and a share link anyone can open on a phone. It is the right order for marketing, leasing, remote walkthroughs, insurance snapshots and most facilities documentation. Turnaround is usually 24 to 48 hours.

Laser scanning: the measured record

A survey-grade scan from a Leica, FARO or NavVis unit produces a point cloud accurate to millimetres, registered to control if required. It is what architects, engineers and contractors model from. The deliverable is a cloud (E57, LAS, RCP) and, if ordered, a Revit or CAD as-built. Turnaround is typically one to two weeks depending on modelling scope.

A simple rule

• If the audience is people, order a Virtual Space.
• If the audience is software, order a scan.
• If it is both, order both on the same visit. Combined bookings are the most common VirtualSpace order for commercial clients, and the Spatialist captures each with the tool built for it.

Not sure? Send us the floor plan and what you need to decide; we will recommend the lighter option when it does the job.