Free point cloud software is enough to get started. Opening a scan, taking a few measurements, cleaning up a dataset: there is almost always a free tool that does the job.
The real problem shows up at delivery. Free tools stop where the real need begins: sharing the result with a client who has nothing installed. This guide covers the main free options, what each is good for, and where a cloud platform takes over.
What "free point cloud software" really means
Not all free tools are free in the same way. Before you download anything, it helps to know which of three families a tool belongs to, because they solve very different problems.
- Open source desktop software: fully free and installable, built for processing (registration, cleaning, conversion). CloudCompare is the reference.
- Free online viewers: a browser tab where you drop a file to look at it, sometimes with basic measurement. No install, but limited features and storage.
- Free tiers of commercial tools: a viewer or trial released by a vendor (Autodesk, Leica, PointCab) to open files created in their paid ecosystem.
Good to know
Free does not mean unlimited. Most free tools cap file size, keep everything on your own machine, and offer no support. That is fine for inspection, less so for delivery.
The main free point cloud software
Below are the free tools that matter, grouped into four families by what they actually do: process, publish on the web, view online, or open a vendor's files. For each: what it is, its licence, the formats it reads, and where it stops.
Open source desktop tools (processing)
- CloudCompare: the open source reference for comparing and cleaning point clouds (GPL v2, Windows/macOS/Linux).Strengths: ICP registration, C2C/C2M colour-coded comparison, segmentation, measurement.Formats: E57, LAS, LAZ, PLY, PTX, PTS, OBJ, XYZ.Limit: desktop only, a learning curve, no cloud sharing.
- MeshLab: the go-to for turning a point cloud into a surface, a mesh (open source, GPL, desktop plus MeshLabJS).Strengths: Poisson and Ball-Pivoting reconstruction, cleaning, simplification.Formats: PLY, STL, OBJ, OFF, 3DS.Limit: mesh-oriented, less suited to very large LiDAR clouds.
- PDAL (Point Data Abstraction Library): the "GDAL of point clouds", a library and command line (open source, BSD).Strengths: format translation, geospatial transforms and filters as pipelines, for automation at scale.Limit: a developer tool, no graphical interface.
- PCL (Point Cloud Library): a C++ library of reference algorithms (open source, BSD 3-clause).Strengths: filtering, registration, segmentation, surface reconstruction, object detection, widely used in robotics and vision.Limit: a building block for developers, not a ready-to-use app.
And to turn a point cloud into a surface (mesh)? That is where MeshLab (Poisson or Ball-Pivoting surface reconstruction) or CloudCompare come in: clean the cloud, compute the normals, then rebuild the mesh and export it as PLY, STL, or OBJ.
Open source web viewing
- Potree: a WebGL renderer that displays massive point clouds, billions of points, in a browser (open source, BSD, from TU Wien).Strengths: multi-resolution octree conversion (PotreeConverter).Formats: LAS, LAZ, EPT.Limit: you host and publish it yourself, with no project management, access control, or ready-made secure sharing.
Ready-to-use free online viewers
- usBIM.pointcloud (ACCA software, Italy): free, in the browser, with 10 GB of cloud storage.Strengths: orbit and first-person navigation, cross-sections, measurement, merging several files into one view.Formats: PTS, XYZ, PLY, E57, LAS, LAZ, LGS, LGSx, RCP, RCS.Limit: a free quota, built around the usBIM/ACCA ecosystem.
- PointCab Share: a free viewer from the vendor PointCab to open and inspect a scan in the browser.Limit: viewing and inspection only, no processing or project management.
Vendors' free tiers
- Leica TruView: a free viewer to open, navigate, and measure scans produced with Leica hardware.Limit: built for the Leica ecosystem.
- Autodesk ReCap: free ways to review point cloud data tied to Autodesk's ReCap ecosystem.Limit: the free side stays a viewer; the full ReCap Pro app (processing, creating the RCS/RCP files for Revit and AutoCAD) is paid.
Worth knowing too
More specialized but useful: QGIS and the R package LidR for LiDAR and geospatial data, OpenScanTools (open source, AEC-focused), and Blender for visualization and rendering.
The table below sums up each tool at a glance: type, licence, key formats, and what it is best at.
| Tool | Type | Licence | Key formats | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CloudCompare | Desktop, open source | GPL v2 | E57, LAS, LAZ, PLY, PTX | Processing, comparison, measurement |
| MeshLab | Desktop, open source | GPL | PLY, STL, OBJ, OFF | Point cloud to mesh, cleaning |
| PDAL | Library / CLI | BSD | LAS, LAZ, E57 + conversions | Automating conversions and processing |
| PCL | C++ library | BSD 3-clause | via integration | Building custom processing |
| Potree | Web, self-hosted | BSD | LAS, LAZ, EPT | Publishing large clouds online |
| usBIM.pointcloud | Online, ready | Free (ACCA) | E57, LAS, LAZ, RCS, RCP, LGSx | Quick browser viewing |
| PointCab Share | Online, ready | Free (PointCab) | PointCab exports | Opening and inspecting a scan |
| Leica TruView / Autodesk ReCap | Vendor viewer | Free tier | Leica / Autodesk ecosystem | Opening their ecosystem's scans |
Potree and usBIM.pointcloud cover two different browser approaches: self-hosted open source versus a ready-to-use cloud service. If that is your decision, compare the managed alternative to Potree and our ATIS.cloud vs usBIM comparison.
CloudCompare deserves a special mention because it is the tool most professionals reach for first. If you are weighing it against a cloud platform, see our detailed CloudCompare alternative comparison.
What free point cloud software does not do
Free tools are excellent at their core job. The gaps appear the moment your work has to leave your computer and reach someone else.
- No simple client delivery: your client would have to install the same software and learn it, which rarely happens.
- Everything stays local: no cloud, so no link to send and no access from a phone or tablet on site.
- File size limits: heavy scans slow a desktop tool down or exceed a free online quota.
- Partial format support: many free viewers read only a handful of formats, so proprietary files such as RCS, RCP, or LGSx may not open.
- No support and no guarantee: community forums only, with no reliable help when a deadline is near.
Free tools are perfect for opening and inspecting a point cloud. They show their limits the moment you need to hand the result to a client who has installed nothing.
View and share your scans, with nothing to install
ATIS.cloud opens your point cloud in a 3D app in the browser and lets your clients view it online. Try it free for 14 days.
Formats: what free tools can open
Open formats travel best. E57, LAS, and LAZ are read by almost every free tool. Proprietary formats such as RCS and RCP (Autodesk) or LGSx (Leica) are where free viewers often stop, because they were built for one ecosystem.
Not sure which format to export? Our point cloud file formats guide covers each one.
Viewing and sharing a point cloud online
This is the step free tools handle least well, and the one clients care about most.
A cloud platform changes the model: you upload once, and anyone you invite opens the scan in a browser, on any device, without a licence. That is exactly where ATIS.cloud fits.
- A 3D app in the browser that opens the scan with nothing to install. Anyone you share with views it for free, in their browser, without creating an account.
- Sharing the results with your team and your clients, and access from a phone or tablet on site.
- Large files handled server-side, up to 1 TB per file and 5 TB of total workspace.
- The main open and proprietary formats read natively (E57, LAS, LAZ, RCS, RCP, LGSx), identically on every plan and from every scanner brand.
- Data sovereignty across 22+ countries, hosted close to you.
How to choose your software
The right tool depends less on price than on what you do with the scan. Ask yourself these questions in order.
- Do you process or deliver? Processing (registration, cleaning, comparison) points to CloudCompare. Delivery to a client points to a cloud platform.
- How big are your files? Heavy scans need server-side handling rather than a desktop tool or a small free quota.
- Do others need access? If a client or a colleague must see the scan, a shareable link beats any install.
- Which formats do you receive? Check that the tool reads your scanner's format, including proprietary ones.
- Do you need support? On a paid deadline, a guaranteed response matters more than a free forum.
Ready to deliver, not just view?
Keep your free tools for processing, and use ATIS.cloud to share the result with clients. Fourteen days free, no card required.
For processing a point cloud, free tools are hard to beat: CloudCompare for measurement and comparison, MeshLab for meshing, Potree for self-hosted web viewing. Where they fall short is delivery, sharing a scan with a client who has nothing installed. That is the gap ATIS.cloud fills, with a 3D app in the browser, link sharing, large files, and data sovereignty across 22+ countries.
Frequently asked questions
Related articles
Point Cloud Definition: What It Is (3D, Simply)
A clear definition of a 3D point cloud: what it is, what it is made of, how it differs from a mesh and a BIM model, its types and formats.
How to Create a Point Cloud: Methods and Steps
How to create a point cloud step by step: laser scanning, photogrammetry, or mobile mapping, then registration, cleaning, export, and sharing.
Point Cloud File Formats: E57, LAS, LAZ, RCS, LGSx
The main point cloud file formats explained: E57, LAS, LAZ, RCS, RCP, LGSx. Open vs proprietary, which to use when, and how to convert.