Mantle Place vs Archshaper
Archshaper draws polished site maps and context models from open map data; Mantle Place delivers the georeferenced site itself, with aerial imagery and the finest native elevation.
Archshaper and Mantle Place both start from open map data. Archshaper turns OpenStreetMap features and Mapbox terrain into presentation-ready 2D site maps (PDF, SVG, Illustrator, Photoshop, and DXF at paper scales) and 3D context models for SketchUp, Rhino, OBJ, and GLB, paid for with credit packs where one 3D export uses five credits. Mantle Place delivers a georeferenced site bundle for the area you draw: aerial imagery at 1 m or finer across the US, the finest native elevation available as a GeoTIFF DEM, a vector basemap, building massing where mapped, and more, priced once by area and free at 2 km² and under. Choose Archshaper for styled diagrams and quick massing models; choose Mantle Place when the site has to carry real imagery and real ground in real coordinates.
Competitor details checked against archshaper.com.
Why Mantle Place
Aerial imagery included
Every bundle carries aerial imagery clipped to your area: NAIP at 1 m or finer across the US and 10 m Sentinel-2 elsewhere. Archshaper lists buildings, terrain, contours, roads, water, and trees among its layers, but not imagery.
Elevation you can measure
The bundle ships the finest native elevation for the area as a GeoTIFF DEM, with the delivered resolution stated in the manifest. Archshaper uses Mapbox terrain and says its quality depends on the open data available.
Georeferenced, every layer
Every layer shares one real-world extent and coordinate reference, so the site meets survey, GIS, and civil data without being moved by hand.
Priced by area, in dollars
Free at 2 km² and under, then $5 plus $2 per km², rounded up to the whole dollar and shown before you pay. Archshaper sells credit packs in euros, and one 3D export uses five credits.
How they compare
| Dimension | Mantle Place | Archshaper | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you download | A georeferenced site bundle: imagery, DEM, vectors, and more | 2D site maps and 3D context models | For a presentation map styled at paper scale, Archshaper is built for exactly that. For a site you will render, grade, or bring into an engine, the bundle carries the data underneath. |
| Data sources | NAIP and Sentinel-2 imagery, USGS 3DEP and Mapterhorn elevation, Protomaps and Overture vectors | OpenStreetMap features and Mapbox terrain | Both build on open data; Mantle Place adds imagery and states the elevation resolution it delivered for your exact area. |
| Aerial imagery | Included: NAIP in the US, Sentinel-2 elsewhere | Not listed among its layers | Imagery is what makes a context model read as the real place, and it is often the layer teams end up sourcing separately. |
| 2D presentation maps | A plan sheet at two sizes, PDF and SVG, one house style | PDF, SVG, Illustrator, and Photoshop at A4 to A0 | This is where Archshaper leads: layered, styled site plans at the scale you pick, ready for a board or a portfolio; Mantle Place draws one plain style, scaled to fit. |
| Native design-tool files | DXF, OBJ, glTF, IFC, LandXML, and more | SketchUp, Rhino 3DM, OBJ, GLB, and DXF | Archshaper writes SketchUp and Rhino files directly; Mantle Place relies on exchange formats those tools import, plus an Unreal importer and a Civil 3D surface. |
| Pricing | Free at 2 km² and under, then $5 plus $2 per km² | Credit packs from €14 for 5 credits; a 3D export uses 5 | At volume, Archshaper’s largest credit pack brings a 3D model to about €5; Mantle Place prices by area, so a small site is free and a large one costs what its size says. |
Frequently asked
Is Mantle Place an Archshaper alternative?
Yes, when the site needs more than map linework and massing. Mantle Place delivers a georeferenced bundle with aerial imagery, the finest native elevation for the area, vectors, and building massing where mapped, for CAD, BIM, GIS, and real-time tools.
Does Archshaper include aerial imagery?
Archshaper lists buildings, terrain, contours, roads, water, and trees among its export layers, and imagery is not among them. A Mantle Place bundle includes aerial imagery clipped to the same extent as the terrain.
Does Archshaper export Revit files?
No. Archshaper states that it does not export native Revit files. Mantle Place for Revit imports a bundle into the open project as a toposolid with imagery draped, and the bundle’s DXF contours and IFC site model open in Revit too.
How does pricing compare with Archshaper?
Archshaper sells credit packs in euros (5 credits for €14, 20 for €39, 100 for €99), and one 3D export uses five credits. Mantle Place is free at 2 km² and under, then $5 plus $2 per km², rounded up to the whole dollar.
When is Archshaper the better choice?
When the deliverable is a styled site plan or diagram for a presentation board, or a quick SketchUp massing model. Its layered SVG, Illustrator, and Photoshop exports at paper scales are made for exactly that, and its free 3D preview shows the export before you spend credits. Mantle Place draws plain plan sheets in one house style, not styled presentation sheets, and its Site Brief shows the real site in 3D before you order, not the files you will download.
Related comparisons
Keep every site you draw.
Draw an area and see it in a free Site Brief before you pay. Download a bundle for Unreal, Revit, Civil 3D, QGIS, and more. Every format is built with your order, at no extra cost. $5 plus $2 per km², and 2 km² and under is free. Paid bundles are yours for good. Free bundles keep 30 days, or keep one permanently at its normal price.
Native plugins: Mantle Place for Unreal and Mantle Place for Revit.