| Brand | Polaris | Smartnet | Sensorcloud | Atlas GNSS Triglobal | Ardusimple SimpleSSR | KeyNet GPS | Hoober | Atlantic Tractor RTK | Dicarlo Tech | CORS Network | TopCon Realpoint | Rtk2go | Alpha RTK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per month | $150 | $500 | $100 | $50 | $500 | $50 | $895 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Free to use | $195 |
| Accuracy | 1 cm | 1-3cm | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | +/- 1in corrections | Not reported | Not reported | 2cm | Not reported | 1cm |
| Total physical base stations | > 1440 | — | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 5000 | 25 |
| Uptime | 99.99 % | 99.6% | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Coverage | International | International | International | International | Regional | TBD | Regional | Regional | Regional | Regional | Regional | International | Regional |
| Global coverage | Yes | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N |
| GraphQL API | Yes | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Automated Ref. Station Assoc. | Yes | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N |
| GNSS Frequency Bands | L1, L2, L5 | Not Reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| True RTK | Yes | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y |
RTK stands for Real-Time Kinematic, a technology that increases the accuracy of GNSS signals using fixed-positioned base stations that send GNSS corrections to an RTK receiver. With these corrections, the GNSS receivers can achieve within 1-2 centimeter accuracy.
Using a GNSS receiver without RTK for surveying results in significantly poorer accuracy, typically ranging between 2 and 10 meters. However, RTK surveying can achieve centimeter accuracy, making it the most reliable technology for survey accuracy.
But, survey accuracy with RTK can still vary between different RTK service providers. So, if you want the highest level of survey accuracy, use Polaris. Polaris offers unparalleled GNSS accuracy. Surveyors can access cm-accurate positioning on your hardware–even in challenging environments such as urban canyons and occluded sky-views.
