At a glance
| Method | Measures the real surface | Typical cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tape and formula | No, an ideal shape | Free | Minutes |
| Bucket or truck counts | No, an estimate | Free | Ongoing |
| GPS survey | Yes, at sampled points | A surveyor’s visit | Hours to days |
| Drone survey | Yes | Commonly NZ$1,000+ per flight and processing | Days for results |
| Terrestrial laser scanner | Yes | Specialist equipment | Hours |
| Phone app | Yes | Free to a monthly subscription | Minutes |
Phone apps for stockpile volume
Three apps are built for this. Details are from their App Store listings and documentation, as checked in October 2026.
- SR Measure (EveryPoint, formerly Stockpile Reports). Measures from camera photos. Free tier of one freestanding pile a day; paid plans from about $20 a month, with business plans from about $100 a month and a web dashboard. iPhone and Android.
- Stockpile Scan (Laan Labs). Builds the pile from walk-around photos, entirely on the device, and was free with no account at the time of writing. iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Mac.
- Stockpile (HelixInnovations, New Zealand). Builds the pile from your photos, with LiDAR setting the scale on Pro iPhones. Covers open piles, walls, bays and trenches or holes, shows what it did not see, and sends a PDF report and 3D model from site. a 3-day free trial, then NZ$9.99 a month through the App Store.
Which method should you use?
Use a tape and formula for a rough check on a tidy pile. Use a drone when you have a big site with dozens of piles and can wait for results. Use a phone app for regular stock counts, single piles, piles against walls and anywhere you need the number before you leave.
For how a phone compares with a drone in detail, see drone vs phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to measure a stockpile?
A tape and formula is free, but only approximate. A phone app is the cheapest way to measure the real surface.
Are phone apps accurate enough for stockpiles?
With a good capture, yes for stock management. For volumes that contracts depend on, use a licensed surveyor.
Do stockpile apps need LiDAR?
Not always. Stockpile, SR Measure and Stockpile Scan can measure from photos; Stockpile uses LiDAR on Pro iPhones to set the scale.
Measure the real surface in minutes.
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