What a Kubla Cubed alternative has to do
Kubla Cubed is a Windows desktop program for earthworks takeoff: trace site plans (PDF or CAD), build existing and proposed surfaces, and get cut and fill, with a free Lite edition and a paid Professional one. An alternative has to do at least that: read the drawings and surveys contractors actually get, model the usual elements with batters, and give volumes you can trust and check.
How they compare
| Kubla Cubed Professional | Metre2 Earthworks Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Windows desktop | Any browser: Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Price | $295 a year, or $741 perpetual (single user) | £19.99 a month or £179 a year, 7-day free trial |
| Free edition | Lite | Free: ground from any source, PDF tracing, 5 platforms, 3D, sections, summary PDF |
| PDF and CAD tracing | Yes | Yes: snaps to PDF line work, reads spot levels |
| LIDAR and point clouds | See kublasoftware.com | ASC, GeoTIFF and LAS |
| Slopes, roads, trenches, pads | Yes (Professional) | Yes, with build-ups, profiles and working space; also ponds, bunds, walls, stockpiles |
| Strata from boreholes | See kublasoftware.com | Layers interpolated from boreholes and trial pits, with bulking, shrinkage and reuse |
| Mass haul | See kublasoftware.com | Brückner along roads and the least-cost site-wide plan |
| Progress surveys and valuations | See kublasoftware.com | Dated surveys, dug and filled to date, value this period, stockpiles |
| Bill of quantities | NRM2 option for excavation and filling | A priced NRM2-shaped bill with depth bands, disposal and landfill tax, to Excel |
| CAD and machine-control export | Yes (Professional) | LandXML, DXF, IFC |
| Your files | On your PC | On your computer; nothing is uploaded |
Kubla's details are from kublasoftware.com in November 2026; check their site for current prices and features.
Where Kubla Cubed may suit you better
- If you already have Kubla projects and templates and your team knows it well.
- If you prefer a perpetual licence to a subscription.
- If you need a feature of Kubla's that Earthworks doesn't have; compare their feature list with the help manual here.
Moving across
Export your ground and design surfaces from Kubla (or your survey software) as LandXML or DXF and bring them into Earthworks on the Ground tab. Survey CSVs and LIDAR tiles come straight in.