A Leica alternative is a fair question for any crew that priced a GS18 and did the arithmetic on the rest of the kit. Leica Geosystems publishes no Canadian prices; its channel quotes. We publish ours. This page puts the Leica GS18 I rover and the Leica iCON iXE3 excavator system beside the Spherefix SP30 and the XFIX EX30, with the maker’s published figures, our Canadian prices, and a plain account of the trade. We sell Spherefix and XFIX, so read it knowing that.
GNSS rover: Leica GS18 I and Spherefix SP30
| Leica GS18 I | Spherefix SP30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price in Canada | Dealer quote only. No published Canadian price. | $7,995 CAD, rover kit with the C500 data collector and survey app. $13,390 CAD with the SP30SE base kit. |
| Tilt compensation | IMU and GNSS sensor fusion, calibration-free, immune to magnetic disturbance; extra horizontal uncertainty applies up to 30° of tilt (Leica datasheet) | IMU-based, pole to 60°, under 2 cm |
| Channels | 555 | 1408 |
| Points you cannot reach | Visual positioning: a camera captures images and points are measured from them in the office or field | Laser offset point, 2.5 cm or better within 5 m, and AR camera stakeout |
| Built-in radio | Optional, per configuration | LoRa 410–470 MHz, up to 5 W, included |
| Data collector and software | Leica CS20 or CS30 controller and Captivate, sold separately | C500 collector and Spherefix app included, no subscription |
| Warranty | Per dealer | 24 months, handled by us |
The GS18 I’s visual positioning is a genuine capability the SP30 does not have: it measures many points from imagery of a façade or a stockpile that nobody walks. The SP30’s answer to the point you cannot stand on is a single laser shot within 5 m. Which matters depends on your work. Both receivers publish centimetre-class RTK accuracy with a ppm term; read Leica’s current datasheet beside the SP30 specifications with the same conditions attached.
Excavator guidance: Leica iCON iXE3 and XFIX EX30
| Leica iCON iXE3 | XFIX EX30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price in Canada | Dealer quote only. No published price. | $14,499 CAD for the hardware: base, bucket sensor, boom GNSS, AT85 in-cab tablet. Installation quoted for your machine before you pay. |
| System type | 3D excavator system on Leica MC1 software, aftermarket | 3D excavator guidance, aftermarket, any excavator brand |
| Design files | LandXML, DXF, GEO, KOF, L3D, LMD, LIN, MBS and TRM (Leica product page) | Loaded by us from your drawings; see what we work with |
| In-cab display | Leica MCP80 panel | XFIX AT85: 10.1-inch, 750 cd/m², IP65, −30 to +70 °C |
| Cloud | Leica ConX syncs projects and as-built surfaces | None; files load by USB or by us |
| Installation | Dealer | Fitted and calibrated on your machine by us, in Ontario |
| Warranty | Per dealer | 12 months hardware, 90 days on our installation work |
What you give up when you leave Leica
- Visual positioning on the GS18 I, and the Captivate and Infinity software family around it.
- ConX. Leica’s cloud ties the office, the cab and as-built logging together. The EX30 has no cloud.
- Dealer coverage and resale value. Leica’s channel is nationwide and a GS18 holds value. We are one company in North York that travels, and a value brand depreciates.
What you do not give up
- RTK with tilt, to 60° on the pole, with a laser shot and AR stakeout in the controller.
- Corrections. Can-Net or any NTRIP service over the SP30’s own 4G modem, or your own base over 5 W radio. See RTK corrections cost in Ontario.
- Cut and fill in the cab to a 3D design, on any excavator brand, without a subscription.
- Your drawings. We build the design surfaces from your DWG, Civil 3D or PDF plans and test them before install. See machine control data prep.
- Someone to call. Three months of online training with every kit, and emergency calls answered 24 hours a day. See hands-on support.
Switching from Leica
Leica Infinity and iCON office export LandXML and DXF, and those are what we build from. Site calibration is redone on the new system from your control points. Crews who have run Captivate learn the Spherefix app in a day. If you keep a Leica base, the SP30 takes its corrections over NTRIP; tell us the base model and we will confirm before you buy.
See the Spherefix SP30 and XFIX EX30 pages for kits and prices, or tell us the work and we will say honestly whether a Leica is the better buy for you.
Sources, checked November 6, 2026: Leica GS18 I datasheet (900756 EN); Leica, the GS18 series; Leica iCON iXE3 product page. Stratus Positioning & Automation is not an authorized Leica Geosystems dealer. Leica, GS18, iCON, Captivate and ConX are trademarks of Leica Geosystems AG, used here to compare equipment and describe compatibility.