Ignition Alternatives: How Ubidots Compares to Inductive Automation's SCADA Software

In a world where industrial automation and IoT are revolutionizing operations, the tools you choose matter. Ubidots and Ignition by Inductive Automation are two players in this space, each offering powerful solutions for data acquisition, dynamic SCADA dashboards, alarm notification, and much more. But each product’s architectural approach is different:

• Ignition is a locally deployed SCADA-centric software running on your own premises, focusing on process control and industrial applications through its core modules.
• Ubidots, on the other hand, is a web-based IIoT software running in the cloud, supporting data collection, visualizations, and reporting for industries like energy, water, and building management, as well as other industrial applications.

If you’re looking to boost your plant beyond a traditional SCADA system, understanding the differences between these platforms is critical. Ignition works effectively as an on-premises control system, but Ubidots goes further by allowing you to create applications that serve multiple clients simultaneously under one license. This transforms how you connect and manage devices across industries, offering a full range of capabilities.

Imagine seamless app building, white labeling, and an unlimited number of MQTT connections—all accessible with a lower learning curve. Picture having more out-of-the-box visualizations at your fingertips, accelerating insights and enabling consistent performance. It’s not just about managing data; it’s about integrating processes and maximizing potential. When traditional SCADA solutions aren’t enough, Ubidots scales with your vision. Here’s how they compare:

Overview

Ubidots and Ignition are powerful platforms for monitoring, control, and automation. Ubidots is a cloud-based solution designed to collect, visualize, and control data from connected devices remotely. In contrast, Ignition is a SCADA-centric software built for on-premises deployment, emphasizing industrial control and process automation.

With prices that range from $499 to $1,200 a month, Ubidots offers thorough white-labeling capabilities, multitenancy, and unlimited MQTT connections as part of its core features, all included under a single license. It provides a straightforward pricing model, making it cost-effective for scaling projects. Its intuitive interface ensures a short learning curve, ideal for fast deployment. Ignition’s modular design allows users to select only the necessary features, but each module comes at an additional cost, making prices vary from $3,000 all the way to $60,000. While it offers extensive customization, the platform has a steeper learning curve, often requiring training for new users. Overall, Ubidots is better suited for cloud-focused, scalable solutions, while Ignition remains a strong choice for traditional SCADA needs and on-premises control.

*Since the pricing models are different, an Ubidots middle plan is compared here to an Ignition pre-built middle package. Also, since Ignition's license is perpetual, we assume a lifespan of 24 months.

Feature comparison

To better understand how Ubidots stacks up against Ignition, the table below highlights key differences in features between the two platforms. This overview will help you identify which solution aligns best with your operational needs.

9 Things that Both Ubidots and Ignition Do

Data Visualization: Bringing Data to Life

Data, in its raw form, can be overwhelming. But when transformed into dynamic SCADA dashboards, it becomes the heartbeat of industrial operations. Both platforms excel at turning streams of data into clear, actionable visuals. From real-time dashboards to trend graphs and performance charts, users can easily control everything from energy usage to machine performance. Yet, Ubidots offers more pre-built visualization widgets, empowering users to visualize critical data without extensive configuration. This makes it easier and faster to convert data into insights, allowing operators to act before small issues escalate into costly problems. Whether it's keeping an eye on production metrics or tracking environmental data, visualization is key to unlocking IoT value.

Ignition gives users the freedom to create any type of visualization needed for their operations. It features a comprehensive library of components, including graphs, buttons, tables, containers, and much more. Using a drag-and-drop interface, users can easily build custom dashboards that reflect their unique processes, tailoring everything from layout to color schemes. This level of flexibility makes it a good choice for users who require highly specific visualizations and have the time and resources to configure them.

Ubidots, on the other hand, simplifies the process with a library of over 30 pre-built visualization widgets, covering everything from line graphs and gauges to maps and event trackers. These ready-to-use widgets, and their drag-and-drop approach, make it quick to generate insights without starting from scratch. However, for users who want more customization, Ubidots also allows the creation of bespoke visualizations through its HTML Canvas widget, enabling users to design and implement any custom visual using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This balance between pre-built tools and advanced customization ensures users can transform data into meaningful insights at their own pace.

Never Miss a Beat: Smart Alerts for Proactive Monitoring

An effective control system doesn’t just monitor data—it actively reacts to it. An alarm notification module is the backbone of proactive monitoring, ensuring that any anomaly is caught before it disrupts processes. Both platforms allow users to build sophisticated alarm notification systems that oversee every aspect of operations. However, Ubidots stands out with its wider range of alerting options, including email, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, phone calls, Slack, and custom notifications through webhook triggering. This flexibility enables teams to receive alerts through their preferred communication channels, ensuring faster response times.

Ignition modules for alarms are limited to phone calls, SMS, and email, with each module sold separately, thus increasing costs. Ubidots, on the other hand, includes all alarm types without additional fees, allowing businesses to set up a comprehensive monitoring system that’s both cost-effective and powerful. With these tools, users can install and manage alerts effortlessly, ensuring no issue goes unnoticed, no matter how complex the operation.

Report Generation: Turning Data Into Insights

Data is only as powerful as the insights it yields. Both platforms offer a reporting module to create detailed reports tailored to the specific needs of their operations. Whether it’s tracking performance metrics, analyzing historical trends, or providing compliance documentation, both platforms excel in transforming raw data into polished, actionable insights. They support automated reporting, allowing users to schedule reports and send them to key stakeholders at regular intervals.

Data Ingestion and Storage: Handling Industrial Data

In today’s connected world, effective data acquisition and storage are non-negotiable. Both platforms offer robust capabilities for ingesting data from virtually any protocol, ensuring consistent performance across devices and systems. Ubidots goes a step further with its Data Pipelines feature, which centralizes inbound data in one location, making it easier to manage, store, and distribute across different systems.

With Ubidots, users can forward consolidated data to other modules or even external services for data backups, advanced processing, or integration with third-party applications. Ignition, while focused on local data management, also provides flexible data acquisition options, with SQL database, enabling operators to ingest and store data efficiently within their control system.

Control and Automation: SCADA System Essentials

Control and automation are at the core of any SCADA system, and both platforms provide powerful tools to manage devices and processes. With just a click, users can start, stop, or adjust equipment, making it easier than ever to keep operations running smoothly. But control doesn’t stop there. Custom logic can be set up to automate processes, allowing systems to react to changes in real time—without the need for manual intervention. This level of automation boosts efficiency and reduces the risk of human error.

Since Ubidots’ SCADA capabilities are cloud-based, it offers more flexibility and scalability than traditional SCADA systems that are typically deployed on-premises. Operators can monitor and control devices remotely, allowing for seamless integration and management. Ignition, while primarily focused on on-premises process control, still provides a full range of automation tools suitable for complex industrial applications.

Mobile App: Take Your Plant Floor With You

Mobility is key in today’s industrial environment. Both platforms extend their capabilities beyond the control room, empowering operators to manage processes from their smartphones. Whether monitoring or controlling devices, these mobile apps enable operators to stay connected to the plant floor—no matter where they are. The ability to access critical data and make quick decisions remotely minimizes downtime and ensures productivity.

What sets Ubidots apart is its ability to white label the mobile app, allowing businesses to fully customize it to reflect their brand. This makes it not just functional, but also a professional extension of the company’s identity. Ignition also offers mobile capabilities, but it lacks the branding flexibility that Ubidots brings to the table.

Thorough Customization: Tailoring the Platform and Its Components

Customization is key when it comes to building a platform that truly fits your operational needs. Both Ubidots and Ignition provide extensive customization options, allowing users to modify nearly every aspect of the platform—both visually and functionally. From dashboards and data widgets to the navigation menus themselves, users have full control over how the system looks and behaves.

Customizing the user interface can go beyond just colors and fonts. Users can tailor the layout and design of their dashboards, ensuring that critical data is front and center. Charts, graphs, and other widgets can be arranged to create a personalized view that makes monitoring operations more intuitive and efficient. In both platforms, this flexibility extends to functional elements as well. Custom workflows and automated actions can be built into the system, adapting the platform to the exact processes of your business.

Even the navigation experience can be customized. Users can modify how they interact with the platform by changing the menu structure, its position, and even how it operates. This allows businesses to create a streamlined experience for their operators, minimizing confusion and maximizing productivity.

Data Management: Simplifying Complex Data Sets

Managing industrial data is no small feat, especially when dealing with large-scale operations. Both Ubidots and Ignition offer comprehensive tools to simplify the handling of complex data sets, ensuring that information is not just stored, but actively used to drive insights and decisions. Whether it’s through data aggregation, mathematical computations, or applying custom functions, these platforms enable users to make sense of vast amounts of data with ease.

Operators can also leverage advanced data profiling and anomaly detection tools to identify irregularities before they become critical. For businesses that rely on precision, this is important to identifying trends and optimizing processes. Whether it’s detecting faulty sensors or spotting unusual patterns in machine performance, these tools make proactive data management possible.

What makes this process even more powerful is the ability to use cloud functions. In Ubidots, cloud-native architecture enables users to execute custom code for data processing and manipulation directly within the platform, without the need for external infrastructure. This allows for highly scalable and customizable data workflows. Both platforms excel at making complex data sets easier to handle, but with Ubidots’ cloud capabilities, users have the added advantage of flexibility and scalability that traditional systems can’t match.

User Management and Security Features

Securing industrial operations requires more than just good data handling—it demands robust user management and security protocols. Both Ubidots and Ignition offer strong tools to safeguard your system, ensuring that the right people have the right level of access at all times. From implementing password policies and enforcing two-factor authentication to enabling single sign-on (SSO) and IP-based access management, these platforms help businesses protect their data and infrastructure with ease.

User roles and credentials play a key role in maintaining security across operations. Both platforms allow administrators to create different user levels, ensuring that each individual has access only to the tools and information relevant to their role. This not only protects sensitive data but also ensures smooth operational workflows by preventing unauthorized changes.

Ubidots, however, goes a step further with its multi-layered user management system. A single license can be divided into multiple applications, and within those apps, users can be assigned to different organizations. Each organization can manage its own dashboards, devices, and users—complete with custom roles and credentials. This creates a granular level of control, making it ideal for businesses managing multiple clients or departments, each with distinct needs.

Pricing Comparison

Feature comparison: 5 Key Features that Only Ubidots Has

As a cloud-based platform, Ubidots brings added flexibility, faster deployment, and seamless scalability that traditional on-premises software solutions often lack. It’s built to simplify complex deployments, allowing users to focus on what truly matters: driving insights and improving performance. Let's explore five features that make Ubidots a standout choice for those seeking an alternative to Ignition.

Faster Insights With Ubidots: More Pre-built Widgets at Your Fingertips

With its extensive library of pre-built visualization widgets, Ubidots stands out by offering users a fast and seamless way to turn raw data into actionable insights. With a rich variety of ready-to-use charts, gauges, and maps, users can quickly create dashboards without the need for heavy customization or coding. This not only speeds up the onboarding process but also ensures that teams can focus on what really matters—analyzing and acting on the data.

However, both platforms allow users to build any visualization they need through intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces. For advanced users, tools like Ubidots’ HTML Canvas widget enable complete freedom to design and build custom visuals using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This flexibility ensures that no matter how unique or complex the data, the right visualization is always within reach.

App Building (Multitenancy): Building Custom Applications with Ubidots

When it comes to flexibility, Ubidots takes the lead with its multitenancy model, allowing users to subdivide a single license into multiple, fully independent applications. This capability is a game changer for businesses that need to cater to different clients or manage various internal operations, all while maintaining complete separation between them. Each application can be individually customized, from devices to dashboards, enabling businesses to create a tailored experience for each client or department.

What makes this even more powerful is the fact that these applications work in complete isolation from one another. Two entirely different businesses—whether they’re managing water systems or industrial machinery—can operate under the same license without any overlap, friction, or data mixing. This model not only increases efficiency but also maximizes the value of your investment by making it easy to scale and manage diverse operations from a single account.

White Labeling: Making the Platform Your Own

Brand identity is more than just a logo—it's a promise to your customers, a reflection of your business. Ubidots takes this seriously, offering a white labeling feature that allows companies to fully customize the platform to their own brand. Whether you want to offer services under your own name or extend your business into new markets, Ubidots gives you the power to make the platform truly yours. From navigation menus and login screens to mobile apps, everything can be tailored to reflect your company’s look and feel.

This is more than just a cosmetic change. By white labeling Ubidots, businesses can package and resell services as part of their own offering, creating new revenue streams or enhancing existing ones. It’s a powerful tool for system integrators, IoT service providers, or any company looking to expand its value proposition. Ignition, by comparison, lacks this level of customization, making Ubidots the go-to choice for companies that want to put their brand front and center while delivering top-notch solutions.

Scalable and Affordable MQTT Connections: Unleashing IoT Potential

MQTT has become a cornerstone protocol for IoT communication, enabling fast, lightweight data exchange between devices and platforms. Both Ubidots and Ignition support MQTT for data ingestion, allowing real-time updates from connected sensors, machines, and systems. However, Ubidots takes this a step further by offering unlimited MQTT connections for every device, without additional costs. This scalability ensures that businesses can easily expand their IoT ecosystems without worrying about connection limitations or hefty fees.

In contrast, Ignition restricts the number of MQTT connections based on the type of module being used, potentially limiting the number of devices that can communicate simultaneously. This makes scaling more expensive and complex, particularly for businesses looking to connect a large number of devices.

Ubidots, on the other hand, offers a straightforward and affordable approach, granting each device its own MQTT connection right out of the box. This flexibility not only reduces costs but also ensures seamless communication between devices, making it ideal for fast-growing IoT deployments. With Ubidots, businesses can focus on innovation and expansion, knowing that their IoT infrastructure can grow with them—effortlessly and affordably.

The Learning Curve: Why Ubidots Is Easier to Adopt

Implementing a new platform can be daunting, but Ubidots ensures a smooth experience. With its intuitive, user-friendly interface, everything from setting up devices to configuring the alarm notification module is simplified. The drag-and-drop tools, pre-built widgets, and clear workflows make it accessible to teams of all skill levels, allowing them to get up and running quickly—often within hours.

Ignition, while powerful and deeply customizable, comes with a steeper learning curve due to its SCADA-centric architecture, often requiring specialized training. This can slow adoption and increase training costs. Ubidots, on the other hand, emphasizes ease of use without compromising capabilities, making it the clear choice for businesses seeking quick, frictionless onboarding.

The Bottom Line

Ubidots as an Ignition Alternative

When it comes to choosing a platform that goes beyond traditional SCADA, Ubidots emerges as a strong alternative to Ignition. Both platforms excel in core areas like data visualization, control, and automation. But Ubidots extends its capabilities into cloud-based scalability, broader customization, and faster insights—all while keeping things user-friendly. For businesses that need more than SCADA, Ubidots offers the flexibility to build custom applications, manage unlimited MQTT connections, and white label the platform to fit their brand.

Ignition, with its SCADA-centric foundation, is a powerful tool for manufacturing operations but can be limited by its learning curve and modular pricing. In contrast, Ubidots delivers all the essentials, plus app building, granular user management, and extensive pre-built widgets—all under a single, simplified license. Whether you’re aiming for rapid deployment, seamless scalability, or a tailored experience, Ubidots provides a versatile, cost-effective path forward for digital transformation.

Ubidots as an Ignition Complement

Ubidots isn’t just an alternative to Ignition—it can also serve as a powerful complement to it. While Ignition provides robust on-premises SCADA capabilities, Ubidots adds cloud-native flexibility, extending data ingestion, storage, and visualization beyond the plant floor. By integrating the two, businesses can maintain Ignition’s control-oriented operations while leveraging Ubidots for cloud-based insights, mobile access, and seamless scalability.

With features like unlimited MQTT connections, advanced app building, and white labeling, Ubidots enhances what Ignition offers, creating a more complete solution. It enables greater connectivity, more diverse alerting options, and an intuitive, faster deployment process. By pairing Ignition’s SCADA strength with Ubidots’ broader IoT capabilities, businesses achieve the best of both worlds: a powerful hybrid solution for digital transformation and data-driven decision-making.

FAQs

Who are Ignition Group competitors?

Ignition faces competition from platforms like Ubidots, Wonderware, and WinCC, to name a few. Each solution provides robust SCADA and automation capabilities but varies in deployment models and pricing, making the choice dependent on the specific needs of an organization.

What is the difference between Ignition and Ignition Edge?

Ignition is the full-fledged version of the platform, offering comprehensive SCADA, HMI, and MES solutions, while Ignition Edge is a lighter version aimed at edge computing. Ignition Edge is designed for data collection and processing at the edge of the network, minimizing latency and optimizing local control systems.

What is the difference between Ignition SCADA and WinCC?

Both Ignition SCADA and WinCC are advanced platforms for industrial automation and control, but Ignition’s open, unlimited licensing model makes it more scalable. WinCC, from Siemens, is tailored for Siemens PLCs, offering tight integration with their hardware, while Ignition is more hardware-agnostic and known for its flexibility.

Is Ignition an IoT platform?

While Ignition was primarily built as a SCADA platform, it does offer IoT capabilities. However, for businesses looking for a more focused IoT platform, Ubidots provides a more intuitive experience with simpler device management, cloud capabilities, and built-in analytics.

Is Ignition a SCADA or MES?

Ignition serves both roles. As a SCADA platform, it allows for real-time monitoring and control of industrial processes. As a MES (Manufacturing Execution System), it can manage production workflows, track performance, and provide insight into operations.

Who owns Inductive Automation?

Inductive Automation is a privately-owned company, founded by Steve Hechtman, who aimed to modernize industrial automation with a flexible, software-driven approach.

What does Inductive Automation do?

Inductive Automation is known for its Ignition platform, which offers SCADA, MES, and HMI solutions for industrial automation. The company’s focus is on providing an open, scalable, and affordable alternative to traditional, more restrictive industrial software solutions.

What is Ignition SCADA?

Ignition SCADA is a software platform designed to monitor, control, and automate industrial systems. It provides tools to visualize data, connect to databases, and manage large-scale operations, offering flexibility that adapts to various industries.

Is Ignition SCADA free?

No, Ignition SCADA is not free, but it does offer a free trial version. Its licensing model, however, is flexible, allowing users to pay based on the number of concurrent clients, rather than the number of devices or tags.

What is Ignition used for?

Ignition is used for automating industrial processes, such as manufacturing, energy management, and utility operations. It provides real-time data visualization, control, and analytics, streamlining workflows and improving operational efficiency.

What is the difference between SCADA and Ignition SCADA?

SCADA is a generic term for systems that supervise and control industrial processes. Ignition SCADA is one implementation of SCADA, offering a modern, web-based interface with a licensing model that scales easily with business needs.

What is Ignition software used for?

Ignition software is used for building SCADA, HMI, and MES applications in various industries, including manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure. It allows companies to monitor and control industrial processes, collect data, and automate tasks, providing powerful tools for efficiency and optimization.