Ignition
Ignition: Flexible SCADA with broad industrial connectivity and a free non-commercial edition. Ranked #8 of 20 in SCADA Software by our editors (7.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for teams wanting flexible SCADA with a free starting option.
At a glance
- Editor score7.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forTeams wanting flexible SCADA with a free starting option
- Free planYes
- Operator clientsDesktop Vision client, web browser Perspective client, mobile browser
- Founded2003 · Folsom, California, United States
- Facts checked24 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Connects through OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus TCP, and other industrial protocols
- Combines visualization, alarms, historian, reporting, and SQL connectivity
- Supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployment
Where it doesn't
- Maker Edition is limited to non-commercial use
- Commercial licensing is configured by edition and modules
- Its breadth may exceed the needs of teams seeking a narrow SCADA tool
Our verdict on Ignition
Ignition is an industrial application platform from Inductive Automation for building SCADA, HMI, and plant-wide monitoring systems. Control engineers, system integrators, and operations teams can use it to create visualization projects and manage data across production sites. Its deployment options include cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments, with desktop, web browser, and mobile browser clients. That flexibility makes it relevant to organizations ranging from small teams to enterprise operations, though its broad scope may be more than a narrowly defined monitoring need requires.
The feature set spans visualization, connectivity, data history, alarms, reporting, and automation. Perspective provides web-based projects, while Vision offers a desktop client. Device connectivity includes OPC UA and protocol support such as MQTT, Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, Siemens S7, DNP3, and BACnet. The tag historian supports historical data querying; alarm pipelines cover notification and status management. SQL connectivity and transaction management, scheduled report delivery, and Python scripting add ways to connect operational data with reporting and automation workflows. This breadth favors teams that want these capabilities within one platform rather than a focused visualization-only tool.
Ignition has a freemium model, and Maker Edition is free for non-commercial use. Commercial licensing is configured by edition and modules, so organizations evaluating a production deployment should review the vendor's pricing information and determine which modules fit their requirements. Email, community, and documentation are listed support channels. Teams seeking a flexible platform with protocol choice and a free non-commercial starting point should consider Ignition; those needing a simple, narrowly scoped SCADA tool or a free commercial license should look elsewhere.
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Ignition pricing
Ignition fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Deployment options | Not verified |
| Protocol support | OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, Siemens S7, DNP3, BACnet |
| Alarm management | Yes |
| Built-in historian | Yes |
| Supported tags | Not verified |
| Operator clients | Desktop Vision client, web browser Perspective client, mobile browser |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | inductiveautomation.com |
| Facts checked | 24 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Ignition
- AVEVA System PlatformA broad SCADA platform built for complex, multi-facility operations.9.3
- AVEVA Plant SCADAPlant-focused SCADA with broad protocol support, alarm workflows, redundancy, and browser access.9.2
- SIMATIC WinCCA configurable Siemens HMI and SCADA line for visualization, alarms, and process data.9.1
See all Ignition alternatives →
Ignition vs the competition
- Ignition vs AVEVA System Platform
- Ignition vs AVEVA Plant SCADA
- Ignition vs SIMATIC WinCC
- Ignition vs AVEVA Edge
- Ignition vs zenon Software Platform
- Ignition vs Ovation Green
Compare Ignition with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
Ignition is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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