OpenRemote vs ThingSpeak

OpenRemote is an open-source IoT platform for bringing different protocols and data sources into one management system. Users define asset types and the attributes they want to track, then create automations with When-Then rules, a visual Flow Editor, or Groovy scripting. Its dashboard builder supports live monitoring, historical trend analysis, and alerts when attributes pass thresholds. Built-in protocol agents include HTTP, SNMP, ModBus, MQTT, Bluetooth, LoRaWAN, Serial, TCP, UDP, KNX, Velbus, and openWeather. Assets and attributes are accessible through a unified REST API and WebSockets. Keycloak provides OAuth2/OpenID Connect and role-based access control; Realms logically isolate users and data. Through Hawkbit integration, the platform supports edge-device firmware updates and security patch rollouts. OpenRemote is designed for professional integrators, including manufacturers, system integrators, and governments. It uses a container-first approach and offers Docker Compose deployment for its manager, database, identity service, and map server. The code is licensed under AGPLv3, with commercial licenses available for organizations seeking an exemption from the stated source-sharing obligation. Community support is included with the free option.

ThingSpeak is a cloud IoT analytics platform for collecting, visualizing and analyzing live data streams. Devices can send data through REST or MQTT APIs, and listed libraries support Arduino, ESP8266, ESP32, Particle and Raspberry Pi. Each channel stores up to eight fields, with data private by default and an option to make channels public. Users can run scheduled MATLAB code hosted by ThingSpeak without a separate MATLAB license. React and TimeControl apps support responses to channel conditions and scheduled computations. The platform supports near-real-time stream processing, custom dashboards and machine learning tools. MathWorks describes its uses as IoT prototyping, proof-of-concept systems and hosted production for small- to medium-sized systems. The Free plan is free for non-commercial use, with four channels, three million messages per year and a 15-second update interval. MATLAB code execution is limited to 20 seconds for free users; TimeControl cannot schedule MATLAB Analysis more often than every five minutes, and channel visualizations update after ten minutes. Platforms listed are API and web.