ThingsBoard vs Zoho IoT
ThingsBoard
thingsboard.ioZoho IoT
zoho.comSide by side
| Figure | ThingsBoard | Zoho IoT |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $39/mo | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 25 | 5 |
| Spec score · IoT Analytics Software | 8.8 (#4) | 7.2 (#18) |
| API | REST, WebSocket, Entity Data Query, Alarm Query and MCP server APIs are documented, with an interactive Swagger interface and API-key authentication. | The REST API supports JSON requests and responses over HTTPS, and its daily call limits vary by plan. |
| Company history | ThingsBoard says it began in 2016 with two co-founders and established ThingsBoard Inc. in 2018. | Zoho’s company history says AdventNet was founded in New Jersey in 1996; a Zoho company document identifies Chennai, India as its headquarters. |
| Founded | 2016 | 1996 |
| Integrations | Documented integrations include AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub, Google Pub/Sub, MQTT brokers, Kafka, OPC-UA and LoRaWAN network servers. | It integrates with Zoho apps and third-party applications, including out-of-the-box support for Zoho CRM. |
| Purpose | ThingsBoard is an IoT platform for device management, data collection, processing, and visualization. | Zoho IoT is a low-code IoT application enablement platform for building custom IoT solutions and mission-critical operations. |
| Security | Security options include two-factor authentication, OAuth 2.0/SSO, JWT tokens, API keys, and HTTPS/TLS configuration. | The pricing page describes end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication, while the product page states GDPR compliance and ISO standards and SOC compliance. |
| Support | Paid subscriptions provide access to the ThingsBoard Support Portal, and Startup and Business plans include priority support. | The pricing page offers live chat and email support for queries and says customers can request a web-conference demo. |
Plans
ThingsBoard
- FreeFree
- Prototype$49 a month
- Pilot$149 a month
- Startup$399 a month
- Business$749 a month
- Free (On-premises)Free
- Free (ThingsBoard Cloud)Free
- Free (ThingsBoard Cloud)Free
- Prototype (ThingsBoard Cloud)$39 a month
- Prototype (ThingsBoard Cloud)$49 a month
Zoho IoT
- EnterprisePriced on request
- FlexPriced on request
- ProfessionalPriced on request
- StandardPriced on request
- StarterPriced on request
In their own words
ThingsBoard
ThingsBoard is an IoT platform for managing devices and collecting, processing, and visualizing their data. Its real-time IoT and SCADA dashboards include more than 300 built-in widgets and support custom widgets. Native connectivity covers MQTT, CoAP, HTTP, LwM2M, and SNMP; an IoT Gateway adds protocols such as Modbus, BACnet, CAN bus, BLE, and OPC-UA. Rule Engine nodes support data processing and platform customization, while integrations connect external services and gateways including AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub, Google Cloud Pub/Sub, LoRaWAN servers, MQTT brokers, and OPC-UA servers. Deployment options include cloud, dedicated Private Cloud, and on-premises installations, including fully offline self-managed setups. Security choices include two-factor authentication, OAuth 2.0/SSO, JWT tokens, API keys, and HTTPS/TLS configuration. ThingsBoard Cloud is hosted on infrastructure stated to comply with SOC II and ISO 27001, with North America and EU data regions. Cloud plans have device and data-point limits. Listed cloud plans include free and paid options, with Prototype at $39 a month.
Zoho IoT
Zoho IoT is a low-code platform for building custom Internet of Things solutions and supporting mission-critical operations. It provides device management, AI analytics and reports, alerts and notifications, plus commands and controls. Pre-built accelerators address industrial IoT, energy management and smart buildings. Connectivity covers more than 40 protocols, including HTTPS, MQTT and BACnet. The platform integrates with Zoho and third-party applications, including out-of-the-box Zoho CRM support. Its REST API exchanges JSON over HTTPS, with daily call limits varying by plan. Included iOS and Android apps provide device monitoring, alerts, dashboards and remote commands. Security details include end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, GDPR compliance, ISO standards and SOC compliance. A 30-day trial exposes most features with limitations, then switches automatically to the Free plan. Listed plans range from 25 to 500 devices, while Flex offers customized limits. The pricing page offers monthly and yearly billing, says annual billing saves up to 20%, but lists no plan prices.