An IoT analytics platform is a software tool that helps businesses collect and analyze data from their wide range of IoT devices. Businesses can collect vast amounts of data through IoT, from consumer spending patterns to data usage, and IoT data analytics platforms are critical in helping businesses gain the insights they need to gain a competitive edge.
An IoT analytics platform has become a must for players in all industries to optimize their market strategies. From vendors such as AWS to Oracle, here is a list of some of the industry-leading IoT analytics vendors that are helping businesses grow.
Comparison Chart of IoT Analytics Platforms:
Top 7 IoT Analytics Platforms
There are many excellent IoT analytics platforms out there today, here are 7 IoT analytics platforms with unique and useful features for businesses that need IoT analytics tools:
(1) AWS IoT Analytics: Best for Automation
Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides IoT services and solutions to connect and manage an enterprise's devices. AWS IoT Analytics helps businesses analyze large amounts of IoT data. As a managed service that provides advanced data analytics for IoT devices, it helps businesses collect, process and store data.
AWS IoT Analytics uses automation to help businesses deal with the difficult steps required for IoT devices. Businesses can then analyze IoT data by running queries to help create, duplicate, delete or change data.
Pricing:
AWS lets customers get started for free, request a quote, or use their pricing calculator depending on the needs of the business.
Features:
Collect only the data the business wants: AWS IoT validates data defined by business needs, including specific ways to process, transform, and improve the data.
Different processes: AWS IoT Analytics provides different processes, including the ability to filter, transform, refine, and reprocess enterprise needs.
Time Series Analysis: AWS IoT Analytics helps businesses understand how their devices change over time and focus on any issues to address them.
advantage:
Easy to deploy and configure
Excellent Predictive Analytics
Scalable
shortcoming:
Tools are expensive
lack of guidelines
(2) Microsoft Azure IoT: Suitable for all industries
Microsoft Azure IoT is committed to developing different industry cloud solutions for each customer, adding a platform with edge computing to cloud computing technology. Their IoT solutions include built-in security, privacy and compliance. It also has the ability to connect, monitor, automate, build, deploy and update any model and device.
Pricing:
Similar to AWS, Microsoft Azure lets customers get started for free, then request a quote, or use their pricing calculator depending on the needs of the business.
Features:
Three IoT offerings: Microsoft Azure IoT offers three tools to address all IoT needs. This includes Azure IoT Hub, Azure Digital Twins and Azure IoT Central.
Single pane of glass: Azure IoT organizes all IoT devices and applications into a single view to help businesses automate, monitor and troubleshoot.
Serving multiple industries: Azure IoT has a presence in many industries, including manufacturing, energy, healthcare, retail and transportation.
advantage:
easy to integrate
Device communication security
scalable
shortcoming:
expensive
Documentation can be confusing
(3) IBM Watson IoT Platform: the most flexible
IBM Watson IoT Platform is a top IoT platform because of its flexibility to meet the needs of businesses. Their analytics service performs calculations on the data in the system as needed by the business, usually every five minutes. If automation doesn't meet needs, businesses can build their own custom code to make IBM Watson IoT Platform responsive to business needs.
Pricing:
IBM Watson IoT Platform provides two ways to receive pricing. Users can get started for free, or contact a sales representative to determine specific pricing.
Features:
MQTT and HTTP connectivity: IBM IoT tools enable customers to connect to the IBM cloud platform using MQTT and HTTP.
Real-time API: IBM's secure API that enables clients to connect their applications to device data sources.
Useful analytics: IBM IoT tools and the IBM cloud platform can create analytics applications for all your own servers.
advantage:
Superior Centralized Dashboard
easy to integrate
Flexible to serve customers
shortcoming:
need better training
(4) ThingSpeak: Best for beginners
ThingSpeak is an IoT analytics platform that enables users to form a cluster or a set of data in the cloud, visualize and analyze real-time data. ThingSpeak provides automated visualization of data published on enterprise devices. It also enables users to analyze and process data online. It can also be used in IoT systems that require analytics.
Pricing:
Pricing for ThingSpeak can be found on their pricing page, categorized as Standard, Academic, Student, and Home.
Features:
Communication on different platforms: ThingSpeak will automatically use data to communicate with third-party service providers.
No Server or Network Software Required: ThingSpeak enables users to prototype and build IoT systems without any new server or network software.
MATLAB: ThingSpeak frequently uses MATLAB to help customers make sense of their IoT data.
advantage:
instant visualization
event alert
easy to integrate
shortcoming:
limited support
Not built for experts
(5) Oracle IoT Cloud Service: Best for cloud services
Oracle IoT Cloud Service is a hosted Platform as a Service (PaaS), a cloud-based tool that helps businesses make better business decisions and strategies. Oracle IoT Cloud Service enables users to connect their devices to its cloud platform, quickly analyze data from the devices, and integrate the data with applications, web services or other Oracle Cloud services.
Pricing:
Oracle IoT Cloud Service has a pricing page, offers free service on some devices, and other ways to boost sales.
Features:
Many Device Connectivity Options: Oracle IoT Cloud Service provides device connectivity options that make it simple to connect multiple devices such as JavaScript, Java, Android, C POSIX and iOS along with REST API.
Use Predictive Analytics: Oracle IoT Cloud Service uses predictive analytics so users can predict events and outcomes based on their data.
Use Forecast: Oracle IoT Cloud Service provides users with potential future trends based on data.
advantage:
simple deployment
thorough documentation
useful support
shortcoming:
need more integration
(6) Datadog: best for monitoring
Datadog's IoT tools provide IoT monitoring from customers' devices and provide the ability to aggregate metrics. They also provide the ability to monitor IoT software performance, device hardware metrics, application logs, network performance data, and more. Their goal is to give users a comprehensive view of their equipment and the ability to troubleshoot specific areas of their system.
Pricing:
Datadog offers the option to get started for free and provides a pricing page to view every product and solution Datadog offers.
Features:
IoT device alerts: IoT operators use machine learning algorithms to build alerts that trigger when problems persist or widespread device failure occurs.
Analyze all IoT data from every device: Datadog's IoT tools analyze all IoT devices and data to provide visibility and actionable notifications.
Monitor performance: Every device containing IoT data will be monitored to ensure the system is functioning properly and in a way that meets the unique needs of the business.
advantage:
Easy to view metric history
Excellent Network Mapping
useful notice
shortcoming:
difficult for beginners
needs better documentation
(7) Cisco IoT: Best for Industrial Enterprises
Cisco IoT is a platform that can provide IoT-based solutions according to the needs of users. Their tools are designed to make business tools smarter, such as smart lighting, smart locks for security, self-regulating HVAC, and self-adapting systems. Cisco IoT seems to be primarily aimed at industrial businesses that need custom IoT tools for their industry.
Pricing:
For pricing, go to the How to Buy page where customers can request more information.
Features:
Operational Resilience: The Cisco IoT platform can improve security by reducing staff workload through IoT automation. Cisco can also monitor, manage and assist equipment and processes.
Protection against security threats: Cisco IoT provides enterprises with visibility into security measures in case security threats are detected in the system.
Bridge between IT and operations: IT and operations within a company can gain support from any line of business IoT solution.
advantage:
Excellent network monitoring.
Improve uptime of routers and connected devices.
Strong visibility.
shortcoming:
More language tools are needed.
How to Choose an IoT Analytics Platform
Enterprises need a scalable, intelligent, connected and secure analytics platform to monitor and mine data. Choosing a platform may be based on industry, business size or level of expertise.
Here are some things to consider when choosing an IoT analytics platform:
What is your budget?
Which platform is best for your data volume?
Does the platform integrate with current applications?
How much automation and documentation does the platform require?
What is best for your industry?
Businesses can expand their questions by reading reviews to learn about other companies' experiences. Reading a summary of each platform will also help make the decision easier for customers who need the app.