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Manufacturing · head to head

ABB 800xA vs Aras Innovator

ABB 800xA logo

ABB 800xA

Manufacturing

Distributed control system and process automation platform for continuous and hybrid process plants

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Aras Innovator logo

Aras Innovator

Manufacturing

Subscription PLM platform where every module is included in the seat price

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Aras Innovator has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ABB 800xA licensing is by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients, and none of it is published, so two plants of similar size can be quoted very differently with no external benchmark to argue against.; Aras Innovator aras publishes no prices at all, so you cannot sanity-check a quote against a list price and every negotiation starts from the vendor knowing more than you do.
  • They diverge on capability: ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, Aras Innovator covers Model-based configuration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ABB 800xA and Aras Innovator actually diverge.

Attributes where ABB 800xA and Aras Innovator differ
AttributeABB 800xAAras Innovator
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWeb, Windows, Cloud, Self-hosted

Identical on both: pricing model (quote), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ABB 800xA

  • Extended Automation
  • AC 800M controllers
  • Connectivity servers
  • Safety integration
  • IEC 61850 electrical
  • Batch management
  • Information management
  • Asset optimisation

Only in Aras Innovator

  • Model-based configuration
  • Upgrades included
  • All applications in one subscription
  • CAD data management
  • Effectivity and configuration management
  • Community Edition
  • Open REST and OData APIs

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ABB 800xA

  • A refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in placenot Aras Innovator
  • A pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplacenot Aras Innovator
  • A mining operation that needs SIL 3 safety functions on the same network as process control rather than a separate safety systemnot Aras Innovator
  • A marine or offshore platform where ABB already supplies the electrical distribution and IEC 61850 integration removes a second systemnot Aras Innovator

Aras Innovator

  • A manufacturer whose current PLM cannot be upgraded because past customisations would break, and who wants configuration that survives releasesnot ABB 800xA
  • An engineering organisation that needs requirements, quality and change management under one data model without buying three modulesnot ABB 800xA
  • A medical device or aerospace firm needing full traceability from requirement to as-built serial numbernot ABB 800xA
  • A company piloting PLM on a real programme using the free 50-user Community Edition before committing budgetnot ABB 800xA

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ABB 800xA

  • Licensing is by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients, and none of it is published, so two plants of similar size can be quoted very differently with no external benchmark to argue against.
  • Engineering and commissioning typically cost more than the software and controller hardware together, and that share is not visible in the initial ABB quotation, which prices the system rather than the project.
  • It is Windows only for servers and workplaces, so the operating system lifecycle drives forced upgrade cycles that have nothing to do with your process.
  • Once configured, the aspect object model and the specific integrator conventions used make handing the system to a different service provider expensive; ABB service contracts are effectively sticky.
  • Software maintenance is an annual contract on top of the licence and lapsing it means you cannot take version upgrades, so the system quietly ages out of security support if the plant skips renewals to save money.

Aras Innovator

  • Aras publishes no prices at all, so you cannot sanity-check a quote against a list price and every negotiation starts from the vendor knowing more than you do.
  • The platform ships as a toolkit rather than a configured process, so a first implementation is typically a six to twelve month engagement with an integrator, and services frequently cost more than the first two years of subscription.
  • The Community Edition is capped at 50 named users, gets only annual releases and excludes Aras-performed upgrades, so it is a genuine free tier but a deliberately awkward place to stay.
  • Configuration flexibility invites over-customisation; organisations that model every local exception end up with a system only two internal people understand, which is the same trap they left their previous PLM to escape.
  • CAD connectors are not all equal in maturity, and some are excluded from the base subscription, so a shop standardised on a less common CAD tool should confirm connector scope in writing before signing.

Pricing, plan by plan

ABB 800xA

On request
  • ABB Ability System 800xA$undefined/year
    • Licensed by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients
    • Sold as a project through ABB or a certified partner
    • Annual software maintenance contract priced separately

Aras Innovator

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Up to 50 named users
    • Core product data platform
    • Yearly release cadence only
  • Subscription (Standard, self-hosted)$undefined/year
    • Named-user subscription
    • All applications included
    • Quarterly releases
  • Subscription (SaaS)$undefined/year
    • Aras-hosted and operated
    • All applications included
    • Quarterly releases

Which should you pick?

Choose ABB 800xA if

  • You need extended automation.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want ac 800m controllers.
ABB 800xA review

Choose Aras Innovator if

  • You need model-based configuration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want upgrades included.
Aras Innovator review

Questions people ask

Is ABB 800xA or Aras Innovator better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB 800xA starts at On request and Aras Innovator at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB 800xA or Aras Innovator?
Aras Innovator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ABB 800xA and Free for Aras Innovator.
Does ABB 800xA or Aras Innovator run on more platforms?
ABB 800xA runs on Windows. Aras Innovator runs on Web, Windows, Cloud, Self-hosted.
Can I use Aras Innovator for free?
Yes. Aras Innovator has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ABB 800xA starts at On request.
What is ABB 800xA best used for?
ABB 800xA is most often used for a refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in place, a pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplace, a mining operation that needs sil 3 safety functions on the same network as process control rather than a separate safety system, a marine or offshore platform where abb already supplies the electrical distribution and iec 61850 integration removes a second system. Of those, a refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in place and a pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplace are not what Aras Innovator is typically brought in for.
What can ABB 800xA do that Aras Innovator cannot?
ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, AC 800M controllers, Connectivity servers, Safety integration. Aras Innovator covers Model-based configuration, Upgrades included, All applications in one subscription, CAD data management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ABB 800xA: Is 800xA sold as a perpetual licence?

Yes, the system licence is perpetual, but a separate annual software maintenance agreement is required to receive updates and version upgrades.

Aras Innovator: Is Aras Innovator open source?

No. The source is not open. The Community Edition is free of licence fee for up to 50 named users under a revocable licence, which is not the same thing.

ABB 800xA: Can 800xA control non-ABB field hardware?

Yes. Connectivity servers front third-party PLC and DCS systems and legacy ABB families, which is the main reason it wins brownfield projects.

Aras Innovator: Can I buy a perpetual licence?

No. Aras sells subscription only. If a perpetual PLM licence is a procurement requirement, Aras is out.

ABB 800xA: Does it replace a separate electrical SCADA?

It can. IEC 61850 substation integration is native, so many plants drop a separate electrical monitoring system.

Aras Innovator: Do upgrades cost extra?

No, and that is the central commercial claim. Aras performs upgrades of subscriber environments, including customised ones, as part of the subscription.

ABB 800xA: What is the realistic implementation timeline?

A full plant migration is measured in years, not months; phased cutovers of one unit at a time are the norm.

Aras Innovator: How many modules do I have to buy?

One subscription covers all applications. Some CAD connectors are the exception, so confirm yours is in scope.

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