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Manufacturing · head to head

ABB 800xA vs Duro PLM

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
Duro PLM logo

Duro PLM

Manufacturing

Hosted PLM for hardware startups, sold in fixed user bands with no published price

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Duro PLM no pricing is published anywhere, so budgeting requires a sales conversation and buyers cannot compare against alternatives without entering a pipeline.
  • They diverge on capability: ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, Duro PLM covers Part library.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ABB 800xA and Duro PLM actually diverge.

Attributes where ABB 800xA and Duro PLM differ
AttributeABB 800xADuro PLM
PlatformsWindowsWeb

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 Duro PLM

  • Part library
  • Multi-level BOMs
  • Change orders
  • CAD integrations
  • Supplier and cost data
  • User band plans

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 Duro PLM
  • A pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplacenot Duro PLM
  • A mining operation that needs SIL 3 safety functions on the same network as process control rather than a separate safety systemnot Duro PLM
  • A marine or offshore platform where ABB already supplies the electrical distribution and IEC 61850 integration removes a second systemnot Duro PLM

Duro PLM

  • A robotics startup imposing change control on a design before releasing it to a contract manufacturernot ABB 800xA
  • A consumer electronics team tracking supplier part numbers and costs against every item in the BOMnot ABB 800xA
  • A hardware company whose engineers keep overwriting each other's BOM spreadsheet versionsnot ABB 800xA
  • A venture-funded startup that needs a defensible change history before a first production buildnot 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.

Duro PLM

  • No pricing is published anywhere, so budgeting requires a sales conversation and buyers cannot compare against alternatives without entering a pipeline.
  • Plans are sold in fixed user bands rather than per seat, so hiring an eleventh engineer moves you to the next tier instead of adding one seat.
  • Storage allowances are capped at 25, 50 and 100 GB, which is tight for teams keeping native CAD files rather than only neutral formats.
  • There is no self-hosted or on-premises option, which rules Duro out for defence and some aerospace suppliers with data residency or ITAR handling constraints.
  • Scope stops at engineering data: no requirements management, no quality module and no manufacturing process planning, so it does not replace the systems a company needs at production scale.

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

Duro PLM

On request
  • Team$undefined/year
    • Up to 10 users
    • 25 GB data storage
    • Part library, BOMs and change orders
  • Business$undefined/year
    • Up to 20 users
    • 50 GB data storage
    • CAD integrations
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • 20 or more users
    • 100 GB data storage
    • Extended support

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 Duro PLM if

  • You need part library.
  • You also want multi-level boms.
Duro PLM review

Questions people ask

Is ABB 800xA or Duro PLM better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB 800xA starts at On request and Duro PLM at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB 800xA or Duro PLM?
ABB 800xA starts at On request and Duro PLM at On request.
Does ABB 800xA or Duro PLM run on more platforms?
ABB 800xA runs on Windows. Duro PLM runs on Web.
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 Duro PLM is typically brought in for.
What can ABB 800xA do that Duro PLM cannot?
ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, AC 800M controllers, Connectivity servers, Safety integration. Duro PLM covers Part library, Multi-level BOMs, Change orders, CAD integrations.

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.

Duro PLM: How much does Duro cost?

Duro does not publish prices. Plans are fixed annual subscriptions quoted by sales against a user band, billed Net 30.

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.

Duro PLM: Can I run Duro on my own servers?

No. It is cloud only, which is a hard blocker for organisations with data residency or export control requirements.

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.

Duro PLM: What happens when we exceed our user band?

You move to the next tier rather than adding individual seats, so growth arrives as a step change in cost.

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.

Duro PLM: Is Duro suitable for medical device work?

Its change control is real but the workflow configuration and audit depth are lighter than dedicated regulated-industry PLM, so most ISO 13485 programmes need more.

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