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Manufacturing · head to head

ABB 800xA vs TrakSYS

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
TrakSYS logo

TrakSYS

Manufacturing

Manufacturing execution and plant performance platform

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.; TrakSYS configuration is the implementation, so deployment is a project measured in months and needs a partner or trained staff
  • They diverge on capability: ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, TrakSYS covers Real-time production tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ABB 800xA and TrakSYS differ
AttributeABB 800xATrakSYS
PlatformsWindowsWindows, Web, Self-hosted

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 TrakSYS

  • Real-time production tracking
  • OEE and downtime analysis
  • Configurable workflows
  • Quality management
  • Equipment connectivity
  • Reporting

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

TrakSYS

  • Plants whose processes do not fit a packaged MESnot ABB 800xA
  • Attributing downtime to cause rather than reporting an aggregatenot ABB 800xA
  • Regulated production needing enforced in-process quality checksnot 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.

TrakSYS

  • Configuration is the implementation, so deployment is a project measured in months and needs a partner or trained staff
  • Quote-only pricing with no published rates
  • Flexibility means two TrakSYS installations can look nothing alike, which makes hiring for it harder
  • Considerable overkill for a small plant tracking output in a spreadsheet

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

TrakSYS

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the TrakSYS review.

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 TrakSYS if

  • You need real-time production tracking.
  • You work on Windows, Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want oee and downtime analysis.
TrakSYS review

Questions people ask

Is ABB 800xA or TrakSYS better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB 800xA starts at On request and TrakSYS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB 800xA or TrakSYS?
ABB 800xA starts at On request and TrakSYS at On request.
Does ABB 800xA or TrakSYS run on more platforms?
ABB 800xA runs on Windows. TrakSYS runs on Windows, Web, Self-hosted.
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 TrakSYS is typically brought in for.
What can ABB 800xA do that TrakSYS cannot?
ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, AC 800M controllers, Connectivity servers, Safety integration. TrakSYS covers Real-time production tracking, OEE and downtime analysis, Configurable workflows, Quality 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.

TrakSYS: What does TrakSYS cost?

Quoted per site and not published; implementation is normally a substantial part of the total.

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.

TrakSYS: Is it a product or a platform?

A platform. Screens and workflows are configured for the plant, which is why it fits unusual processes and why deployment is a project.

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.

TrakSYS: When is it the wrong choice?

When a packaged MES fits your process, or when the plant is small enough that the configuration effort outweighs the gain.

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.

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