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Energy · head to head

Bently Nevada System 1 vs Petasense

Bently Nevada System 1 logo

Bently Nevada System 1

Energy

Machinery condition monitoring software for critical rotating equipment protected by Bently Nevada hardware

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Petasense logo

Petasense

Manufacturing

Wireless vibration and asset reliability monitoring, now owned by AssetWatch

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bently Nevada System 1 system 1 assumes Bently Nevada hardware; connected to third-party protection systems it loses access to the dynamic and transient data that is the entire reason to buy it, so the software choice is really made when the racks are specified.; Petasense petasense is now owned by AssetWatch, whose business is monitoring delivered as a managed service, so a buyer wanting self-service software should get the delivery model written into the contract rather than assume it.
  • They diverge on capability: Bently Nevada System 1 covers Turbomachinery plot set, Petasense covers Vibration Mote.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bently Nevada System 1 and Petasense actually diverge.

Attributes where Bently Nevada System 1 and Petasense differ
AttributeBently Nevada System 1Petasense
PlatformsWindows, Web, On-premiseWeb, Cloud, iOS, Android
CategoryEnergyManufacturing

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Bently Nevada System 1

  • Turbomachinery plot set
  • Transient capture
  • 3500 and Orbit 60 integration
  • Decision support
  • Data diode support
  • Process data correlation

Only in Petasense

  • Vibration Mote
  • Transmitter range
  • ARO cloud
  • VFD-specific monitoring
  • Reliability workflow
  • Mixed wired and wireless

What people use each for

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

Bently Nevada System 1

  • A refinery with API 670 protected compressor trains needing transient startup data captured and analysed, which general vibration platforms cannot donot Petasense
  • An LNG plant where a single unplanned compressor trip costs more than the entire monitoring programmenot Petasense
  • A power station correlating turbine vibration with process conditions to distinguish a real fault from a load-related responsenot Petasense
  • An offshore operator using remote diagnostics because there is no rotating machinery specialist on the installationnot Petasense

Petasense

  • A reliability team wanting continuous vibration data on assets currently covered by a quarterly walkaround routenot Bently Nevada System 1
  • A plant with variable frequency drive assets where generic vibration analytics produce too many false alarmsnot Bently Nevada System 1
  • Mixing battery sensors on accessible pumps with wired sensors on the handful of assets that would stop productionnot Bently Nevada System 1
  • A manufacturer with no in-house vibration analyst that wants the analysis delivered as a service rather than as a dashboardnot Bently Nevada System 1

Where each one falls short

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

Bently Nevada System 1

  • System 1 assumes Bently Nevada hardware; connected to third-party protection systems it loses access to the dynamic and transient data that is the entire reason to buy it, so the software choice is really made when the racks are specified.
  • It is priced by machine train, which makes it appropriate for a dozen critical machines and prohibitively expensive as a plant-wide condition monitoring system for balance-of-plant equipment.
  • Reading the output well needs a rotating machinery specialist; orbit and shaft centreline plots are not self-explanatory, and a site without that skill will either buy the Baker Hughes remote monitoring service or under-use the software.
  • The annual support and upgrade contract is a continuing cost that must be maintained to stay on supported versions, and lapsing it on a system tied to safety-relevant protection hardware is not a realistic saving.
  • Nothing about pricing is published and the product is sold as part of a machinery relationship with Baker Hughes, so competitive tension at renewal is limited once the hardware is installed.

Petasense

  • Petasense is now owned by AssetWatch, whose business is monitoring delivered as a managed service, so a buyer wanting self-service software should get the delivery model written into the contract rather than assume it.
  • Hardware is required per measurement point and gateways are required per area, so the up-front capital for a plant-wide deployment is substantial and separate from the subscription.
  • Per-asset subscription pricing scales linearly, which makes full coverage of a large population of low-value motors uneconomic compared with route-based monitoring.
  • Nothing is published on sensor cost, subscription rate, gateway requirements or contract length, so a total cost of ownership figure requires a full sales engagement before you can compare it against anything.
  • Battery-powered wireless sensors trade measurement richness for battery life, so the sampling rate and resolution are lower than a wired analyser would give, which limits diagnosis of high-frequency bearing defects on critical machines.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bently Nevada System 1

On request
  • System 1$undefined/year
    • Priced by machine train and connected data source
    • Bently Nevada protection hardware assumed or purchased alongside
    • Annual software support and upgrade contract sold separately

Petasense

On request
  • Petasense ARO$undefined/year
    • Subscription priced per monitored asset
    • Vibration Mote or Transmitter hardware required per measurement point
    • Gateway hardware required for wireless deployments

Which should you pick?

Choose Bently Nevada System 1 if

  • You need turbomachinery plot set.
  • You work on Windows, Web, On-premise.
  • You also want transient capture.
Bently Nevada System 1 review

Choose Petasense if

  • You need vibration mote.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want transmitter range.
Petasense review

Questions people ask

Is Bently Nevada System 1 or Petasense better?
Neither clearly leads. Bently Nevada System 1 starts at On request and Petasense at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bently Nevada System 1 or Petasense?
Bently Nevada System 1 starts at On request and Petasense at On request.
Does Bently Nevada System 1 or Petasense run on more platforms?
Bently Nevada System 1 runs on Windows, Web, On-premise. Petasense runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
What is Bently Nevada System 1 best used for?
Bently Nevada System 1 is most often used for a refinery with api 670 protected compressor trains needing transient startup data captured and analysed, which general vibration platforms cannot do, an lng plant where a single unplanned compressor trip costs more than the entire monitoring programme, a power station correlating turbine vibration with process conditions to distinguish a real fault from a load-related response, an offshore operator using remote diagnostics because there is no rotating machinery specialist on the installation. Of those, a refinery with api 670 protected compressor trains needing transient startup data captured and analysed, which general vibration platforms cannot do and an lng plant where a single unplanned compressor trip costs more than the entire monitoring programme are not what Petasense is typically brought in for.
What can Bently Nevada System 1 do that Petasense cannot?
Bently Nevada System 1 covers Turbomachinery plot set, Transient capture, 3500 and Orbit 60 integration, Decision support. Petasense covers Vibration Mote, Transmitter range, ARO cloud, VFD-specific monitoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bently Nevada System 1: Do I need Bently Nevada hardware?

Practically, yes. System 1 can take some third-party inputs but the dynamic and transient data that justify it come from 3500 or Orbit 60 racks.

Petasense: Is Petasense still a separate product?

Yes. It trades under its own name with its own product line, but the owner since January 2024 is AssetWatch.

Bently Nevada System 1: Is System 1 suitable for all my plant motors?

No. It is priced and designed for critical machine trains. Balance-of-plant motors are far better served by a general condition monitoring platform.

Petasense: Do I have to buy Petasense hardware?

Yes. The platform is built around its own Motes and Transmitters; it is not a bring-your-own-sensor analytics product.

Bently Nevada System 1: What does Orbit 60 add?

A newer protection platform with SIL certification and a built-in data diode, which removes the network security objection to connecting protection systems.

Petasense: Can I get monitoring as a service?

Yes, through parent AssetWatch, whose model is condition monitoring engineers reviewing your data. Clarify which model your quote covers.

Bently Nevada System 1: Can Baker Hughes monitor the machines for me?

Yes, remote machinery diagnostic services are offered, which is how many sites without an in-house specialist actually consume System 1.

Petasense: How is it priced?

Per monitored asset on subscription, plus sensors and gateways. Nothing is published.

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