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Energy · head to head

Cutsforth InsightCM vs Petasense

Cutsforth InsightCM logo

Cutsforth InsightCM

Energy

Multi-physics condition monitoring for generators and rotating plant, moved from National Instruments to Cutsforth

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: Cutsforth InsightCM ownership moved from National Instruments to Cutsforth while NI itself was absorbed by Emerson, so support contracts, documentation and any assumption of NI or Emerson backing need reconfirming from scratch.; 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: Cutsforth InsightCM covers Multi-physics correlation, Petasense covers Vibration Mote.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cutsforth InsightCM and Petasense actually diverge.

Attributes where Cutsforth InsightCM and Petasense differ
AttributeCutsforth InsightCMPetasense
PlatformsWindows, Web, CloudWeb, 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 Cutsforth InsightCM

  • Multi-physics correlation
  • Continuous waveform capture
  • NI hardware compatibility
  • Electromagnetic interference analysis
  • On-premise or cloud
  • Configurable acquisition
  • Automated alarming
  • Fleet view

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.

Cutsforth InsightCM

  • A generating station correlating partial discharge, EMI and vibration on a turbine generator in one diagnosis rather than three separate systemsnot Petasense
  • A nuclear operator needing continuous waveform retention as evidence for a condition-based maintenance casenot Petasense
  • An industrial site with legacy NI acquisition hardware already installed on critical machinesnot Petasense
  • Comparing identical generators across a fleet to separate a machine-specific fault from a design characteristicnot Petasense

Petasense

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cutsforth InsightCM

  • Ownership moved from National Instruments to Cutsforth while NI itself was absorbed by Emerson, so support contracts, documentation and any assumption of NI or Emerson backing need reconfirming from scratch.
  • Cutsforth is a small specialist company, so a buyer standardising a fleet-wide monitoring platform is accepting a vendor with far less scale than Emerson, SKF or Bently Nevada.
  • The product depends on data acquisition hardware on the machine, and that hardware is typically the larger part of the cost, which the software conversation tends to obscure.
  • Its strength is high-value generation and large rotating assets; instrumenting a broad population of ordinary pumps and fans with it is disproportionately expensive.
  • Continuous multi-physics capture produces large volumes of waveform data, so storage sizing and retention policy are real deployment decisions rather than defaults.

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

Cutsforth InsightCM

On request
  • InsightCM$undefined/year
    • Priced per monitored machine and channel count rather than per user
    • Data acquisition hardware quoted separately and often the larger cost
    • On-premise and cloud deployments priced differently

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 Cutsforth InsightCM if

  • You need multi-physics correlation.
  • You work on Windows, Web, Cloud.
  • You also want continuous waveform capture.
Cutsforth InsightCM 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 Cutsforth InsightCM or Petasense better?
Neither clearly leads. Cutsforth InsightCM 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, Cutsforth InsightCM or Petasense?
Cutsforth InsightCM starts at On request and Petasense at On request.
Does Cutsforth InsightCM or Petasense run on more platforms?
Cutsforth InsightCM runs on Windows, Web, Cloud. Petasense runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
What is Cutsforth InsightCM best used for?
Cutsforth InsightCM is most often used for a generating station correlating partial discharge, emi and vibration on a turbine generator in one diagnosis rather than three separate systems, a nuclear operator needing continuous waveform retention as evidence for a condition-based maintenance case, an industrial site with legacy ni acquisition hardware already installed on critical machines, comparing identical generators across a fleet to separate a machine-specific fault from a design characteristic. Of those, a generating station correlating partial discharge, emi and vibration on a turbine generator in one diagnosis rather than three separate systems and a nuclear operator needing continuous waveform retention as evidence for a condition-based maintenance case are not what Petasense is typically brought in for.
What can Cutsforth InsightCM do that Petasense cannot?
Cutsforth InsightCM covers Multi-physics correlation, Continuous waveform capture, NI hardware compatibility, Electromagnetic interference analysis. Petasense covers Vibration Mote, Transmitter range, ARO cloud, VFD-specific monitoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cutsforth InsightCM: Is InsightCM still a National Instruments product?

No. It was developed by NI but is now owned and developed by Cutsforth. NI itself became part of Emerson in October 2023.

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.

Cutsforth InsightCM: Does it require NI hardware?

It is compatible with NI-based acquisition systems and with Cutsforth monitoring hardware, so existing NI installations carry over.

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.

Cutsforth InsightCM: What makes it different from a vibration platform?

It correlates several measurement types, including partial discharge and electromagnetic interference, which matters on generators rather than on general rotating equipment.

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.

Cutsforth InsightCM: Can it be deployed on-premise?

Yes, on-premise or cloud, which is why it remains viable for nuclear and utility sites with data residency rules.

Petasense: How is it priced?

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

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