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Government · head to head

DataSF vs March Networks

DataSF logo

DataSF

Government

San Francisco Open Data Portal

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
March Networks logo

March Networks

Cybersecurity

Banking and retail video with transaction overlay, sold by a Canadian firm that changed from Chinese to Taiwanese ownership

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DataSF has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: DataSF covers Open Datasets, March Networks covers Command Enterprise.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DataSF and March Networks actually diverge.

Attributes where DataSF and March Networks differ
AttributeDataSFMarch Networks
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWindows, Web, iOS, Android
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2009Unknown

Identical on both: 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 DataSF

  • Open Datasets
  • Data API
  • Visualizations
  • Data Catalog
  • Automated Updates
  • Socrata
  • ArcGIS
  • Analysis Tools

Only in March Networks

  • Command Enterprise
  • Searchlight
  • Hybrid recording
  • X-Series hybrid NVRs
  • Health monitoring
  • ATM and teller integration
  • Retail loss prevention analytics
  • Evidence export

What people use each for

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

DataSF

  • Citizen Servicesnot March Networks
  • Records Managementnot March Networks
  • Public Safetynot March Networks
  • Civic Engagementnot March Networks

March Networks

  • A bank investigating a disputed ATM withdrawal who needs the clip for that transaction, not two hours of timelinenot DataSF
  • A credit union refreshing 200 branches in phases where analogue and IP cameras must coexist on one recordernot DataSF
  • A restaurant chain overlaying till exceptions on video across hundreds of locationsnot DataSF
  • A transit operator needing video retrieval from vehicles and stations without shipping terabytes over the networknot DataSF

Where each one falls short

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

DataSF

Nothing recorded yet. See the DataSF review.

March Networks

  • The ownership history is a live compliance question: Chinese-owned via Infinova from 2011, with a PRC government entity as controlling shareholder by January 2020, before the December 2021 sale to Delta Electronics of Taiwan, and any US federal or contractor buyer should expect to document that chain during a procurement review.
  • NDAA compliance is stated at the product level and rests on American system-on-chip processors in the majority of cameras and in specific recorder lines, which means it must be confirmed per model rather than assumed across the catalogue.
  • The platform is engineered around banking and retail workflows, so buyers outside those verticals pay for transaction integration they will never use and get a less developed general security experience than from a Genetec or Milestone.
  • No pricing is published and everything is quoted through integrators, so a multi-hundred-site estate cannot be budgeted without a design exercise and there is no benchmark against which to test a quote.
  • Hybrid recording means a recorder in every branch, which is hardware to install, monitor, service and eventually replace at every location, and that refresh cycle is a recurring capital event that cloud rivals avoid entirely.

Pricing, plan by plan

DataSF

Free
  • Public AccessFree
    • Dataset Access
    • API Access
    • Visualizations

March Networks

On request
  • Command Enterprise and Searchlight$undefined/year
    • Per-recorder and per-channel licensing quoted through integrators
    • Searchlight business intelligence licensed separately
    • X-Series hybrid recorders purchased per site

Which should you pick?

Choose DataSF if

  • You need open datasets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data api.
DataSF review

Choose March Networks if

  • You need command enterprise.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want searchlight.
March Networks review

Questions people ask

Is DataSF or March Networks better?
Neither clearly leads. DataSF starts at Free and March Networks at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DataSF or March Networks?
DataSF has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DataSF and On request for March Networks.
Does DataSF or March Networks run on more platforms?
DataSF runs on Web. March Networks runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use DataSF for free?
Yes. DataSF has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. March Networks starts at On request.
What is DataSF best used for?
DataSF is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what March Networks is typically brought in for.
What can DataSF do that March Networks cannot?
DataSF covers Open Datasets, Data API, Visualizations, Data Catalog. March Networks covers Command Enterprise, Searchlight, Hybrid recording, X-Series hybrid NVRs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

March Networks: Who owns March Networks?

Delta Electronics of Taiwan, which acquired it in December 2021 for 114 million US dollars. Before that it was owned by Chinese manufacturer Infinova, which by January 2020 had a PRC government entity as controlling shareholder.

March Networks: Is March Networks NDAA compliant?

The company states it is, citing American system-on-chip processors in the majority of its cameras and in its Command Recording Server bundles and X-Series hybrid NVRs. Verify per model, and expect the ownership history to be raised in a federal procurement review.

March Networks: What is Searchlight?

The layer that overlays ATM, teller and point of sale transaction data on video so investigators search by transaction rather than by time.

March Networks: Is video stored in the cloud?

No, it is hybrid. Video is recorded on a recorder at each site and only required clips move centrally, which is why it suits large branch estates on modest connections.

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