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Databases · head to head

EMQX vs Ignition

EMQX logo

EMQX

Databases

Erlang MQTT broker for large IoT fleets, relicensed to BSL with production free use limited to one node

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ignition logo

Ignition

Manufacturing

Industrial automation platform for SCADA, HMI and MES

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only EMQX has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: EMQX the move to Business Source Licence 1.1 at version 5.9 in May 2025 limits free production use to a single node, so the clustering that justifies choosing EMQX now requires a paid subscription from the second node onward.; Ignition requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application
  • They diverge on capability: EMQX covers Erlang clustering, Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EMQX and Ignition actually diverge.

Attributes where EMQX and Ignition differ
AttributeEMQXIgnition
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer month by connection and session volumePer-server licensing with published module pricing; unlimited clients and tags
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, macOSWindows, Linux, macOS, Web
CategoryDatabasesManufacturing

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 EMQX

  • Erlang clustering
  • MQTT 5.0 and QUIC
  • Rule engine
  • Data integration sinks
  • Session persistence
  • Multi protocol gateways
  • Authentication and authorisation
  • Dashboard and REST API

Only in Ignition

  • Unlimited-client licensing
  • SCADA and HMI
  • Historian
  • MES modules
  • Web-based clients
  • Wide PLC support

What people use each for

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

EMQX

  • A connected vehicle platform needing millions of persistent MQTT sessions with QUIC for handover across mobile networksnot Ignition
  • An industrial operator routing sensor telemetry straight into TimescaleDB or Kafka without writing a consumer servicenot Ignition
  • An IoT product team that has outgrown a single Mosquitto instance and needs clustering and shared subscriptionsnot Ignition
  • A smart building deployment mixing MQTT, CoAP and LwM2M devices on one brokernot Ignition

Ignition

  • Plants where per-tag licensing has made expansion a budget conversationnot EMQX
  • Replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clientsnot EMQX
  • Connecting plant floor data to SQL and business systemsnot EMQX

Where each one falls short

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

EMQX

  • The move to Business Source Licence 1.1 at version 5.9 in May 2025 limits free production use to a single node, so the clustering that justifies choosing EMQX now requires a paid subscription from the second node onward.
  • The relicensing arrived in a minor release, which caught users who had pinned to 5.x expecting Apache 2.0 terms and forced legal review of existing deployments.
  • Running an Erlang/OTP cluster well requires operational knowledge most teams do not have, and diagnosing distribution, mnesia or memory issues means learning a runtime you use for nothing else.
  • Enterprise pricing is quoted rather than published for the self-managed edition, so the cost of the clustered configuration you actually need is invisible until you talk to sales.
  • The Serverless tier caps at around a thousand connections and shares infrastructure, which makes it a prototyping tier rather than a genuine small production option.

Ignition

  • Requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application
  • Steep learning curve, and Inductive Automation runs its own training programme because of it
  • Self-hosted and self-supported by default, so plant IT carries the availability burden
  • Module-based pricing means the entry figure is rarely the final one

Pricing, plan by plan

EMQX

Free
  • Open Source single nodeFree
    • BSL 1.1 licence since version 5.9
    • Free production use of one node only
    • All former enterprise features visible
  • ServerlessFree
    • Free monthly quota then pay as you go
    • Up to 1,000 connections
    • 8 by 5 support
  • Dedicated Flex$234/month
    • Single tenant cluster
    • Traffic allowance included
    • 24/7 support
  • Enterprise self-managed$undefined/year
    • Deploy on premises, at the edge or in any cloud
    • Clustering licensed
    • 256 MB maximum message size

Ignition

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Ignition review.

Which should you pick?

Choose EMQX if

  • You need erlang clustering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, macOS.
  • You also want mqtt 5.0 and quic.
EMQX review

Choose Ignition if

  • You need unlimited-client licensing.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web.
  • You also want scada and hmi.
Ignition review

Questions people ask

Is EMQX or Ignition better?
Neither clearly leads. EMQX starts at Free and Ignition at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EMQX or Ignition?
EMQX has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for EMQX and On request for Ignition.
Does EMQX or Ignition run on more platforms?
EMQX runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, macOS. Ignition runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web.
Can I use EMQX for free?
Yes. EMQX has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ignition starts at On request.
What is EMQX best used for?
EMQX is most often used for a connected vehicle platform needing millions of persistent mqtt sessions with quic for handover across mobile networks, an industrial operator routing sensor telemetry straight into timescaledb or kafka without writing a consumer service, an iot product team that has outgrown a single mosquitto instance and needs clustering and shared subscriptions, a smart building deployment mixing mqtt, coap and lwm2m devices on one broker. Of those, a connected vehicle platform needing millions of persistent mqtt sessions with quic for handover across mobile networks and an industrial operator routing sensor telemetry straight into timescaledb or kafka without writing a consumer service are not what Ignition is typically brought in for.
What can EMQX do that Ignition cannot?
EMQX covers Erlang clustering, MQTT 5.0 and QUIC, Rule engine, Data integration sinks. Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, SCADA and HMI, Historian, MES modules.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

EMQX: Is EMQX still open source?

Not in the OSI sense since version 5.9. It is source-available under Business Source Licence 1.1, reverting to Apache 2.0 four years after each release.

Ignition: What does Ignition cost?

It publishes per-server module pricing with unlimited clients, tags and connections, so cost does not scale with how many people use it.

EMQX: Can I run a free cluster?

No. The additional use grant permits free production use of one node; clustering requires a commercial licence.

Ignition: Why does unlimited-client licensing matter?

Traditional SCADA is licensed per tag or per screen, which turns adding an operator terminal into a purchase. Ignition removes that ceiling.

EMQX: What changed for existing users?

Community and enterprise editions merged, so all features are now visible, but the licence terms tightened in the same minor release.

Ignition: Is it a finished application?

No, it is a platform. Screens, tags and logic are built for the specific plant, which is real engineering work.

EMQX: Which version is still Apache 2.0?

Releases before 5.9 remain under Apache 2.0, and each BSL release converts to Apache 2.0 four years after publication.

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