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Manufacturing · head to head

GENESIS Version 11 vs OSIsoft PI System

GENESIS Version 11 logo

GENESIS Version 11

Manufacturing

Iconics SCADA and visualisation under Mitsubishi Electric, now sold with unlimited tag licensing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OSIsoft PI System logo

OSIsoft PI System

Energy

Real-time operational intelligence for industrial operations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GENESIS Version 11 the name has changed twice, from GENESIS64 to GENESIS Version 11 with an Iconics-to-Mitsubishi ownership shift, so documentation, forum answers and integrator experience are split across three product identities.; OSIsoft PI System oSIsoft is now AVEVA and osisoft.com redirects to the AVEVA PI System pages
  • They diverge on capability: GENESIS Version 11 covers Unlimited tag licensing, OSIsoft PI System covers Real-time data collection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GENESIS Version 11 and OSIsoft PI System actually diverge.

Attributes where GENESIS Version 11 and OSIsoft PI System differ
AttributeGENESIS Version 11OSIsoft PI System
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWindows, Web, Api
CategoryManufacturingEnergy
FoundedUnknown1980

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 GENESIS Version 11

  • Unlimited tag licensing
  • GraphWorX
  • Hyper Historian
  • AnalytiX
  • Web and mobile clients
  • BACnet and building protocols
  • Alarm and notification
  • Energy AnalytiX

Only in OSIsoft PI System

  • Real-time data collection
  • Time-series data storage
  • Advanced analytics
  • Asset framework
  • Visualization tools
  • Event frames
  • Data compression
  • Notifications and alerts

What people use each for

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

GENESIS Version 11

  • A university or hospital estate adding buildings every year that no longer wants a licence negotiation for each expansionnot OSIsoft PI System
  • A data centre operator needing power and cooling status overlaid on a 3D floor model rather than a line diagramnot OSIsoft PI System
  • A water utility wanting pump station status on a GIS map alongside historised flow and pressure datanot OSIsoft PI System
  • A Mitsubishi Electric factory automation site wanting supervisory visualisation from the same vendor as the controllersnot OSIsoft PI System

OSIsoft PI System

  • Collecting and historising high frequency industrial process and sensor datanot GENESIS Version 11
  • Operations dashboards and trend analysis for plants and utilitiesnot GENESIS Version 11
  • Feeding real time operational data into analytics and digital twin applicationsnot GENESIS Version 11

Where each one falls short

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

GENESIS Version 11

  • The name has changed twice, from GENESIS64 to GENESIS Version 11 with an Iconics-to-Mitsubishi ownership shift, so documentation, forum answers and integrator experience are split across three product identities.
  • Unlimited licensing sets a high floor: a small site with a few hundred points pays for capacity it cannot use, and tag-priced competitors remain cheaper below a few thousand points.
  • It is a Windows and Microsoft-stack product, depending on SQL Server and Windows services, so Linux-first or containerised deployment strategies do not apply to it.
  • Mitsubishi Electric now owns it outright, and roadmap priorities follow that group’s factory automation strategy rather than the independent building-automation direction Iconics previously set.
  • The 3D and GIS visualisation that distinguishes it takes real modelling effort to populate, and estates that skip that work end up with an expensive licence driving conventional 2D screens.

OSIsoft PI System

  • OSIsoft is now AVEVA and osisoft.com redirects to the AVEVA PI System pages
  • No pricing is published; osisoft.com/pricing resolves to AVEVA product pages with no rate, minimum or cost driver
  • Licensing runs through the AVEVA Flex Subscription Program rather than a published per-seat or per-tag price
  • The PI System is split across separately listed products including PI Server, PI Vision, PI Data Infrastructure and Edge Data Store

Pricing, plan by plan

GENESIS Version 11

On request
  • GENESIS Version 11$undefined/year
    • Unlimited tags, users and connected devices within a licence
    • Licensed by product module rather than by point count
    • Sold and configured through Mitsubishi Electric and Iconics system integrators

OSIsoft PI System

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the OSIsoft PI System review.

Which should you pick?

Choose GENESIS Version 11 if

  • You need unlimited tag licensing.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want graphworx.
GENESIS Version 11 review

Choose OSIsoft PI System if

  • You need real-time data collection.
  • You work on Windows, Web, Api.
  • You also want time-series data storage.
OSIsoft PI System review

Questions people ask

Is GENESIS Version 11 or OSIsoft PI System better?
Neither clearly leads. GENESIS Version 11 starts at On request and OSIsoft PI System at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GENESIS Version 11 or OSIsoft PI System?
GENESIS Version 11 starts at On request and OSIsoft PI System at On request.
Does GENESIS Version 11 or OSIsoft PI System run on more platforms?
GENESIS Version 11 runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. OSIsoft PI System runs on Windows, Web, Api.
What is GENESIS Version 11 best used for?
GENESIS Version 11 is most often used for a university or hospital estate adding buildings every year that no longer wants a licence negotiation for each expansion, a data centre operator needing power and cooling status overlaid on a 3d floor model rather than a line diagram, a water utility wanting pump station status on a gis map alongside historised flow and pressure data, a mitsubishi electric factory automation site wanting supervisory visualisation from the same vendor as the controllers. Of those, a university or hospital estate adding buildings every year that no longer wants a licence negotiation for each expansion and a data centre operator needing power and cooling status overlaid on a 3d floor model rather than a line diagram are not what OSIsoft PI System is typically brought in for.
What can GENESIS Version 11 do that OSIsoft PI System cannot?
GENESIS Version 11 covers Unlimited tag licensing, GraphWorX, Hyper Historian, AnalytiX. OSIsoft PI System covers Real-time data collection, Time-series data storage, Advanced analytics, Asset framework.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GENESIS Version 11: Is GENESIS64 discontinued?

It has been superseded. GENESIS Version 11 is the current release and the name GENESIS64 is retired.

OSIsoft PI System: How much does the AVEVA PI System cost?

AVEVA PI System (formerly OSIsoft PI System) operates on a subscription-based commercial model with customized pricing. The company structures subscriptions to match specific use cases and business needs, requiring direct contact with account representatives.

Source
GENESIS Version 11: Does version 11 really have no tag limits?

Yes, tag, user and device counting was removed in version 11. Licensing is by module instead.

OSIsoft PI System: What is AVEVA PI System's pricing model?

AVEVA offers subscription-based licensing for software components running on-premises or in the cloud. Subscriptions are customized per customer use case, and pricing is determined through consultation with local account representatives.

Source
GENESIS Version 11: Who owns Iconics now?

Mitsubishi Electric, which took full ownership. Iconics continues to operate under its own name from Massachusetts.

GENESIS Version 11: Can it act as a building management system on its own?

It is the supervisory and analytics layer. It reads BACnet and building controllers but does not replace field-level plant controllers.

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