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Cybersecurity · head to head

Genetec Security Center vs Grype

Genetec Security Center logo

Genetec Security Center

Cybersecurity

Unified video, access control and licence plate platform sold in perpetual channel licences plus an annual maintenance contract

From
On request
Rated
-
Grype logo

Grype

Cybersecurity

Vulnerability scanner for container images and filesystems

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Grype has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Genetec Security Center genetec publishes no pricing and sells only through certified integrators, so buyers cannot benchmark a quote and the same 500-camera design can vary widely in price between integrators.; Grype depends on public vulnerability databases, so coverage and false positives vary by ecosystem
  • They diverge on capability: Genetec Security Center covers Omnicast video management, Grype covers Image and filesystem scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Genetec Security Center and Grype actually diverge.

Attributes where Genetec Security Center and Grype differ
AttributeGenetec Security CenterGrype
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 Genetec Security Center

  • Omnicast video management
  • Synergis access control
  • AutoVu ALPR
  • Security Desk
  • Federation
  • Genetec Clearance
  • Mission Control
  • Genetec Advantage

Only in Grype

  • Image and filesystem scanning
  • SBOM-driven
  • Wide ecosystem coverage
  • Pipeline friendly

What people use each for

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

Genetec Security Center

  • An airport unifying video, doors and licence plate recognition under one operator client and one audit trailnot Grype
  • A city federating dozens of independently owned camera systems into a regional monitoring centre without taking ownership of themnot Grype
  • A campus that refuses to be locked to one camera manufacturer over a fifteen-year refresh cyclenot Grype
  • A transit authority needing evidence export with a chain of custody that will survive a court challengenot Grype

Grype

  • Re-scanning stored SBOMs as new CVEs are published, without rebuilding imagesnot Genetec Security Center
  • Failing CI when a build introduces a known vulnerabilitynot Genetec Security Center
  • Auditing what is actually installed inside a third-party imagenot Genetec Security Center

Where each one falls short

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

Genetec Security Center

  • Genetec publishes no pricing and sells only through certified integrators, so buyers cannot benchmark a quote and the same 500-camera design can vary widely in price between integrators.
  • Genetec Advantage is an annual maintenance agreement commonly quoted at 18 to 22 percent of licence value, so a perpetual licence is not a one-off cost, and letting it lapse freezes the system on its current version and stops support.
  • Licensing is per camera channel, so adding cameras is a licence purchase every time and organisations that expand a site by a hundred cameras discover the software line grows in step with the hardware.
  • It is a Windows server platform that has to be sized, patched, backed up and eventually migrated, so the real cost includes an IT estate and an integrator, which puts it out of reach of organisations without a security team.
  • Operator competence is a genuine dependency: Security Desk is dense, and sites that deploy it without training end up using a fraction of the platform they paid for while still paying full maintenance on all of it.

Grype

  • Depends on public vulnerability databases, so coverage and false positives vary by ecosystem
  • No triage, exception tracking or reporting UI — that is Anchore’s commercial product
  • Overlaps heavily with Trivy, and most teams pick one rather than running both

Pricing, plan by plan

Genetec Security Center

On request
  • Security Center$undefined/year
    • Perpetual video channel licences, priced per camera
    • Standard, Professional and Enterprise editions
    • Access control and ALPR modules licensed separately

Grype

Free
  • GrypeFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Genetec Security Center if

  • You need omnicast video management.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want synergis access control.

Choose Grype if

  • You need image and filesystem scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want sbom-driven.

Questions people ask

Is Genetec Security Center or Grype better?
Neither clearly leads. Genetec Security Center starts at On request and Grype at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Genetec Security Center or Grype?
Grype has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Genetec Security Center and Free for Grype.
Does Genetec Security Center or Grype run on more platforms?
Genetec Security Center runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Grype runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
Can I use Grype for free?
Yes. Grype has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Genetec Security Center starts at On request.
What is Genetec Security Center best used for?
Genetec Security Center is most often used for an airport unifying video, doors and licence plate recognition under one operator client and one audit trail, a city federating dozens of independently owned camera systems into a regional monitoring centre without taking ownership of them, a campus that refuses to be locked to one camera manufacturer over a fifteen-year refresh cycle, a transit authority needing evidence export with a chain of custody that will survive a court challenge. Of those, an airport unifying video, doors and licence plate recognition under one operator client and one audit trail and a city federating dozens of independently owned camera systems into a regional monitoring centre without taking ownership of them are not what Grype is typically brought in for.
What can Genetec Security Center do that Grype cannot?
Genetec Security Center covers Omnicast video management, Synergis access control, AutoVu ALPR, Security Desk. Grype covers Image and filesystem scanning, SBOM-driven, Wide ecosystem coverage, Pipeline friendly.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Genetec Security Center: How much does Genetec cost per camera?

Genetec does not publish prices. Independent estimates put on-premises video channel licences in the region of 150 to 250 US dollars per camera by edition, plus annual Advantage maintenance at roughly 18 to 22 percent of licence value.

Grype: Is Grype free?

Yes, open source from Anchore. Anchore Enterprise is the paid platform around it.

Genetec Security Center: Is Genetec Advantage optional?

Technically yes, but without it you get no version upgrades and no support, and reinstating it later usually means paying for the lapsed period.

Grype: What is the difference between Grype and Syft?

Syft generates the software bill of materials; Grype matches that inventory against vulnerability data. They are designed to be used together.

Genetec Security Center: Can I buy Genetec directly?

No. It is sold exclusively through certified integrators, who also do the design and commissioning.

Grype: Grype or Trivy?

They cover similar ground. Trivy is broader out of the box, including misconfiguration and secret scanning; Grype pairs more cleanly with an SBOM-first workflow.

Genetec Security Center: Does it work with any camera?

It supports thousands of models across manufacturers, which is its core advantage over camera-maker software, though NDAA-restricted brands should be checked against your own procurement rules.

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