Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Genetec Security Center vs IDnow

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
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDnow logo

IDnow

Cybersecurity

Identity verification and qualified electronic signature for regulated European markets

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; IDnow agent-led video identification costs several times an automated check and depends on agent availability, so peak-time queues push abandonment up at exactly the moment conversion matters.
  • They diverge on capability: Genetec Security Center covers Omnicast video management, IDnow covers VideoIdent.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Genetec Security Center and IDnow differ
AttributeGenetec Security CenterIDnow
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, API

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 IDnow

  • VideoIdent
  • AutoIdent
  • eSign
  • eID and NFC
  • Bank identification
  • EU data processing

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 IDnow
  • A city federating dozens of independently owned camera systems into a regional monitoring centre without taking ownership of themnot IDnow
  • A campus that refuses to be locked to one camera manufacturer over a fifteen-year refresh cyclenot IDnow
  • A transit authority needing evidence export with a chain of custody that will survive a court challengenot IDnow

IDnow

  • A German bank opening regulated accounts where BaFin requires a recognised identification methodnot Genetec Security Center
  • An insurer needing a qualified electronic signature that will survive challenge in a European courtnot Genetec Security Center
  • A telecom operator meeting national SIM registration identity rules across several EU statesnot Genetec Security Center
  • A lender wanting automated checks for low-risk applicants and video identification only for high-value casesnot 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.

IDnow

  • Agent-led video identification costs several times an automated check and depends on agent availability, so peak-time queues push abandonment up at exactly the moment conversion matters.
  • Pricing is quoted with an annual volume commitment, so the accreditation advantage comes with a floor you pay whether or not you use it.
  • The product is optimised for European regulatory regimes, so buyers verifying users in North America, Asia or Africa will find coverage and cost less competitive than global specialists.
  • Qualified electronic signature is a separate licence from identity verification, which surprises buyers who assumed the accredited identity check made the signature capability included.
  • Integration for the regulated flows is heavier than a simple SDK drop-in because the compliant journey, including consent and recording requirements, constrains the user experience you can build.

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

IDnow

On request
  • IDnow Platform$undefined/year
    • Per-identification pricing that differs sharply between automated and agent-led methods
    • Annual volume commitment typically required
    • Qualified electronic signature licensed separately

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.
Genetec Security Center review

Choose IDnow if

  • You need videoident.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want autoident.
IDnow review

Questions people ask

Is Genetec Security Center or IDnow better?
Neither clearly leads. Genetec Security Center starts at On request and IDnow at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Genetec Security Center or IDnow?
Genetec Security Center starts at On request and IDnow at On request.
Does Genetec Security Center or IDnow run on more platforms?
Genetec Security Center runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. IDnow runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
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 IDnow is typically brought in for.
What can Genetec Security Center do that IDnow cannot?
Genetec Security Center covers Omnicast video management, Synergis access control, AutoVu ALPR, Security Desk. IDnow covers VideoIdent, AutoIdent, eSign, eID and NFC.

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.

IDnow: Why choose it over a cheaper automated vendor?

Because in some European regimes the cheaper vendor is not legally permitted for the transaction. This is an eligibility question, not a quality one.

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.

IDnow: Is the electronic signature included?

No. Qualified electronic signature under eIDAS is licensed separately from identity verification.

Genetec Security Center: Can I buy Genetec directly?

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

IDnow: Where is the data processed?

In European data centres, which is a requirement rather than a preference for many of its regulated customers.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on Genetec Security Center

More on IDnow

Keep looking

Other head to heads