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Cybersecurity · head to head

Genetec Security Center vs Rhombus Systems

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
Rhombus Systems logo

Rhombus Systems

Cybersecurity

Cloud-managed cameras, sensors and access control with a per-camera annual licence

From
$149/year
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.; Rhombus Systems the per-camera annual licence never ends and a camera without an active licence stops working, so the total cost over a ten-year hardware life is several times the hardware price.
  • They diverge on capability: Genetec Security Center covers Omnicast video management, Rhombus Systems covers On-camera storage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Genetec Security Center and Rhombus Systems differ
AttributeGenetec Security CenterRhombus Systems
Starting priceOn request$149/year
Pricing modelquotePer camera per year licence plus hardware
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: 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 Rhombus Systems

  • On-camera storage
  • No NVR or server
  • AI search
  • Access control
  • Environmental sensors
  • Unlimited users
  • Ten year hardware warranty
  • Optional cloud archiving

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

Rhombus Systems

  • A school district running video across dozens of buildings with no local IT at each sitenot Genetec Security Center
  • A clinic group needing door access and cameras in one console under a single audit trailnot Genetec Security Center
  • A logistics operator that wants to search for a specific vehicle across sites without scrubbing footagenot Genetec Security Center
  • An office estate replacing ageing NVRs where nobody remains who knows how to maintain themnot 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.

Rhombus Systems

  • The per-camera annual licence never ends and a camera without an active licence stops working, so the total cost over a ten-year hardware life is several times the hardware price.
  • Cameras must be Rhombus, so there is no reuse of existing IP cameras and migrating away means replacing every device rather than changing software.
  • Cloud archiving is priced separately by retention and stream count, and long retention on multisensor cameras runs into five figures per camera, which can dwarf everything else in the quote.
  • On-camera storage is the default retention, so a camera physically stolen or destroyed takes its unarchived footage with it unless cloud archiving was paid for on that camera.
  • Analytics and integrations are good for mid-market needs but shallower than a dedicated enterprise VMS with a large third-party ecosystem, so specialist requirements like advanced LPR or forensic search hit limits.

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

Rhombus Systems

$149/year
  • Professional$149/year
    • Per camera per year
    • Cloud console and management
    • On-camera storage retention
  • Enterprise$199/year
    • Per camera per year
    • Everything in Professional
    • Flexible cloud archiving options
  • Cloud archiving$undefined/year
    • Priced separately by retention period and stream count
    • Multisensor cameras cost several times a single sensor camera
    • Long retention on multisensor models can reach five figures per camera

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 Rhombus Systems if

  • You need on-camera storage.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want no nvr or server.
Rhombus Systems review

Questions people ask

Is Genetec Security Center or Rhombus Systems better?
Neither clearly leads. Genetec Security Center starts at On request and Rhombus Systems at $149/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Genetec Security Center or Rhombus Systems?
Genetec Security Center starts at On request and Rhombus Systems at $149/year.
Does Genetec Security Center or Rhombus Systems run on more platforms?
Genetec Security Center runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Rhombus Systems runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Rhombus Systems is typically brought in for.
What can Genetec Security Center do that Rhombus Systems cannot?
Genetec Security Center covers Omnicast video management, Synergis access control, AutoVu ALPR, Security Desk. Rhombus Systems covers On-camera storage, No NVR or server, AI search, Access control.

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.

Rhombus Systems: Do I need an NVR or a server?

No. Cameras record on board and connect directly to the cloud console, which is the main operational reason organisations pick 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.

Rhombus Systems: What does the licence cost?

Roughly $149 per camera per year for Professional and about $199 for Enterprise, typically sold in one, three, five or ten year terms.

Genetec Security Center: Can I buy Genetec directly?

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

Rhombus Systems: Is cloud storage included?

No. On-camera storage is the default. Cloud archiving is a separate charge priced by retention duration and number of streams.

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.

Rhombus Systems: Can I use my existing cameras?

No. The platform works only with Rhombus hardware, which is the trade-off for the zero-server architecture.

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