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Utilities · head to head

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert vs Kap

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert logo

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

Utilities

Telemetry SCADA for geographically distributed water, oil and gas assets, formerly ClearSCADA

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kap logo

Kap

Utilities

Free open source screen recorder for macOS, focused on video and GIF capture rather than annotation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kap has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert the ClearSCADA name is retired, so the large body of documentation, forum answers and integrator experience under that name is increasingly stale and does not always match current behaviour.; Kap it has no annotation tools at all, so any still-image markup work needs a separate app such as Shottr or CleanShot X.
  • They diverge on capability: EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert covers Point-banded server licence, Kap covers Multi-format export.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert and Kap actually diverge.

Attributes where EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert and Kap differ
AttributeEcoStruxure Geo SCADA ExpertKap
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, WebMac

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

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 EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

  • Point-banded server licence
  • Telemetry protocol stack
  • Store and forward reconciliation
  • ViewX and Virtual ViewX
  • Redundant server pairs
  • Embedded historian and alarms

Only in Kap

  • Multi-format export
  • Area, window or display capture
  • Plugin system
  • Basic trimming
  • Menu bar operation
  • Open source

What people use each for

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

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

  • A water utility polling several thousand remote pump and lift stations over cellular and radio where outstation log backfill matters more than screen refresh ratenot Kap
  • A midstream gas operator needing full DNP3 outstation support including unsolicited reporting and time-stamped event retrievalnot Kap
  • Replacing an ageing ClearSCADA installation where the historical database and driver configuration can be carried forward rather than rebuiltnot Kap
  • A regional wastewater authority consolidating several inherited SCADA systems onto one redundant server pair with browser clients for on-call staffnot Kap

Kap

  • A developer recording a demo GIF for a README or documentation pagenot EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert
  • A marketer capturing a quick product walkthrough clip without buying screen recording softwarenot EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert
  • Someone creating App Store style device-framed screenshots for a listingnot EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert
  • A user who only needs video capture and does not want to pay for a suite of annotation features they will not usenot EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

Where each one falls short

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

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

  • The ClearSCADA name is retired, so the large body of documentation, forum answers and integrator experience under that name is increasingly stale and does not always match current behaviour.
  • Licensing is point-banded and client-counted with nothing published, and discount depends on your existing entitlement, so a first-time buyer negotiates from a weaker position than an incumbent renewing.
  • The free development mode is capped at 1,000 points and two hours of runtime, which is enough to prototype a screen but not enough to load-test a realistic network before you commit.
  • It is a Windows Server product; there is no Linux server option, so the operating system licensing, patching cadence and hardening burden come with the platform whether you want them or not.
  • Schneider has repeatedly rebranded and repositioned this line, from Control Microsystems to ClearSCADA to EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert, which makes long-horizon roadmap commitments hard to trust for a system a utility expects to run for fifteen years.

Kap

  • It has no annotation tools at all, so any still-image markup work needs a separate app such as Shottr or CleanShot X.
  • There is no scrolling capture or OCR, features both Shottr and CleanShot X include.
  • Editing is limited to basic trimming, so anything beyond a simple cut needs a dedicated video editor afterward.
  • It is Mac only, offering nothing for screen recording needs on Windows.
  • As a volunteer-maintained open source project, updates and bug fixes depend on community contribution rather than a company with paid support obligations.

Pricing, plan by plan

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert

On request
  • EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert$undefined/year
    • Server licensed in point bands from around 250 points upward
    • ViewX and Virtual ViewX clients licensed individually or in bundles
    • Free unlicensed development mode limited to 1,000 points and two hours of runtime

Kap

Free
  • KapFree
    • Free and open source under the MIT licence
    • MP4, WebM, GIF and device frame export
    • Plugin system for extended workflows

Which should you pick?

Choose EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert if

  • You need point-banded server licence.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want telemetry protocol stack.
EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert review

Choose Kap if

  • You need multi-format export.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want area, window or display capture.
Kap review

Questions people ask

Is EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert or Kap better?
Neither clearly leads. EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert starts at On request and Kap at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert or Kap?
Kap has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert and Free for Kap.
Does EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert or Kap run on more platforms?
EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert runs on Windows, Web. Kap runs on Mac.
Can I use Kap for free?
Yes. Kap has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert starts at On request.
What is EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert best used for?
EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert is most often used for a water utility polling several thousand remote pump and lift stations over cellular and radio where outstation log backfill matters more than screen refresh rate, a midstream gas operator needing full dnp3 outstation support including unsolicited reporting and time-stamped event retrieval, replacing an ageing clearscada installation where the historical database and driver configuration can be carried forward rather than rebuilt, a regional wastewater authority consolidating several inherited scada systems onto one redundant server pair with browser clients for on-call staff. Of those, a water utility polling several thousand remote pump and lift stations over cellular and radio where outstation log backfill matters more than screen refresh rate and a midstream gas operator needing full dnp3 outstation support including unsolicited reporting and time-stamped event retrieval are not what Kap is typically brought in for.
What can EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert do that Kap cannot?
EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert covers Point-banded server licence, Telemetry protocol stack, Store and forward reconciliation, ViewX and Virtual ViewX. Kap covers Multi-format export, Area, window or display capture, Plugin system, Basic trimming.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert: Can I still buy ClearSCADA?

No. The product is sold as EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert. ClearSCADA is a retired name and current quotes will use the new one.

Kap: Is Kap free?

Yes, entirely. It is open source under the MIT licence with no paid tier.

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert: How is the server licensed?

By point count, in bands starting around 250 points and scaling to over a million on a single server. Clients are licensed on top, individually or in bundles.

Kap: Does Kap do screenshots or only video?

It is focused on video and GIF recording. For still screenshots with annotation, pair it with Shottr or CleanShot X.

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert: Is there a way to test it for free?

Yes, unlicensed development mode runs up to 1,000 points for two hours at a time. That is a prototyping tool, not a pilot.

Kap: Can Kap export directly to GIF?

Yes, GIF is one of its native export formats alongside MP4, WebM and Apple device frames.

EcoStruxure Geo SCADA Expert: Is Geo SCADA the same as AVEVA Plant SCADA?

No. Plant SCADA is the former Citect product for plant-floor supervisory control. Geo SCADA is the former ClearSCADA product for distributed telemetry. Different codebases, different problems.

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