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Manufacturing · head to head

Ignition vs IQMS

Ignition logo

Ignition

Manufacturing

Industrial automation platform for SCADA, HMI and MES

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IQMS logo

IQMS

ERP

Single database manufacturing ERP and MES, now sold by Dassault as DELMIAworks

From
$1200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ignition requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application; IQMS dassault Systemes acquired the product in 2018 and renamed it, which changed the sales channel, the support relationship and the roadmap owner, so a buyer needs explicit commitments on release cadence rather than a history of independence that no longer applies.
  • They diverge on capability: Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ignition and IQMS actually diverge.

Attributes where Ignition and IQMS differ
AttributeIgnitionIQMS
Starting priceOn request$1200/month
Pricing modelPer-server licensing with published module pricing; unlimited clients and tagssubscription
PlatformsWindows, Linux, macOS, WebCloud, On-premise, Web
CategoryManufacturingERP
FoundedUnknown1994

Identical on both: 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 Ignition

  • Unlimited-client licensing
  • SCADA and HMI
  • Historian
  • MES modules
  • Web-based clients
  • Wide PLC support

Only in IQMS

  • Single database ERP and MES
  • Real time machine monitoring
  • Production scheduling
  • Quality management
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Inventory and lot traceability
  • EDI
  • Financials

What people use each for

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

Ignition

  • Plants where per-tag licensing has made expansion a budget conversationnot IQMS
  • Replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clientsnot IQMS
  • Connecting plant floor data to SQL and business systemsnot IQMS

IQMS

  • An injection moulding or plastics processor that needs cycle level machine data to cost jobs accuratelynot Ignition
  • A repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availabilitynot Ignition
  • An automotive component supplier that must meet EDI release schedules and hold traceability to satisfy a customer auditnot Ignition
  • A plant currently reconciling an ERP against a separate MES and finding the two never agreenot Ignition

Where each one falls short

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

Ignition

  • Requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application
  • Steep learning curve, and Inductive Automation runs its own training programme because of it
  • Self-hosted and self-supported by default, so plant IT carries the availability burden
  • Module-based pricing means the entry figure is rarely the final one

IQMS

  • Dassault Systemes acquired the product in 2018 and renamed it, which changed the sales channel, the support relationship and the roadmap owner, so a buyer needs explicit commitments on release cadence rather than a history of independence that no longer applies.
  • This is a discrete and repetitive manufacturing system, not a process one, so a batch producer needing formulation, potency, catch weight or co-product handling will hit capability gaps that configuration cannot close.
  • The product has an on premise heritage with an underlying commercial database, so a deployment carries database licensing and administration skills as costs that sit outside the ERP quote.
  • Its depth is on the shop floor rather than in the office, so organisations with complex multi-entity consolidation, international statutory reporting or sophisticated financial planning needs generally find the finance side thinner than the manufacturing side.
  • The knowledge base is split across two product names and two eras, so searching for help returns a mixture of IQMS-era community material and current DELMIAworks documentation, and it is not always obvious which applies to your version.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ignition

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Ignition review.

IQMS

$1200/month
  • Standard$1200/month
    • Quality management
    • MES
    • Basic analytics
  • Premium$2500/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • AI capabilities
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Ignition if

  • You need unlimited-client licensing.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web.
  • You also want scada and hmi.
Ignition review

Choose IQMS if

  • You need single database erp and mes.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want real time machine monitoring.
IQMS review

Questions people ask

Is Ignition or IQMS better?
Neither clearly leads. Ignition starts at On request and IQMS at $1200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ignition or IQMS?
Ignition starts at On request and IQMS at $1200/month.
Does Ignition or IQMS run on more platforms?
Ignition runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web. IQMS runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
What is Ignition best used for?
Ignition is most often used for plants where per-tag licensing has made expansion a budget conversation, replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clients, connecting plant floor data to sql and business systems. Of those, plants where per-tag licensing has made expansion a budget conversation and replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clients are not what IQMS is typically brought in for.
What can Ignition do that IQMS cannot?
Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, SCADA and HMI, Historian, MES modules. IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES, Real time machine monitoring, Production scheduling, Quality management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ignition: What does Ignition cost?

It publishes per-server module pricing with unlimited clients, tags and connections, so cost does not scale with how many people use it.

IQMS: Is IQMS the same as DELMIAworks?

Yes. Dassault Systemes acquired IQMS in 2018 and markets the product as DELMIAworks. The underlying application, EnterpriseIQ, is the same lineage, but contracts, support and the sales channel are now Dassault's.

Ignition: Why does unlimited-client licensing matter?

Traditional SCADA is licensed per tag or per screen, which turns adding an operator terminal into a purchase. Ignition removes that ceiling.

IQMS: Why choose this over an ERP plus a separate MES?

Because the interface between them is the usual failure point. One database means production status, scrap and costing agree by construction. The cost of that is a narrower product that suits a specific kind of manufacturer rather than any manufacturer.

Ignition: Is it a finished application?

No, it is a platform. Screens, tags and logic are built for the specific plant, which is real engineering work.

IQMS: Does it suit process or batch manufacturing?

No. It was built around discrete and repetitive production. Formulation, potency adjustment and co-product handling are the domain of process ERP and you should look at a specialist for that.

IQMS: What should I check before buying under the current ownership?

Ask for the published release history since the acquisition, the support escalation path, who implements it in your region and whether they are Dassault staff or a partner, and what integration with the rest of the Dassault portfolio is assumed in the roadmap.

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