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Manufacturing · head to head

Ignition vs Shima Seiki

Ignition logo

Ignition

Manufacturing

Industrial automation platform for SCADA, HMI and MES

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shima Seiki logo

Shima Seiki

Fashion

Knit design and visualization software

From
$250/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; Shima Seiki the Internet Archive's capture of Shima Seiki's homepage on 29 December 2020 named five distinct product categories, Knitting Machines, Design System/Software, CAD/CAM Systems, Inkjet Printing Machine, and PLM Solutions, all sold via an Inquiry form with no price figure published.
  • They diverge on capability: Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, Shima Seiki covers Knit design.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ignition and Shima Seiki actually diverge.

Attributes where Ignition and Shima Seiki differ
AttributeIgnitionShima Seiki
Starting priceOn request$250/month
Pricing modelPer-server licensing with published module pricing; unlimited clients and tagssubscription
PlatformsWindows, Linux, macOS, WebWindows
CategoryManufacturingFashion
FoundedUnknown1962

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 Shima Seiki

  • Knit design
  • Stitch pattern creation
  • Color selection
  • Machine control
  • Production planning
  • Visualization
  • Shima Seiki machines
  • CAM systems

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 Shima Seiki
  • Replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clientsnot Shima Seiki
  • Connecting plant floor data to SQL and business systemsnot Shima Seiki

Shima Seiki

  • Knit designnot Ignition
  • Machine programmingnot 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

Shima Seiki

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Shima Seiki's homepage on 29 December 2020 named five distinct product categories, Knitting Machines, Design System/Software, CAD/CAM Systems, Inkjet Printing Machine, and PLM Solutions, all sold via an Inquiry form with no price figure published.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ignition

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Ignition review.

Shima Seiki

$250/month
  • Essential$250/month
    • Basic design
    • Standard features
  • Professional$500/month
    • Advanced design
    • Integration
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full solution

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 Shima Seiki if

  • You need knit design.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want stitch pattern creation.
Shima Seiki review

Questions people ask

Is Ignition or Shima Seiki better?
Neither clearly leads. Ignition starts at On request and Shima Seiki at $250/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ignition or Shima Seiki?
Ignition starts at On request and Shima Seiki at $250/month.
Does Ignition or Shima Seiki run on more platforms?
Ignition runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web. Shima Seiki runs on Windows.
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 Shima Seiki is typically brought in for.
What can Ignition do that Shima Seiki cannot?
Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, SCADA and HMI, Historian, MES modules. Shima Seiki covers Knit design, Stitch pattern creation, Color selection, Machine control.

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.

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.

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.

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