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Manufacturing · head to head

Ignition vs Tryton

Ignition logo

Ignition

Manufacturing

Industrial automation platform for SCADA, HMI and MES

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tryton logo

Tryton

ERP

Modular open source ERP in Python with a five year support window on major releases only

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tryton has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ignition requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application; Tryton ordinary series are supported for only one year, so any deployment not pinned to a long term support major version needs a funded upgrade project every twelve months, which is the largest hidden cost of running Tryton.
  • They diverge on capability: Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, Tryton covers Modular installation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ignition and Tryton actually diverge.

Attributes where Ignition and Tryton differ
AttributeIgnitionTryton
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer-server licensing with published module pricing; unlimited clients and tagsOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Linux, macOS, WebWeb, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted
CategoryManufacturingERP

Identical on both: 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 Tryton

  • Modular installation
  • Double entry accounting
  • Manufacturing
  • Inventory and supply chain
  • Sales and purchasing
  • Desktop and web clients
  • Multi-company
  • Project management

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

Tryton

  • A small European manufacturer that wants bills of materials and routings without a per user ERP subscriptionnot Ignition
  • A company with in-house Python developers that intends to extend the data model rather than configure a closed productnot Ignition
  • An organisation that will not adopt an open core product because it expects features to migrate to a paid edition over timenot Ignition
  • A distributor needing multi-company books in one database with analytic accounting on topnot 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

Tryton

  • Ordinary series are supported for only one year, so any deployment not pinned to a long term support major version needs a funded upgrade project every twelve months, which is the largest hidden cost of running Tryton.
  • There is no vendor to buy support from, only a list of independent service providers, so procurement teams that require a single accountable supplier with an SLA have to construct one themselves.
  • The module ecosystem is far smaller than Odoo or ERPNext, so region-specific tax rules, payroll and industry add-ons frequently have to be written rather than installed.
  • Out of the box reporting is thin and there is no built-in business intelligence layer, so most deployments end up exporting to an external tool to get management reporting.
  • Documentation and community discussion are functional but sparse compared with commercial ERPs, which lengthens implementation for teams that have not worked with Tryton before and makes hiring experienced consultants harder.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ignition

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Ignition review.

Tryton

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • GPL-3.0-or-later licence with no per user cost
    • All official modules included
    • Series released every six months

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 Tryton if

  • You need modular installation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted.
  • You also want double entry accounting.
Tryton review

Questions people ask

Is Ignition or Tryton better?
Neither clearly leads. Ignition starts at On request and Tryton at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ignition or Tryton?
Tryton has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Ignition and Free for Tryton.
Does Ignition or Tryton run on more platforms?
Ignition runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web. Tryton runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted.
Can I use Tryton for free?
Yes. Tryton has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ignition starts at On request.
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 Tryton is typically brought in for.
What can Ignition do that Tryton cannot?
Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, SCADA and HMI, Historian, MES modules. Tryton covers Modular installation, Double entry accounting, Manufacturing, Inventory and supply chain.

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.

Tryton: What licence is Tryton under?

The platform and official modules are GPL-3.0-or-later. There is no paid enterprise edition.

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.

Tryton: How long is a release supported?

Series are released every six months and supported for one year. Major versions get five years of long term support, so pin to an LTS release unless you can fund annual upgrades.

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.

Tryton: Is there a hosted version from the project?

No. The foundation lists independent service providers who offer hosting and support commercially.

Tryton: How does it differ from Odoo?

Tryton has no open core split, so there is no paid edition holding back features, but the module ecosystem and partner network are much smaller.

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