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Manufacturing · head to head

Kepware Server vs ThingWorx

Kepware Server logo

Kepware Server

Manufacturing

Industrial connectivity server translating 150-plus PLC protocols into OPC UA, formerly KEPServerEX

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ThingWorx logo

ThingWorx

Smart Home

Enterprise IoT platform by PTC for industrial and smart solutions

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kepware Server the base server is the small part of the bill; driver suites are priced by protocol family, and a mixed-vendor plant buys several, which is how a connectivity layer alone reaches tens of thousands of dollars.; ThingWorx thingWorx is now part of Velotic, a separate industrial software company spun out from PTC
  • They diverge on capability: Kepware Server covers 150-plus device drivers, ThingWorx covers Rapid App Development.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kepware Server and ThingWorx actually diverge.

Attributes where Kepware Server and ThingWorx differ
AttributeKepware ServerThingWorx
PlatformsWindows, LinuxCloud, On-premise, Hybrid, Edge computing
CategoryManufacturingSmart Home
FoundedUnknown1985

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Kepware Server

  • 150-plus device drivers
  • OPC UA server
  • IoT Gateway
  • DataLogger
  • Redundancy Master
  • Security Policies
  • Configuration API
  • Kepware Edge

Only in ThingWorx

  • Rapid App Development
  • Real-Time Analytics
  • Device Connectivity
  • Scalable
  • Industrial protocols
  • Mobile app
  • REST API
  • Third-party systems

What people use each for

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

Kepware Server

  • Feeding a historian from a mixed plant of Allen-Bradley and Siemens PLCs without writing per-protocol driversnot ThingWorx
  • Publishing CNC machine state from FANUC and Haas controls to an OEE system over MQTTnot ThingWorx
  • Bridging legacy serial Modbus devices into an OPC UA architecture during a phased controller replacementnot ThingWorx
  • Running redundant collection servers so a cloud analytics pipeline does not lose data during Windows patchingnot ThingWorx

ThingWorx

  • Connecting industrial equipment and machines to an IIoT platformnot Kepware Server
  • Building operator dashboards and digital work instructions for manufacturingnot Kepware Server
  • Remote monitoring and service of connected productsnot Kepware Server

Where each one falls short

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

Kepware Server

  • The base server is the small part of the bill; driver suites are priced by protocol family, and a mixed-vendor plant buys several, which is how a connectivity layer alone reaches tens of thousands of dollars.
  • KEPServerEX to Kepware Server 7 is a migration rather than an in-place upgrade, and driver entitlements do not always transfer cleanly, so budget for revalidating every channel.
  • The full driver portfolio is Windows-only; the Linux product, Kepware Edge, supports a subset of drivers and is subscription-licensed by tag count, so an edge-first architecture cannot simply reuse the Windows configuration.
  • Three names have been in circulation for the same lineage, and quotes, forum answers and integrator experience still mix KEPServerEX, ThingWorx Kepware Server and Kepware Server, which produces mismatched proposals.
  • It is a translation layer with no storage, contextualisation or visualisation of its own, so it is always an addition to a historian or platform purchase rather than a substitute for one.

ThingWorx

  • ThingWorx is now part of Velotic, a separate industrial software company spun out from PTC
  • No pricing is published; the product page routes to Contact Us with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • The platform is sold as an industrial IIoT suite to enterprises rather than being self-serve

Pricing, plan by plan

Kepware Server

On request
  • Kepware Server$undefined/year
    • Base server as a perpetual licence with annual maintenance, or subscription
    • Driver suites priced by protocol family and bought separately from the server
    • Advanced plug-ins such as IoT Gateway, DataLogger and Redundancy Master licensed individually

ThingWorx

On request
  • Professional$5000/month
    • App development
    • Analytics
    • Connectivity
  • Enterprise$25000/month
    • Advanced features
    • 24/7 support
    • Custom solutions

Which should you pick?

Choose Kepware Server if

  • You need 150-plus device drivers.
  • You work on Windows, Linux.
  • You also want opc ua server.
Kepware Server review

Choose ThingWorx if

  • You need rapid app development.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid, Edge computing.
  • You also want real-time analytics.
ThingWorx review

Questions people ask

Is Kepware Server or ThingWorx better?
Neither clearly leads. Kepware Server starts at On request and ThingWorx at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kepware Server or ThingWorx?
Kepware Server starts at On request and ThingWorx at On request.
Does Kepware Server or ThingWorx run on more platforms?
Kepware Server runs on Windows, Linux. ThingWorx runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid, Edge computing.
What is Kepware Server best used for?
Kepware Server is most often used for feeding a historian from a mixed plant of allen-bradley and siemens plcs without writing per-protocol drivers, publishing cnc machine state from fanuc and haas controls to an oee system over mqtt, bridging legacy serial modbus devices into an opc ua architecture during a phased controller replacement, running redundant collection servers so a cloud analytics pipeline does not lose data during windows patching. Of those, feeding a historian from a mixed plant of allen-bradley and siemens plcs without writing per-protocol drivers and publishing cnc machine state from fanuc and haas controls to an oee system over mqtt are not what ThingWorx is typically brought in for.
What can Kepware Server do that ThingWorx cannot?
Kepware Server covers 150-plus device drivers, OPC UA server, IoT Gateway, DataLogger. ThingWorx covers Rapid App Development, Real-Time Analytics, Device Connectivity, Scalable.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kepware Server: Is KEPServerEX discontinued?

The name is. KEPServerEX and ThingWorx Kepware Server have been unified into Kepware Server, currently version 7, and the older names are being retired.

Kepware Server: Is a perpetual licence still available?

Yes for the Windows server, with annual maintenance. Kepware Edge on Linux is subscription-only.

Kepware Server: What drives the price?

The number and type of driver suites, not the number of tags on the Windows product. Kepware Edge is priced by tag count.

Kepware Server: Can I evaluate it before buying?

Yes. The runtime works for two hours at a time without a licence, indefinitely, which is enough to prove connectivity but not to run production.

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