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Machine Learning · head to head

MATLAB vs Novity

MATLAB logo

MATLAB

Machine Learning

Programming and numeric computing platform

From
$940/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Novity logo

Novity

Energy

Hybrid physics and machine learning prognostics that estimate remaining useful life for process equipment

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MATLAB a standard individual licence is $940 a year, and it is annual rather than perpetual; Novity novity is a small venture-backed company with a strategic investor rather than a profitable business, so continuity risk is real and the Tokyo Gas investment signals a likely eventual acquisition that would reset the roadmap.
  • They diverge on capability: MATLAB covers Matrix computations, Novity covers TruPrognostics engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MATLAB and Novity actually diverge.

Attributes where MATLAB and Novity differ
AttributeMATLABNovity
Starting price$940/yearOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsLinux, Mac, WindowsWeb, Cloud
CategoryMachine LearningEnergy
Founded1984Unknown

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 MATLAB

  • Matrix computations
  • Data visualization
  • Machine learning
  • Deep learning
  • Signal processing
  • Simulink
  • Python
  • C/C++

Only in Novity

  • TruPrognostics engine
  • Cold-start modelling
  • Fault mode diagnosis
  • Remaining useful life
  • Existing sensor reuse
  • Recommended actions
  • Historian connectors
  • Asset class libraries

What people use each for

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

MATLAB

  • Numerical computing and analysisnot Novity
  • Algorithm developmentnot Novity
  • Academic research and teachingnot Novity

Novity

  • A gas processing plant that needs a defensible time-to-failure number before deferring a turnaroundnot MATLAB
  • An LNG terminal with critical compressors and no run-to-failure history to train a conventional modelnot MATLAB
  • A wastewater operator whose existing vibration alarms are ignored because they carry no severity or horizonnot MATLAB
  • A generator operator supplying data centre load where an unplanned trip carries contractual penaltiesnot MATLAB

Where each one falls short

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

MATLAB

  • A standard individual licence is $940 a year, and it is annual rather than perpetual
  • Add on toolboxes are bought separately through the web store rather than being included
  • No price is displayed for the academic, student, home or startup licences, each of which requires a quote
  • Eligibility rather than price separates most tiers, so a commercial user has one option

Novity

  • Novity is a small venture-backed company with a strategic investor rather than a profitable business, so continuity risk is real and the Tokyo Gas investment signals a likely eventual acquisition that would reset the roadmap.
  • Physics-based models must be configured per equipment class, so each new asset type is an engineering engagement rather than a configuration screen, and rollout speed is limited by Novitys own capacity.
  • Prognostics depend on the quality and sampling rate of your historian data; plants recording ten-minute averages will not get useful remaining-useful-life estimates without new instrumentation.
  • Nothing about pricing is published and there is no self-service entry point, so evaluation always starts with a sales-led pilot on a handful of assets.
  • The deployment footprint is concentrated in oil and gas, LNG and water, so reference customers and pre-built asset models outside those industries are limited.

Pricing, plan by plan

MATLAB

$940/year
  • Individual Standard$940/year
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
    • Online Training Suite
  • Startups$null/year
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
    • 90+ add-on products
  • Academic$null/year
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
  • Student$null/year
    • MATLAB

Novity

On request
  • TruPrognostics$undefined/year
    • Quoted per asset class and monitored equipment count
    • Model configuration and commissioning quoted as a project
    • Typically an annual subscription tied to a pilot then a rollout

Which should you pick?

Choose MATLAB if

  • You need matrix computations.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want data visualization.
MATLAB review

Choose Novity if

  • You need truprognostics engine.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want cold-start modelling.
Novity review

Questions people ask

Is MATLAB or Novity better?
Neither clearly leads. MATLAB starts at $940/year and Novity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MATLAB or Novity?
MATLAB starts at $940/year and Novity at On request.
Does MATLAB or Novity run on more platforms?
MATLAB runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. Novity runs on Web, Cloud.
What is MATLAB best used for?
MATLAB is most often used for numerical computing and analysis, algorithm development, academic research and teaching. Of those, numerical computing and analysis and algorithm development are not what Novity is typically brought in for.
What can MATLAB do that Novity cannot?
MATLAB covers Matrix computations, Data visualization, Machine learning, Deep learning. Novity covers TruPrognostics engine, Cold-start modelling, Fault mode diagnosis, Remaining useful life.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MATLAB: What is the cost of an individual MATLAB license?

USD 940 per year for Standard individual license, which includes MATLAB, Simulink, Online Training Suite, and add-on products. All licenses include MathWorks Software Maintenance Service.

Source
Novity: What does Novity actually output?

A named failure mode and an estimated remaining useful life with a confidence band, not just an anomaly alert.

MATLAB: Are pricing quotes available online for academic and startup licenses?

No, online pricing is not available for Academic, Student, Startup, or Home license types. Downloadable price lists are available only for Standard and Academic individual licenses. Contact sales for other tiers.

Source
Novity: Do we need failure history to train it?

No. The physics component is what lets it produce useful prognostics on equipment with little or no run-to-failure data.

MATLAB: Can I switch between license terms (annual vs perpetual)?

Both Standard and Home licenses offer annual and perpetual licensing options. Academic licenses also offer both terms. Startup licenses are available on annual basis only.

Source
Novity: Do we need new sensors?

Often not. It reads from your existing historian, but low sampling rates or missing measurements can require additional instrumentation.

Novity: Who backs the company?

It was spun out of Xerox PARC and took a strategic investment from Acario Innovation, the venture arm of Tokyo Gas, in 2026.

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