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Cybersecurity · head to head

Milestone XProtect vs NordPass

Milestone XProtect logo

Milestone XProtect

Cybersecurity

Open platform video management software with perpetual per-device licences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NordPass logo

NordPass

Cybersecurity

Securely store, manage and autofill passwords

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Milestone XProtect care Plus is presented as optional but is not in practice: without it, perpetual licences stop receiving version upgrades and eventually you cannot add a current camera because your frozen version does not support it.; NordPass business plan pricing is rendered client-side per user per month rather than published as a static figure on the page
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Milestone XProtect and NordPass actually diverge.

Attributes where Milestone XProtect and NordPass differ
AttributeMilestone XProtectNordPass
Pricing modelOne-time purchase per device licence, plus annual Care Plusfreemium
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 Milestone XProtect

  • Open device support
  • Perpetual device licences
  • Federated architecture
  • Failover recording
  • Evidence export
  • Smart Map
  • Integration platform
  • Video summarisation

Only in NordPass

Nothing recorded that Milestone XProtect does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Milestone XProtect

  • A city or transport operator running tens of thousands of cameras across federated sitesnot NordPass
  • An enterprise with mixed legacy camera brands that refuses to standardise on one manufacturernot NordPass
  • A critical infrastructure site needing failover recording servers and tamper-evident evidence exportnot NordPass
  • An integrator building a bespoke security application on top of an open VMS platformnot NordPass

NordPass

  • Securely storing and managing employee passwords and passkeysnot Milestone XProtect
  • Streamlining employee onboarding with instant account accessnot Milestone XProtect
  • Monitoring credential breaches on the dark webnot Milestone XProtect
  • Enforcing company-wide password security standardsnot Milestone XProtect
  • Tracking user access and supporting audit compliancenot Milestone XProtect

Where each one falls short

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

Milestone XProtect

  • Care Plus is presented as optional but is not in practice: without it, perpetual licences stop receiving version upgrades and eventually you cannot add a current camera because your frozen version does not support it.
  • Per-device licensing means multi-sensor and multi-imager cameras consume several licences each, so a headline camera count badly understates the true licence cost of a modern design.
  • It is Windows only for servers and needs a properly designed server and storage architecture, so the software price is a fraction of a project that also needs recording servers, storage and an integrator.
  • Complexity requires trained staff or a certified integrator; organisations that install it without either end up running a large deployment on default settings and never using the features they paid for.
  • Milestone retired Kite from its portfolio in favour of Arcules from January 2025, which stranded buyers who had standardised on Kite and is a reminder that the cloud side of the portfolio has changed direction more than once.

NordPass

  • Business plan pricing is rendered client-side per user per month rather than published as a static figure on the page
  • Breach monitoring and full credential oversight features are marketed specifically toward business plans rather than confirmed as included in the free individual tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Milestone XProtect

Free
  • XProtect Essential+Free
    • Free for up to 8 cameras
    • No recording time limit
    • No vendor support included
  • XProtect Express+$109/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Single site, single server
    • Care Plus purchased separately per device per year
  • XProtect Professional+$177/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Multiple recording servers
    • Edge storage retrieval
  • XProtect Expert$282/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Failover recording servers
    • Advanced video wall and evidence handling

NordPass

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the NordPass review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Milestone XProtect if

  • You need open device support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want perpetual device licences.
Milestone XProtect review

Choose NordPass if

  • You want to start without paying.
NordPass review

Questions people ask

Is Milestone XProtect or NordPass better?
Neither clearly leads. Milestone XProtect starts at Free and NordPass at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Milestone XProtect or NordPass?
Milestone XProtect starts at Free and NordPass at Free.
Does Milestone XProtect or NordPass run on more platforms?
Milestone XProtect runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. NordPass runs on Web.
Can I use Milestone XProtect for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Milestone XProtect best used for?
Milestone XProtect is most often used for a city or transport operator running tens of thousands of cameras across federated sites, an enterprise with mixed legacy camera brands that refuses to standardise on one manufacturer, a critical infrastructure site needing failover recording servers and tamper-evident evidence export, an integrator building a bespoke security application on top of an open vms platform. Of those, a city or transport operator running tens of thousands of cameras across federated sites and an enterprise with mixed legacy camera brands that refuses to standardise on one manufacturer are not what NordPass is typically brought in for.
What can Milestone XProtect do that NordPass cannot?
Milestone XProtect covers Open device support, Perpetual device licences, Federated architecture, Failover recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Milestone XProtect: Is XProtect really free for small sites?

Essential+ is free for up to eight cameras with no recording time limit, but it comes with no vendor support and no multi-server capability.

NordPass: Will I be charged when signing up for the free trial?

No credit card is required to start the trial. Payment details are only needed when you purchase a plan, and NordPass will only charge you once your payment process is completed.

Source
Milestone XProtect: Are licences perpetual or annual?

Device licences are perpetual. The annual cost is Care Plus, the support and software update contract, which you need to stay on current versions.

NordPass: What is the refund policy for NordPass?

NordPass offers refunds within 14 calendar days of your initial purchase if you are unsatisfied with the service.

Source
Milestone XProtect: What happens if I do not renew Care Plus?

The system keeps recording, but you stop getting version upgrades, and over a few years that blocks you from adding newer cameras.

NordPass: Can I upgrade or downgrade between NordPass plans?

Yes, you can switch between Teams and Business plans at any time. The system charges the difference between the plans based on the number of users and the remaining duration.

Source
Milestone XProtect: Who owns Milestone?

Canon. The portfolio also includes BriefCam analytics and Arcules cloud video, with Arcules replacing Milestone Kite from January 2025.

NordPass: Why do different NordPass plans cost different amounts?

NordPass provides tiered pricing so customers only pay for the features they need, and can upgrade at any time as their needs change.

Source
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