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Manufacturing · head to head

MOVUS vs Samotics

MOVUS logo

MOVUS

Manufacturing

Australian condition monitoring combining a magnetic sensor with a monitored alerting service

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Samotics logo

Samotics

Manufacturing

Condition monitoring of motor-driven assets using electrical signature analysis from the motor control cabinet

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MOVUS mOVUS is a small independent company, so standardising a large estate on its sensors carries supplier continuity risk that a purchase from a major instrumentation vendor does not.; Samotics sAM4 only sees what reaches the motor electrically, so it covers the driven train and misses un-driven equipment, structures, process conditions and anything downstream of a mechanical decoupling.
  • They diverge on capability: MOVUS covers FitMachine sensor, Samotics covers Electrical signature analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MOVUS and Samotics actually diverge.

Attributes where MOVUS and Samotics differ
AttributeMOVUSSamotics
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

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 MOVUS

  • FitMachine sensor
  • FitMachine 3XT EX
  • Assessed alerts
  • Condition scoring
  • Rapid installation
  • Partner delivery

Only in Samotics

  • Electrical signature analysis
  • Switchroom installation
  • Energy and efficiency measurement
  • Submersible and hazardous area coverage
  • Fault classification
  • Fleet view

What people use each for

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

MOVUS

  • A mining operation instrumenting pumps and fans in a classified hazardous zone where cabled monitoring would require an outage and an electrical projectnot Samotics
  • A water utility with a small maintenance team that wants assessed alerts rather than a dashboard nobody has time to interpretnot Samotics
  • A food processing site adding condition monitoring to existing assets without production downtime, using magnetic mountingnot Samotics
  • An Australian operator that wants local support and local calibration data rather than a Northern Hemisphere vendor with a resellernot Samotics

Samotics

  • A water utility monitoring submersible and borehole pumps that no vibration sensor can be fitted to without lifting the pumpnot MOVUS
  • A chemical plant with assets in ATEX zones where certifying and maintaining in-field sensors is more expensive than the monitoring itselfnot MOVUS
  • A food plant that wants pump and mixer condition data without opening guarding or taking a hygiene-critical line down to fit sensorsnot MOVUS
  • A site building an energy reduction case, where measured motor efficiency and waste give the business case a payback that reliability alone would notnot MOVUS

Where each one falls short

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

MOVUS

  • MOVUS is a small independent company, so standardising a large estate on its sensors carries supplier continuity risk that a purchase from a major instrumentation vendor does not.
  • Support and service outside Australia and New Zealand depend on partners, which means response times, commercial terms and technical depth vary by country in ways the vendor cannot fully control.
  • Per-asset subscription plus per-asset hardware means the cost of full coverage rises linearly, so most sites end up monitoring a subset and leaving the long tail of small motors unmonitored.
  • The single condition score is designed for planners rather than analysts, which suits teams without vibration expertise but frustrates reliability engineers who want the underlying spectra to diagnose a specific defect.
  • Nothing is published on sensor cost, gateway requirements, subscription rate or contract term, so a realistic total cost for a site rollout cannot be estimated without a sales conversation.

Samotics

  • SAM4 only sees what reaches the motor electrically, so it covers the driven train and misses un-driven equipment, structures, process conditions and anything downstream of a mechanical decoupling.
  • Each monitored motor needs hardware installed in the motor control centre by a qualified electrician, and in older switchrooms that installation, including any required outage, can cost more than a year of the subscription.
  • Per-asset subscription pricing means the cost scales linearly with the number of motors, so a plant with a thousand small motors faces a bill that a fixed-price plant-wide vibration system would not impose.
  • Electrical signature analysis on variable-speed drives is harder than on direct-on-line motors, and results vary with drive type, so a heavily VSD estate should insist on a pilot on its own drives before committing.
  • Nothing is published on price, contract length or minimum deployment size, and the vendor sells multi-year subscriptions, so early exit terms are a negotiation you have to raise yourself.

Pricing, plan by plan

MOVUS

On request
  • FitMachine$undefined/year
    • Subscription priced per monitored asset
    • FitMachine sensor hardware required per asset
    • Gateway hardware required per area

Samotics

On request
  • SAM4$undefined/year
    • Subscription priced per monitored asset
    • SAM4 sensor hardware required in each motor control centre
    • Electrical installation by a qualified electrician, quoted separately

Which should you pick?

Choose MOVUS if

  • You need fitmachine sensor.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want fitmachine 3xt ex.
MOVUS review

Choose Samotics if

  • You need electrical signature analysis.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want switchroom installation.
Samotics review

Questions people ask

Is MOVUS or Samotics better?
Neither clearly leads. MOVUS starts at On request and Samotics at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MOVUS or Samotics?
MOVUS starts at On request and Samotics at On request.
Does MOVUS or Samotics run on more platforms?
MOVUS runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android. Samotics runs on Web, Cloud.
What is MOVUS best used for?
MOVUS is most often used for a mining operation instrumenting pumps and fans in a classified hazardous zone where cabled monitoring would require an outage and an electrical project, a water utility with a small maintenance team that wants assessed alerts rather than a dashboard nobody has time to interpret, a food processing site adding condition monitoring to existing assets without production downtime, using magnetic mounting, an australian operator that wants local support and local calibration data rather than a northern hemisphere vendor with a reseller. Of those, a mining operation instrumenting pumps and fans in a classified hazardous zone where cabled monitoring would require an outage and an electrical project and a water utility with a small maintenance team that wants assessed alerts rather than a dashboard nobody has time to interpret are not what Samotics is typically brought in for.
What can MOVUS do that Samotics cannot?
MOVUS covers FitMachine sensor, FitMachine 3XT EX, Assessed alerts, Condition scoring. Samotics covers Electrical signature analysis, Switchroom installation, Energy and efficiency measurement, Submersible and hazardous area coverage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MOVUS: Is there a hazardous area version?

Yes. The FitMachine 3XT EX is certified for hazardous zones, with availability from February 2026.

Samotics: Does Samotics replace vibration monitoring?

For motor-driven assets it often does, and it reaches assets vibration cannot. For un-driven equipment and structures it does not apply at all.

MOVUS: Do I get raw vibration data?

The product is built around an assessed condition score and reviewed alerts. Reliability engineers wanting full spectra should confirm what data access their contract includes.

Samotics: Do I have to buy Samotics hardware?

Yes. SAM4 requires the vendor's sensors fitted in the motor control centre; there is no software-only option.

MOVUS: Does installation need an electrician?

No for the sensor, which mounts magnetically and runs on battery. Gateways typically need power and network, which is where the site work sits.

Samotics: Does it work on variable-speed drives?

It can, but performance depends on the drive and the operating profile. Pilot it on your own VSD assets rather than accepting a reference from a direct-on-line site.

MOVUS: Is MOVUS available outside Australia?

Yes, largely through partners including industrial services and insurance-linked risk programmes, with support quality varying by region.

Samotics: How is it priced?

Subscription per monitored asset, quoted, typically on a multi-year term, with hardware and electrical installation on top.

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