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Government · head to head

NextRequest vs VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

NextRequest logo

NextRequest

Government

Public Records Request Management

From
$300/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station logo

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

Cybersecurity

Camera-vendor video management software with a free 32-channel tier for VIVOTEK devices

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: NextRequest now sold as part of the CivicPlus product line rather than standalone, and nextrequest.com redirects into the CivicPlus site; VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with technical support and software files withdrawn, yet distributors still list VAST 2 licences, so a buyer can be quoted unsupported software without realising it.
  • They diverge on capability: NextRequest covers Request Intake, VIVOTEK VAST Security Station covers VSS Lite free tier.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NextRequest and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station actually diverge.

Attributes where NextRequest and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station differ
AttributeNextRequestVIVOTEK VAST Security Station
Starting price$300/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionOne-time purchase per camera channel
PlatformsWebWindows, Web, iOS, Android
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2015Unknown

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 NextRequest

  • Request Intake
  • Workflow Management
  • Document Redaction
  • Public Portal
  • Reporting
  • Document Systems
  • Email
  • Payment Processors

Only in VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

  • VSS Lite free tier
  • Per-channel licensing
  • Third-party camera support
  • Failover and TV matrix
  • Vision object analytics
  • Embedded NVR licensing
  • NDAA and TAA compliance

What people use each for

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

NextRequest

  • Receiving and routing public records and FOIA requestsnot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
  • Tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrallynot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
  • Redacting documents before release with RapidReviewnot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
  • Invoicing and collecting payment for records requestsnot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
  • Publishing a public-facing request portal for residentsnot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

  • A school or small public building with fewer than 32 VIVOTEK cameras that needs a VMS at no licence costnot NextRequest
  • A United States public sector site that must meet NDAA and TAA procurement restrictionsnot NextRequest
  • An existing VAST 2 site that needs to migrate before the software falls further out of maintenancenot NextRequest
  • A mid-sized site standardising on VIVOTEK hardware with a handful of third-party cameras to absorbnot NextRequest

Where each one falls short

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

NextRequest

  • Now sold as part of the CivicPlus product line rather than standalone, and nextrequest.com redirects into the CivicPlus site
  • Pricing is not published
  • Aimed at government agencies, so it is not a general purpose request or ticketing tool

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

  • VAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with technical support and software files withdrawn, yet distributors still list VAST 2 licences, so a buyer can be quoted unsupported software without realising it.
  • The free Lite tier is hard capped at 32 cameras and VIVOTEK devices only, so a site that grows to 33 cameras or adds one third-party camera moves straight to paid Standard licensing.
  • VSS Professional includes no camera licences at all, so the edition that large deployments need starts from a higher effective price than the tier comparison suggests.
  • It is a camera manufacturer's VMS, so the third-party device list, analytics ecosystem and integration catalogue are all narrower than an independent platform like Milestone or Salient.
  • No pricing is published for Standard or Professional channels; everything runs through distribution, which makes budgeting a phased expansion difficult without repeated quotes.

Pricing, plan by plan

NextRequest

$300/month
  • Standard$300/month
    • Request Management
    • Document Redaction
    • Public Portal

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

On request
  • VSS LiteFree
    • Free of charge
    • Up to 32 VIVOTEK cameras per server
    • No third-party camera support
  • VSS Standard$undefined/one-time
    • Up to 256 cameras per server
    • Eight camera licences included for VIVOTEK or third-party devices
    • Additional channel licences purchased individually
  • VSS Professional$undefined/one-time
    • Large scale deployments with failover and TV matrix
    • No camera licences included at all
    • Every channel purchased or upgraded from Standard

Which should you pick?

Choose NextRequest if

  • You need request intake.
  • You also want workflow management.
NextRequest review

Choose VIVOTEK VAST Security Station if

  • You need vss lite free tier.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want per-channel licensing.
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station review

Questions people ask

Is NextRequest or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station better?
Neither clearly leads. NextRequest starts at $300/month and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NextRequest or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station?
NextRequest starts at $300/month and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station at On request.
Does NextRequest or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station run on more platforms?
NextRequest runs on Web. VIVOTEK VAST Security Station runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
What is NextRequest best used for?
NextRequest is most often used for receiving and routing public records and foia requests, tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrally, redacting documents before release with rapidreview, invoicing and collecting payment for records requests. Of those, receiving and routing public records and foia requests and tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrally are not what VIVOTEK VAST Security Station is typically brought in for.
What can NextRequest do that VIVOTEK VAST Security Station cannot?
NextRequest covers Request Intake, Workflow Management, Document Redaction, Public Portal. VIVOTEK VAST Security Station covers VSS Lite free tier, Per-channel licensing, Third-party camera support, Failover and TV matrix.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NextRequest: What is the price of NextRequest FOIA management?

NextRequest pricing is not published on their website. Customers must request pricing directly through the website contact form or call the sales team at 888-228-2233.

Source
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Should I still buy VAST 2?

No. VAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with support and software files withdrawn. VSS is the current product, and any VAST 2 licence still on a distributor price list should be questioned.

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Is VSS Lite really free?

Yes, for up to 32 VIVOTEK cameras per server. It does not support third-party cameras and cannot exceed 32 channels.

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: How many licences come with Standard?

Eight camera licences, usable for VIVOTEK or third-party devices. Professional includes none.

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Is VIVOTEK NDAA compliant?

VIVOTEK publishes an NDAA and TAA compliant product list, which is why it appears in United States public sector specifications where Section 889 excludes several other manufacturers.

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