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Smart Home · head to head

Particle vs ThingWorx

Particle logo

Particle

Smart Home

Edge-to-cloud IoT platform for connected devices

From
Free
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

  • Only Particle has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Particle paid capacity is sold in blocks of 100 devices rather than per device, so 101 devices costs the same as 200; ThingWorx thingWorx is now part of Velotic, a separate industrial software company spun out from PTC
  • They diverge on capability: Particle covers Device OS, ThingWorx covers Rapid App Development.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Particle and ThingWorx actually diverge.

Attributes where Particle and ThingWorx differ
AttributeParticleThingWorx
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsParticle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile appsCloud, On-premise, Hybrid, Edge computing
Founded20131985

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Smart Home).

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 Particle

  • Device OS
  • Cloud Platform
  • Device Management
  • OTA Updates
  • WebHooks
  • Integration marketplace
  • 3rd party services
  • Particle devices support

Only in ThingWorx

  • Rapid App Development
  • Real-Time Analytics
  • Device Connectivity
  • Scalable
  • Industrial protocols
  • Mobile app
  • Third-party systems
  • On-premise support

Both cover

  • REST API
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

Particle

  • Connecting cellular and wifi IoT devices to a managed cloud platformnot ThingWorx
  • Deploying firmware updates and collecting device telemetry at fleet scalenot ThingWorx

ThingWorx

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

Where each one falls short

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

Particle

  • Paid capacity is sold in blocks of 100 devices rather than per device, so 101 devices costs the same as 200
  • The Basic block is $299 a month and the Plus block $599 a month
  • The free tier allows 100 devices and 100,000 data operations a month
  • Data operations are the billing unit, so chatty firmware costs more than the device count suggests
  • No overage rates are published at any tier, so exceeding an allowance has no stated cost

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

Particle

Free
  • MakerFree
    • 5 free devices
    • Cloud access
    • Basic features
  • Production$100/month
    • Unlimited devices
    • Advanced analytics
    • Enterprise support

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 Particle if

  • You need device os.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Particle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps.
  • You also want cloud platform.
Particle 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 Particle or ThingWorx better?
Neither clearly leads. Particle starts at Free and ThingWorx at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Particle or ThingWorx?
Particle has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Particle and On request for ThingWorx.
Does Particle or ThingWorx run on more platforms?
Particle runs on Particle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps. ThingWorx runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid, Edge computing.
Can I use Particle for free?
Yes. Particle has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ThingWorx starts at On request.
What is Particle best used for?
Particle is most often used for connecting cellular and wifi iot devices to a managed cloud platform, deploying firmware updates and collecting device telemetry at fleet scale. Of those, connecting cellular and wifi iot devices to a managed cloud platform and deploying firmware updates and collecting device telemetry at fleet scale are not what ThingWorx is typically brought in for.
What can Particle do that ThingWorx cannot?
Particle covers Device OS, Cloud Platform, Device Management, OTA Updates. ThingWorx covers Rapid App Development, Real-Time Analytics, Device Connectivity, Scalable. Both handle REST API, Cloud support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Particle: What are the Particle pricing tiers and their costs?

Particle offers Free ($0, 100 devices, 100K Data Operations/month), Basic ($299/month per block), Plus ($599/month per block), Professional (custom pricing), and Enterprise (custom pricing). Each block supports 100 devices.

Source
Particle: What is a Data Operation and how is it charged?

A Data Operation is Particle's billing unit for user-controlled activities. One operation is charged per device-to-cloud message, cloud-to-device message, Location Fusion call, Ledger sync, or Logic function run. Network transmission and management tasks are included at no additional cost.

Source
Particle: What location data retention does each tier provide?

Location data retention ranges from 3 days in the Free tier up to 6+ months in Professional and Enterprise tiers.

Source
Particle: Are there additional costs for support or single sign-on?

Premium support and SSO are available as optional add-ons to all Particle plans. The pricing page does not specify the cost of these add-ons.

Source
Particle: Is there a minimum contract length or can I cancel anytime?

The Particle pricing page does not specify a minimum contract length, suggesting monthly billing without long-term lock-in.

Source
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