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Developer Tools · head to head

pnpm vs Rhombus Systems

pnpm logo

pnpm

Developer Tools

Fast, disk space efficient package manager

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Rhombus Systems logo

Rhombus Systems

Cybersecurity

Cloud-managed cameras, sensors and access control with a per-camera annual licence

From
$149/year
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only pnpm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: pnpm requires command-line proficiency to use; Rhombus Systems the per-camera annual licence never ends and a camera without an active licence stops working, so the total cost over a ten-year hardware life is several times the hardware price.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which pnpm and Rhombus Systems actually diverge.

Attributes where pnpm and Rhombus Systems differ
AttributepnpmRhombus Systems
Starting priceFree$149/year
Pricing modelUnknownPer camera per year licence plus hardware
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: 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 pnpm

Nothing recorded that Rhombus Systems does not also cover.

Only in Rhombus Systems

  • On-camera storage
  • No NVR or server
  • AI search
  • Access control
  • Environmental sensors
  • Unlimited users
  • Ten year hardware warranty
  • Optional cloud archiving

What people use each for

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

pnpm

  • Installing dependencies faster than npm in monorepo workspacesnot Rhombus Systems
  • Sharing common dependencies across multiple projects to save disk spacenot Rhombus Systems
  • Preventing dependency version conflicts in workspace environmentsnot Rhombus Systems
  • Managing workspaces with many interdependent packagesnot Rhombus Systems

Rhombus Systems

  • A school district running video across dozens of buildings with no local IT at each sitenot pnpm
  • A clinic group needing door access and cameras in one console under a single audit trailnot pnpm
  • A logistics operator that wants to search for a specific vehicle across sites without scrubbing footagenot pnpm
  • An office estate replacing ageing NVRs where nobody remains who knows how to maintain themnot pnpm

Where each one falls short

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

pnpm

  • Requires command-line proficiency to use
  • Community-driven support only

Rhombus Systems

  • The per-camera annual licence never ends and a camera without an active licence stops working, so the total cost over a ten-year hardware life is several times the hardware price.
  • Cameras must be Rhombus, so there is no reuse of existing IP cameras and migrating away means replacing every device rather than changing software.
  • Cloud archiving is priced separately by retention and stream count, and long retention on multisensor cameras runs into five figures per camera, which can dwarf everything else in the quote.
  • On-camera storage is the default retention, so a camera physically stolen or destroyed takes its unarchived footage with it unless cloud archiving was paid for on that camera.
  • Analytics and integrations are good for mid-market needs but shallower than a dedicated enterprise VMS with a large third-party ecosystem, so specialist requirements like advanced LPR or forensic search hit limits.

Pricing, plan by plan

pnpm

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the pnpm review.

Rhombus Systems

$149/year
  • Professional$149/year
    • Per camera per year
    • Cloud console and management
    • On-camera storage retention
  • Enterprise$199/year
    • Per camera per year
    • Everything in Professional
    • Flexible cloud archiving options
  • Cloud archiving$undefined/year
    • Priced separately by retention period and stream count
    • Multisensor cameras cost several times a single sensor camera
    • Long retention on multisensor models can reach five figures per camera

Which should you pick?

Choose pnpm if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
pnpm review

Choose Rhombus Systems if

  • You need on-camera storage.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want no nvr or server.
Rhombus Systems review

Questions people ask

Is pnpm or Rhombus Systems better?
Neither clearly leads. pnpm starts at Free and Rhombus Systems at $149/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, pnpm or Rhombus Systems?
pnpm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for pnpm and $149/year for Rhombus Systems.
Does pnpm or Rhombus Systems run on more platforms?
pnpm runs on Linux, Windows, macOS. Rhombus Systems runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use pnpm for free?
Yes. pnpm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rhombus Systems starts at $149/year.
What is pnpm best used for?
pnpm is most often used for installing dependencies faster than npm in monorepo workspaces, sharing common dependencies across multiple projects to save disk space, preventing dependency version conflicts in workspace environments, managing workspaces with many interdependent packages. Of those, installing dependencies faster than npm in monorepo workspaces and sharing common dependencies across multiple projects to save disk space are not what Rhombus Systems is typically brought in for.
What can pnpm do that Rhombus Systems cannot?
Rhombus Systems covers On-camera storage, No NVR or server, AI search, Access control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

pnpm: Is pnpm free and open source?

Yes. pnpm is free and open source software developed for Node.js. Version 10 and 11 are currently available.

Source
Rhombus Systems: Do I need an NVR or a server?

No. Cameras record on board and connect directly to the cloud console, which is the main operational reason organisations pick it.

pnpm: How does pnpm save disk space?

pnpm uses a content-addressable store with hard linking and symlinks to avoid duplication. All files are saved in a single place on disk and hard-linked to individual projects, dramatically reducing storage requirements compared to npm.

Source
Rhombus Systems: What does the licence cost?

Roughly $149 per camera per year for Professional and about $199 for Enterprise, typically sold in one, three, five or ten year terms.

pnpm: Is pnpm faster than npm?

Yes. pnpm performs installation in three stages: dependency resolution, directory structure calculation, and linking. Packages are fetched and linked as soon as possible, making it significantly faster than npm's sequential approach.

Source
Rhombus Systems: Is cloud storage included?

No. On-camera storage is the default. Cloud archiving is a separate charge priced by retention duration and number of streams.

pnpm: Does pnpm support monorepos?

Yes. pnpm has built-in support for monorepositories. You can create a workspace using pnpm-workspace.yaml to unite multiple projects in a single repository.

Source
Rhombus Systems: Can I use my existing cameras?

No. The platform works only with Rhombus hardware, which is the trade-off for the zero-server architecture.

pnpm: How does pnpm handle node_modules differently than npm?

pnpm uses symlinks to add only direct dependencies to node_modules root, preventing accidental access to undeclared dependencies. This encourages more explicit dependency management compared to npm's flattened node_modules structure.

Source
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