LoopString vs Ignition
Ignition is industrial SCADA for the integrator economy. LoopString is process control software you stand up yourself.
Pick Ignition if…
- You run thousands of OPC-UA tags across a hard-real-time PLC fabric.
- You have a dedicated controls integrator on retainer.
- You need bespoke Vision / Perspective HMI screens for plant operators.
- You require OPC-UA DA + HDA + AC + Methods at procurement gate.
Pick LoopString if…
- You got quoted an Ignition project that does not pencil out.
- You want a browser-first dashboard, not a Gateway server to admin.
- You need HACCP / FDA / USDA reports without buying the Reporting Module.
- You want Tailscale built-in instead of engineering VPN + DMZ access.
| Feature | LoopStringYou | Ignition |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | ||
| Time-to-first-control under a day | ||
| No Java runtime to install or manage | ||
| No on-prem Gateway server | ||
| Bring-your-own-Pi hardware | ||
| Browser-based Configurator (no desktop Designer) | ||
| Automation | ||
| Visual flow editor with auto-generated edge code | ||
| On-edge PID loops + hysteresis | ||
| Recipe / batch automation | ||
| Time-based scheduling | ||
| Hardware | ||
| 80+ part library with wiring guides | ||
| Raspberry Pi as the primary edge runtime | ||
| Modbus + Siemens S7 support | ||
| OPC-UA support | ||
| Monitoring | ||
| Real-time browser dashboard, no client license | ||
| Historical analytics with LTTB downsampling | ||
| Anomaly detection (rolling baseline) built-in | ||
| Alerts | ||
| Threshold alerts with hysteresis | ||
| Alert escalation chains | ||
| Compliance | ||
| HACCP / FDA / USDA PDF reports built-in | ||
| Audit-grade activity log | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Role-based access control | ||
| Public dashboard sharing (signed links) | ||
| Security | ||
| Tailscale VPN tunnel built-in | ||
| No open inbound ports on device | ||
| Pricing | ||
| Transparent per-device monthly pricing | ||
| Unlimited tags | ||
| No paid modules for reporting / alarming | ||
Comparison generalises across common Ignition Edge / Standard / Plus deployments. Exact features vary by module bundle and integrator scope.
Why teams swap an Ignition project for LoopString
You don't need a Gateway server — you need a control loop
Ignition's architecture assumes an on-prem Gateway server running Java, a desktop Designer, and Vision/Perspective clients. For a small operator with a handful of rooms, that's three pieces of infrastructure for what should be one. LoopString runs the dashboard in the cloud and the control loop on a Pi — no server admin, no Java patches, no Designer install.
Reporting + alarming come standard, not as paid modules
Ignition's Reporting Module and Alarm Notification Pipeline are paid add-ons on top of the base Gateway license. LoopString ships HACCP / FDA / USDA-style PDF reports, alert escalation chains, and audit logs as core features on every paid tier.
Browser dashboard with no per-client license
Perspective fixes the client-license pain of Vision, but you still pay per Gateway. LoopString's dashboard is a normal web app — share it with employees via RBAC, share read-only links with inspectors, no client-count discussion required.
Tailscale tunnel replaces VPN + DMZ engineering
Ignition assumes you'll engineer remote access — VPN concentrator, DMZ, port forwards, certificate management. LoopString ships with a Tailscale tunnel from cloud to Pi out of the box. No inbound ports, no DMZ, no SSL cert rotation.
Key Takeaways
- Ignition = Gateway server + Designer + tag-unlimited-but-module-licensed. LoopString = browser + Pi + per-device SaaS.
- Reporting + alarm pipelines + RBAC + activity log come standard — not paid modules.
- On-edge PID, recipes, and schedules run locally on the Pi — process control survives cloud + ISP outages.
- Tailscale tunnel built-in — no VPN concentrator, no DMZ, no SSL cert rotation.
- Modbus + Siemens S7 first-class; sit alongside existing Ignition Edge or PLCs as a monitoring + cloud-dashboard layer.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is LoopString a full Ignition replacement?
- For most small and medium operators — yes. Specifically, anyone running one to a few dozen rooms or vessels of equipment. For sites running thousands of OPC-UA tags across a hard-real-time PLC fabric with bespoke Vision HMI screens, LoopString is a complementary monitoring + cloud-dashboard layer rather than a drop-in replacement for Ignition Plus.
- Can LoopString talk to my existing PLCs the way Ignition does?
- Modbus TCP/RTU and Siemens S7 are first-class parts in our library. Wire a Pi alongside the existing PLC for monitoring, alarming, recipes, and remote dashboards while the PLC continues to act as the safety controller. OPC-UA is on the integration roadmap.
- How much will I save vs an Ignition + integrator project?
- Ignition Edge alone is ~$1,995 perpetual; Ignition Standard starts at ~$5,500; Ignition Plus is much more — and that's before paid modules (Reporting, Alarm Notification, SQL Bridge, OPC-UA) and integrator time. The typical small-team Ignition project we see quoted is $15k–$80k. LoopString prices per Pi per month with a free tier — most teams replace the integrator engagement with the Configurator and a few days of setup.
- What about safety / interlocks / SIS?
- LoopString manages monitoring and process control. Safety instrumented systems (SIS), emergency stops, and life-safety interlocks should remain on dedicated certified controllers. We can monitor those systems and alarm on their state without taking over their decision authority — same posture you would use with Ignition.
- Do you support unlimited tags like Ignition?
- Yes. We don't license by tag count. Per-Pi pricing covers as many sensors, actuators, setpoints, and computed values as the device can run. We're not trying to win the 50,000-tag plant — we're built for the 50 to 500-tag operator who shouldn't be in a tag-licensing conversation at all.
- I already have Ignition. Can I run both?
- Yes — common pattern is to keep Ignition Edge for legacy PLC integration and add LoopString for the new rooms, recipes, and team-facing dashboards. They live side-by-side on the same network, can both speak Modbus to the same PLCs, and you can decommission Ignition Edge once the new build proves out.
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