balena
balena.ioBuild Difficulty: 4/5
A few focused days to build a solid replacement
Powerful IoT device management made simple
How to Replace balenaOverview
Features
31 features across 13 categories
Deployment(3)
Automatically build Docker images in the cloud when you push your code
Docker container technology for safe, secure, and reliable updates to devices
Preload your image with your application code for even faster startup and device provisioning
Developer Tools(3)
Complete API and software development kit for integrating balena into custom workflows and applications
Develop locally to get fast feedback with familiar developer tools and iterate at web speed
Develop applications using Node.js, Python, Golang, or any language of your choice with 26,000+ IoT-focused base images
Device Management(6)
Filter devices depending on your needs and pin them to different releases as needed
Seamlessly add and configure devices for your fleet with unique IDs and network configuration
Organize your fleet with tags and filters for better management and grouping
Perform actions on groups of devices simultaneously instead of managing them individually
Remotely configure and troubleshoot individual devices from the dashboard
Keep track of all devices from anywhere in the world with full visibility into real-time device status and activity
Enterprise Features(1)
balenaCloud Dedicated Instance provides a fully managed, single-tenant environment for data privacy and compliance
Integration & Automation(1)
Use the CLI to hook into your existing CI/CD workflows for automated deployments
Migration & Integration(1)
Tools and services to remotely migrate existing devices from other platforms to balenaCloud
Monitoring & Logging(3)
View the status and monitor deployments across your fleet in the balenaCloud Dashboard
Monitor the health of your fleet from the balenaCloud dashboard
View and access device logs from the balenaCloud dashboard for troubleshooting and monitoring
Operating System(1)
Container-optimized, secure, minimal OS purpose-built for remote edge devices
Security & Access(1)
Access devices over a secure tunnel directly from the dashboard for device troubleshooting and diagnostics
Security & Compliance(5)
Meet new regulations like the CRA with SBOM tracking and risk detection capabilities
Software Bill of Materials tracking for regulatory compliance and risk detection
Secure decommissioning of devices at end of life as part of the device lifecycle
Hardware-level hardening and minimal attack surface to secure devices
Built-in vulnerability management and failsafe remote updates for resilience
Support & Services(1)
Support program for devices not on the compatibility list with integration partner services
Updates & Maintenance(3)
Minimize bandwidth usage and deliver fast updates through application-level delta changes
Update the OS on devices remotely from the dashboard
Robust and resilient over-the-air updates for your fleet, managed remotely using the balenaCloud dashboard
User & Access Management(2)
Multiple permission levels including Observer (read-only), Operator, Developer, and Admin roles
Invite and manage team members with different permission roles (Observer, Operator, Developer, Admin)
Pricing
Free
- ✓10 devices included
- ✓1 user included
- ✓Standard support
- ✓Best effort response time
Prototype
- ✓30 devices included
- ✓1 user included
- ✓Standard support
- ✓Best effort response time
- ✓$3/additional device/month or $36/year
Pilot
- ✓60 devices included
- ✓3 users included
- ✓Priority support
- ✓Best effort response time
- ✓$2/additional device/month or $24/year
- ✓Credits available for volume discounts
Production
Popular- ✓110 devices included
- ✓5 users included
- ✓Dedicated support
- ✓60 minute response time
- ✓$2/additional device/month or $24/year
- ✓Credits available for volume discounts
- ✓Annual commitment typically required
Extended Support Release (ESR)
- ✓Everything from Production
Enterprise
- ✓Everything from Production
- ✓On-premise/bespoke deployment
- ✓24/7 support
- ✓Onboarding and training
- ✓Dedicated account management
- ✓Quarterly product reviews
Cost Calculator
Keep Paying balena
Build It Yourself
Total Cost Comparison
DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 31 features at easy complexity.
Build vs Buy
Should you build a balena alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 31 features.
Buy balena
Build Your Own
Better ValueBuilding could save ~$20,280 over 3 years.
Estimates based on 31 features and a BuildScore of 4/5. Actual costs vary.
Integrations
6 known integrations