Balena
Balena provides a comprehensive platform for developing, deploying, managing, and scaling fleets of IoT Linux devices.
Our verdict
Who it's for
Powerful IoT device management made simple with secure container-based technology.
Who should look elsewhere
Pricing for additional devices can add up quickly, especially for larger fleets beyond the included devices in each plan.
Pros
- +Simplifies complex IoT device management and scaling.
- +Strong focus on security and compliance (e.g., CRA).
- +Supports a wide variety of hardware and offers custom device integration.
- +Provides comprehensive tools for development, deployment, and monitoring.
- +Offers a free tier for up to 10 devices, making it accessible for prototyping.
Cons
- −Pricing for additional devices can add up quickly, especially for larger fleets beyond the included devices in each plan.
- −The 'best effort' response time for standard and priority support tiers might not be sufficient for critical issues.
- −Custom device support requires engaging with an Integration Partner and shipping hardware, which adds complexity and time to the setup process for unsupported devices.
Key features
- ✓Container-based technology stack
- ✓Over-the-Air (OTA) updates
- ✓Full API & SDK access
- ✓Linux OS updates
- ✓Support for 80+ device types (including Raspberry Pi, x86, Jetson Orin)
- ✓Custom Device Support program
- ✓Hardware-level hardening
- ✓Regulatory compliance (e.g., CRA with SBOM tracking)
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | month | Recommended for 10-49 devices; 1 User included; Standard support |
| Prototype | $159 | month | Recommended for 10-49 devices; 1 User included; Standard support |
| Pilot | $329 | month | Recommended for 50-999 devices; 3 Users included; Priority support |
| Production | $1439 | month | Recommended for 1k to 1M devices; 5 Users included; Dedicated support |
| Enterprise | — | month | Everything from Production +; On-premise / bespoke deployment; 24/7 support |