What is the best OEE software for a small plant?

Evocon and Vorne XL both offer free trials, a 30-day trial for Evocon and 90 days for Vorne XL. Evocon's per-machine plans suit a few machines, while Vorne XL needs one hardware unit at each station.

Is there free OEE software?

No product in this list has a permanently free plan. Vorne XL and Evocon offer trials, and the other products are sold on subscriptions, quotes or demos.

Which OEE tools track downtime reasons?

Tulip records downtime reason codes that operators enter. Evocon and Oden report downtime causes, and Vorne XL includes built-in downtime reports.

Do OEE products need to connect to PLCs?

Evocon reads sensor and PLC signals, and Tulip uses OPC UA or MQTT natively. Vorne XL uses its own I/O on each station. Older machines may need edge hardware.

Best OEE and Production Monitoring Software in 2026

The ranking

Top pickEvocon90.5
Runner-upVorne XL89.0

1
Evocon
Collects machine data from sensors, PLCs or relays and calculates OEE and downtime causes on live dashboards. Plans are billed per machine each year, and integrations cost extra on the middle and top plans.
Best for Per-machine OEE and downtime visibility
WebSubscription
90.5of 100
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2
Vorne XL
Standalone XL units with I/O, a scoreboard and built-in OEE, downtime and TEEP reports, with no software to install. Each station needs its own unit, and outside North America buyers go through partners.
Best for Shop-floor displays with built-in OEE reports
WebPaid
89.0of 100
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3
MachineMetrics
Captures machine data automatically and reports OEE, downtime and cycle time next to ERP and CMMS records. The SaaS subscription costs less per machine with volume, but the pricing text states no figures.
Best for Multi-site OEE with ERP and CMMS data
WebSubscription
88.0of 100
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4
ThingWorx Real-time Production Performance Monitoring
Prebuilt OEE, MTBF and MTTR dashboards that depend on Kepware for machine data. Pricing is quote-based, and the product page does not describe ERP connections.
Best for Kepware-connected plants on the ThingWorx stack
WebContact for pricing
84.5of 100
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5
Insights Hub
AI analytics that monitors OEE alongside availability, quality and energy, with a Production Copilot. It is an analytics layer rather than shop-floor OEE displays, and pricing is by sales contact.
Best for Plants that want AI analytics on OEE and quality
WebContact for pricing
83.5of 100
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6
Tulip
Automatic OEE from machine states, with operators adding downtime reason codes over OPC UA or MQTT. It is a broader frontline platform than a single OEE tool, and pricing is per monthly active interface.
Best for OEE with operator reason codes and custom apps
WebSubscription
82.5of 100
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7
Oden Technologies
AI analytics that track machine utilization and the causes of unplanned downtime, with a published customer case of OEE gains. The site does not describe how machine data is captured, and prices are quote-based.
Best for Analytics on existing production data
WebContact for pricing
80.0of 100
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8
Fabrico
Covers MES, OEE and a built-in CMMS, with operator stop reasons and PLC, sensor and camera capture. Plans are priced per user per plant on a quote, and the vendor plans rollouts over several months.
Best for Plants wanting OEE, MES and CMMS in one platform
WebContact for pricing
79.5of 100
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9
Guidewheel
Clip-on, non-intrusive sensors feed OEE and downtime reports, with links to SAP, Oracle and Epicor. Pricing is per machine and per site on a custom quote, and the site names no trial.
Best for Quick OEE and downtime tracking on existing machines
WebContact for pricing
78.5of 100
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10
Sight Machine
Plant data model that connects controls, historians, MES and ERP data for production analysis and AI agents. The site does not describe OEE dashboards, so check its OEE output before buying.
Best for Production analytics across controls, MES and ERP data
WebContact for pricing
77.5of 100
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At a glance

Product	Score	Price	Platforms	Machine data	ERP integration	Setup
Evocon	90.5	Subscription	Web	Sensors, PLCs or relays	ERP integrations (add-on)	Setup help during 30-day trial
Vorne XL	89.0	Paid	Web	I/O on each XL unit	Not stated on the site	No software to install
MachineMetrics	88.0	Subscription	Web	Automatic capture from machines	ERP and CMMS data	Onboarding included in subscription
ThingWorx Real-time Production Performance Monitoring	84.5	Contact for pricing	Web	Kepware connectivity	Not stated on the product page	Quote-based deployment
Insights Hub	83.5	Contact for pricing	Web	Equipment and process data	Not stated on the product page	Contact sales; no trial listed
Tulip	82.5	Subscription	Web	OPC UA, MQTT or edge hardware	Pre-built ERP connectors	Build apps on the platform
Oden Technologies	80.0	Contact for pricing	Web	Not stated on the site	Not stated on the site	Demo-led, quote-based
Fabrico	79.5	Contact for pricing	Web	PLCs, IoT sensors and cameras	SAP and Oracle	About 1 month to connect machines; 3-4 months to rollout
Guidewheel	78.5	Contact for pricing	Web	Clip-on, non-intrusive electrical sensors	SAP, Oracle, Epicor; open API	Set up in as little as a day, per the site
Sight Machine	77.5	Contact for pricing	Web	Controls, historians, MES and ERP data	ERP systems listed as a data source	Deploys in days, according to the site

How to choose OEE and production monitoring software

Machine connection: Vorne XL wires into each station's I/O. Evocon reads sensor, PLC or relay signals, and Tulip accepts OPC UA or MQTT. Older machines may need edge hardware.
Downtime causes: Tulip records operator reason codes. Oden and Evocon report downtime causes from production data.
Enterprise data: Evocon, MachineMetrics and Tulip describe ERP links. Vorne XL and Oden do not describe ERP connections on their sites.
Cost model: Vorne XL sells hardware per unit. Evocon, MachineMetrics and Tulip bill subscriptions by machine or by interface.

What the scores weigh

Automatic machine data capture
Downtime cause tracking
Enterprise system integration
Setup effort and hardware
Pricing transparency

Scores are editorial, from 0 to 100, and use these criteria. Full method · Disclosure

About OEE and production monitoring software

OEE software answers one question: how much planned time became good output, and why the rest was lost. The products here differ in how they capture machine states, whether operators add downtime reasons, and how they are sold. Evocon ranks first for quick per-machine OEE with automatic capture, and Vorne XL follows for shop-floor displays with built-in reports.

Hardware and software models split the field. Vorne XL is a standalone unit on each station, with a 90-day trial and listed unit prices. Evocon, MachineMetrics and Tulip are software subscriptions, billed per machine or per monthly active interface. Evocon's 30-day trial includes setup help, and MachineMetrics includes onboarding in every subscription.

This list has no open-source OEE product, and the free options here are trials only. Oden and ThingWorx RTPPM publish little pricing, and both require a demo or a quote before buyers can compare costs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best OEE software for a small plant?: Evocon and Vorne XL both offer free trials, a 30-day trial for Evocon and 90 days for Vorne XL. Evocon's per-machine plans suit a few machines, while Vorne XL needs one hardware unit at each station.
Is there free OEE software?: No product in this list has a permanently free plan. Vorne XL and Evocon offer trials, and the other products are sold on subscriptions, quotes or demos.
Which OEE tools track downtime reasons?: Tulip records downtime reason codes that operators enter. Evocon and Oden report downtime causes, and Vorne XL includes built-in downtime reports.
Do OEE products need to connect to PLCs?: Evocon reads sensor and PLC signals, and Tulip uses OPC UA or MQTT natively. Vorne XL uses its own I/O on each station. Older machines may need edge hardware.