Datacake

Datacake is an IoT platform that turns sensor readings into real-time dashboards, alerts, and reports. It supports monitoring needs such as cold chains, temperature and humidity, indoor air quality, soil moisture, and industrial noise. Users can build dashboards without coding and set thresholds or rules to send alerts by email, SMS, or webhooks. The platform lists more than 400 LoRaWAN device templates from over 125 manufacturers, including payload decoders and dashboards. Every plan includes a managed LoRaWAN Network Server with unlimited gateways and no per-gateway fees. Data can be streamed to external systems through MQTT, HTTPS webhooks, or a REST API. Native iOS and Android apps support dashboards, device onboarding, alert creation, and push notifications. Datacake has a free plan for five devices; paid plans start at €25 per month. The Hobby plan supports up to 25 devices and one year of data retention. Paid Hobby, Light, Standard, and Plus plans include one year of retention, with an add-on to extend Light, Standard, and Plus to two years.

Datacake combines sensor dashboards, alerts, device templates, and external data integrations. The free plan covers five devices, while paid plans start at €25 per month.

Datacake suits teams monitoring sensor data that need real-time dashboards and rule-based alerts. Its mobile apps and device templates may also help teams onboarding and managing supported devices.

Datacake is an IoT monitoring platform for organizations that need to turn sensor readings into live operational views and notifications. It is a particularly strong fit for LoRaWAN deployments and integrators managing monitoring for clients. Its managed network service and broad device catalog stand out, while device caps and rising monthly prices make choosing a plan carefully essential.

Overview

Datacake supports monitoring across cold-chain conditions, temperature and humidity, indoor air quality, soil moisture, and industrial noise. Real-time processing, custom dashboards, and anomaly detection suit ongoing monitoring rather than occasional reporting. Teams can build dashboards without coding, then use threshold- or rule-triggered alerts to act on changes.

The managed LoRaWAN Network Server comes with every plan, including unlimited gateways and no per-gateway fees. That keeps gateway count from adding a separate fee, but device and workflow limits still shape how far each plan can stretch. Datacake says it was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Vreden, Germany.

Key features

Devices, dashboards, and alerts

More than 400 LoRaWAN templates span over 125 manufacturers and include payload decoders and dashboards. For hardware in the catalog, this can reduce integration work; teams using other devices may find that advantage less relevant. Dashboards need no coding, and email, SMS, or webhook alerts can route threshold and rule events to the right response path.

Integrations and mobile access

MQTT, HTTPS webhooks, and a REST API let teams send readings to external systems. Native iOS and Android apps support dashboards, device onboarding, alert creation, and push notifications, making mobile access part of the monitoring workflow rather than a read-only companion.

AI and customer deployments

The OpenAI-powered assistant can analyze sensor data and help create dashboards, rules, and decoders, but proposed changes require confirmation. White-label branding and multi-tenancy are aimed at system integrators, distributors, and OEMs serving multiple customers. Paid plans include one year of data retention; Light, Standard, and Plus can extend that to two years with an add-on.

Pricing

The free plan costs nothing and covers five devices. It is a useful starting point for a small deployment, but does not offer the capacity of paid tiers. There is no free trial.

• Hobby: €25 a month for up to 25 devices, one year of retention, five advanced rules per workspace, and one workspace. It suits a small deployment, but the single workspace and rule ceiling limit more involved operations.
• Light: €159 a month for up to 50 devices, one year of retention, 10 advanced rules per workspace, and two outgoing webhooks. It doubles Hobby’s device allowance and adds a webhook, at a substantial price increase.
• Standard: €399 a month for up to 200 devices, one year of retention, 50 advanced rules per workspace, and two outgoing webhooks. It is the clearer fit for growing fleets needing more rule capacity, though the webhook allowance stays at two.
• Plus: €659 a month for up to 1,000 devices, one year of retention, 100 advanced rules per workspace, and five outgoing webhooks. It serves larger deployments without per-gateway fees, but remains capped at 1,000 devices.
• Enterprise: custom pricing for 1000+ devices, with custom retention, advanced rules, workspaces, webhooks, and dashboard edit backups. This is the tier for requirements beyond Plus’s fixed limits.

Free support is best-effort. Paid Standard and Premium support packages state first-response targets of under five hours and under 60 minutes, respectively, during working hours. The pricing details do not attach either package to a specific plan, so buyers should account for support separately. Privacy safeguards address data confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with DATACAKE GmbH identified as controller.

Platforms

Datacake supports Android, iOS, API, and web. The mobile apps cover dashboards, onboarding, alert creation, and push notifications; the API supports connections to external systems.

Who it's for

Datacake makes the most sense for teams operating LoRaWAN sensors, organizations that need live monitoring across environmental or industrial conditions, and integrators who manage branded services for multiple clients. The template catalog and included network server reduce deployment friction, while multi-tenancy and white-labeling suit customer-facing services. It is less compelling for a tiny deployment that can stay within five free devices or for fleets that need substantial capacity without stepping into the higher monthly tiers.

Pros and cons

• Pro: The managed LoRaWAN Network Server includes unlimited gateways without per-gateway fees, avoiding a gateway-based cost as deployments expand.
• Pro: More than 400 templates across over 125 manufacturers include decoders and dashboards, potentially shortening setup for supported hardware.
• Pro: No-code dashboards, configurable alerts, mobile apps, and external data interfaces cover monitoring from setup through notification and integration.
• Con: Device, advanced-rule, workspace, and webhook caps vary by tier; the free plan stops at five devices and Hobby at 25.
• Con: Monthly prices rise from €25 to €659 a month before Enterprise, so growing device needs can bring a sharp cost step.
• Con: Paid retention is one year by default, with a two-year extension add-on only for Light, Standard, and Plus.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse IoT Device Management Platforms or IoT Analytics Software.

• ThingsBoard is another freemium option with a free plan and trial; consider it if its listed Linux, macOS, Windows, or self-hosted platform support matters.
• Thinger.io is freemium with no free trial; its listed Cloud Small and Cloud Medium plans specify storage, plugin, product, and device allowances.
• Ubidots offers a free trial and a free non-commercial STEM plan capped at three devices; consider it for a small non-commercial project.
• OpenRemote is free and lists self-hosting and community support, making it an option for teams prioritizing self-hosting.
• Bevywise IoT Platform is paid, with one-time Lite and Starter plans capped at 500 and 1,000 clients; consider it if those client-based tiers suit the deployment.
• Tuya IoT Development Platform is a paid option for teams evaluating another IoT development platform.
• Kaa IoT Platform is freemium with a free trial and a free five-device plan; its listed Kaa Cloud 5 plan is $9.99 a month for up to five devices.
• Losant Enterprise IoT Platform is freemium; its Launch plan is $250 a month for 100,000 payloads per month and 90 days of retention.

Verdict

Datacake is a strong choice for LoRaWAN-focused monitoring teams and service providers that value a managed network server, ready-made device templates, and customer-facing multi-tenancy. Its main draw is the combination of device tooling and gateway-inclusive network management; its main drawback is the climb in monthly cost and tier-specific caps as fleets grow. Choose it when those operational tools justify the plan, and look elsewhere when low-cost capacity or a more suitable device allowance matters more.