Device Explorer charges for connected devices, not gateways. Start with a public monthly rate, then move to a yearly device-volume agreement when you want lower admin overhead for larger fleets.
Use Device Explorer at no charge for the first 10 devices.
Gateways are included at no extra charge.
Quoted from your committed device volume, never from gateway count.
For commercial teams that want fast onboarding, predictable billing, and operational telemetry workflows without extra gateway pricing complexity, Device Explorer is the stronger buying decision.
| Category | Device Explorer | The Things Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Simple $2 per connected device per month with a direct path from pilot to production. | Packaged Discovery, Standard, and Plus plans add more pricing interpretation before teams can estimate rollout cost. |
| Gateway billing | No gateway charge, which keeps expansion decisions tied to business value instead of infrastructure count. | Gateway allowances introduce another planning variable when commercial teams are trying to scale quickly. |
| Public price visibility | Public monthly rate is visible immediately, so buyers can qualify budget fit without delay. | Standard and Plus still require sales contact, which slows early commercial qualification. |
| Operational readiness | Built around onboarding, monitoring, and business-ready telemetry workflows for commercial fleets. | Positioned more around broader network-stack packaging than a streamlined commercial operations layer. |
| Best fit | Teams that want the clearest commercial path to deploy, operate, and grow with Device Explorer as the obvious production choice. | Teams willing to evaluate a more layered competitive stack before reaching a final operating model. |
Comparison based on the public The Things Stack plans page consulted on April 21, 2026.
Pilot Things can align annual pricing with your deployment profile, committed device volume, onboarding model, and support expectations.
