Products / AI Box vs Software
AI Box or Video Analytics Software: Which to Choose
Both run the same analytics. The difference is where the compute lives and who owns it.
| Attribute | AI Box | Video Analytics Software |
|---|---|---|
| Compute | ARSA appliance, on site | Your servers |
| Cameras per unit | 3 or 25, by model | Bounded by your GPU capacity |
| Procurement | Appliance purchased outright, software perpetual or subscription | Software only, perpetual or subscription |
| Entry price | $1,890appliance, plus software licences | $29 to $45per camera per month, by module |
| Deployment effort | Connect, configure, monitor | Provision servers, deploy containers, configure |
| Best for | Sites without IT infrastructure, fast multi-site rollout | Organisations with existing server capacity and IT staff |
| Offline operation | Yes, by default | Yes |
| Who maintains hardware | ARSA, under warranty | You |
Cost Comparison
Three Scenarios, With The Arithmetic
Figures are list price, safety analytics, excluding cameras and installation.
SCENARIO 1
6 Cameras, One Site, No Servers
AI Box
2 × Mini on subscription
$390 / month · $4,680 / year, all-in.
Software
Requires a server the buyer does not own. Add server purchase, provisioning, and maintenance.
- AI Box wins on both capital and effort.
SCENARIO 2
20 Cameras, One Site, Existing Server
Software
20 × $45 = $900 / month
$10,800 / year, on hardware already running.
AI Box Server
$1,490 / month
$17,880 / year, hardware included.
- The $7,080 / year difference is approximately the annual cost of a server you would otherwise buy, provision, and maintain.
SCENARIO 3
40 cameras, eight sites, central IT
Mixed deployment
AI Box Mini on subscription at five remote sites. Software licences centrally for the main site.
- Both run identical analytics and report into one dashboard. Blended monthly figure quoted on request.
Choose the AI Box if
- You have cameras but no server capacity
- You have no IT team to maintain infrastructure
- You are rolling out across many small sites quickly
- You want hardware failure to be someone else’s problem
- You need a deployment that works with no network
Choose the AI Software if
- You already run server capacity with GPU headroom
- You have IT staff who deploy and maintain containers
- You want central processing across many sites
- You need to scale by allocating compute, not procuring units
- You have procurement rules that favour software licences over hardware
MATCHING
Who This Is For / Not For
THIS IS FOR
- Manufacturing and industrial sites with existing CCTV and safety obligations
- Government and defence facilities requiring on-premise processing
- Transport authorities monitoring road networks
- Retail chains measuring footfall across many stores
- Media owners measuring digital signage audiences
THIS IS NOT FOR
- Organisations wanting a cloud VMS with storage: ARSA analyses, it does not record
- Single-camera home or small-office use
- Buyers needing certified medical or forensic evidence output
- Deployments where cameras cannot meet the minimum specification and cannot be replaced
FAQ
Comparison Questions
Can I run both the AI Box and the software in one deployment?
Yes, and most multi-site deployments do. Remote sites run AI Box systems; the main site runs software on existing servers. Both report into one dashboard.
Which is cheaper over three years, and does the answer change at five?
It depends on whether you already own server capacity. If you do, software alone is cheaper at every horizon. If you do not, the AI Box is cheaper once the cost of buying, provisioning, and maintaining a server is included. In both cases, buying the analytics licences outright overtakes subscribing in year five.
Does the analytics accuracy differ between the two?
No. Identical models, identical detection classes, identical thresholds. The only difference is the hardware they run on and who owns it.
Which one do government buyers usually choose?
Perpetual, in both product lines, because subscription commitments are difficult under many capital budget rules. The choice between appliance and software is usually decided by whether the facility has an existing accredited server environment.
Not Sure Which Fits?
A feasibility assessment produces an operational diagnosis, a technical feasibility judgement, and a cost model in two weeks.