Inauro vs Cumulocity: which IoT platform fits operational teams best?

Both Inauro and Cumulocity help organisations connect devices and manage IoT data, but they take very different approaches.

Cumulocity is known for device management, offering a standardised way to connect sensors and machines at scale. Inauro, through the Perspio™ data fusion platform, focuses on operational workflow automation – turning data from any device or system into actions that save time, reduce risk and prepare businesses for AI.

This guide breaks down the key differences for construction, logistics and fleet operations managers.

Quick comparison: Inauro vs Cumulocity

What Cumulocity does well

Cumulocity is highly regarded for device lifecycle management. It helps teams answer questions like:

• Are my sensors online and operating correctly?
• How do I standardise data ingestion from different hardware manufacturers?
• How do I manage firmware, connectivity and provisioning at scale?

Its strengths show up most clearly when IT teams need a single pane of glass for device onboarding, monitoring and basic analytics.

Inauro Chief Commercial Officer Max Girault explains: “Cumulocity is great at ensuring devices are connected and healthy. But many of the businesses we work with need more than data ingestion – they need the context around that data so it can drive automated action across systems.”

For organisations focused on large-scale IoT deployment, Cumulocity is a strong foundation. But operational teams often need more than device visibility. They need workflows that span ERP, maintenance, rental, dispatch, safety and compliance systems.

What Inauro does better

Inauro takes telematics data further, fusing it with operational systems to cut manual work and unlock predictive insights.

• Data fusion, not just device connectivity: Where Cumulocity relies on predefined device models, Perspio™ ingests raw feeds and enriches them with context from scheduling tools, ERP records, rental systems, maintenance platforms and more.
• Workflow automation for real operations: Rather than manually building rules or groups, Perspio™ dynamically identifies conditions – such as fuel anomalies, off-hire events, geofence breaches or utilisation thresholds – and triggers actions across multiple systems. “All of this is done dynamically with no manual administration between those systems,” Max says.
• AI readiness: Cumulocity collects data. Inauro prepares it. Perspio™ normalises inconsistent telemetry fields, fills data gaps, and structures inputs so businesses can confidently move into predictive maintenance and AI-supported decision-making.
• Compliance & ESG reporting: Cumulocity gives device insight, but it doesn’t clean or unify differing data formats. “Fuel, hours, utilisation – they’re represented differently across telemetry systems,” says Max. “Perspio™ standardises all of that, so reporting is accurate and automated.”
• Commercial model: Like many enterprise IoT platforms, Cumulocity’s value often relies on development capacity and add-ons. Inauro takes a simpler path: one price, full capability, continuous value.

Inauro takes telematics data further than tracking by fusing it with operational systems to improve efficiencies and insight

FAQs: IoT platforms, workflow automation and AI readiness

Q: Which IoT platform is better for connecting diverse data systems – Cumulocity or Inauro?

A: Cumulocity excels at connecting devices. Inauro connects devices and systems, fusing IoT data with ERPs, maintenance platforms, rental systems and logistics tools to create end-to-end workflows.

Q: Does Inauro offer more workflow automation features than Cumulocity?

A: Yes. Cumulocity supports rules but relies heavily on device models. Perspio™ dynamically groups assets, enriches data with context and triggers actions across multiple platforms with no manual admin.

Q: What’s the best IoT platform for real-time operational visibility – Inauro or Cumulocity?

A: Cumulocity gives real-time device health. Inauro goes further by combining device data with job, utilisation, safety and maintenance information to show what’s happening operationally, not just technically. 

Q: Is Cumulocity more focused on device management than Inauro?

A: Yes. Cumulocity is a device-first platform. Inauro is operations-first, designed for site managers, fleet managers and operators who need actionable insights rather than device dashboards.

Q: How does Inauro’s approach to data fusion differ from Cumulocity’s?

A: Cumulocity ingests device data into standardised models. Perspio™ fuses raw telemetry with business systems, contextualising 50+ potential data points per message and preparing them for automation and AI.

Q: Which IoT platform prepares businesses better for AI adoption – Cumulocity or Inauro?

A: Cumulocity provides the base device data. Inauro cleans, normalises and enriches this data so predictive analytics and AI can deliver meaningful outcomes across operations.

When Cumulocity is enough – and when to move up to Inauro

Choose Cumulocity when your priority is:

• device onboarding
• connectivity monitoring
• firmware and lifecycle management
• telemetry collection at scale.

Choose Inauro when you need:

• workflow automation across multiple systems
• AI-ready, contextualised data
• operational visibility beyond device status
• automatic compliance, maintenance and reporting workflows
• fast deployment without ripping out existing systems.

Visibility vs action: which one does your business need?

For operations managers and innovation leads, the real need isn’t just knowing whether a sensor is online. It’s ensuring every connected asset, job and system works together automatically.

Choose Cumulocity if device management is your main challenge.

Choose Inauro if you want true operational intelligence – automated workflows, reduced downtime, standardised reporting and AI-ready data.

Discover more about Perspio™ today.