KNX vs. Proprietary Systems for Installers

KNX: Your way. Always.

A single-manufacturer system can be quick to install. But it ties you and your client to one company, for life. KNX keeps the choice, and the opportunity, open. Now and for the coming decades.

Download the paper and the comparison table

KNX vs. a single-manufacturer system

Find out what KNX can offer you and your clients compared to a proprietary system.

Theme	KNX	A single-manufacturer, proprietary system
Business opportunity	One installation can lead to the next. You can take on bigger, higher-value projects that run on the same skills, and the client relationship stays yours.	Your work stays limited to what one system allows. A bigger or different project can mean new training, or losing a client to someone else.
Cost over time	Low cost to start. Low cost to grow. Add or change parts without replacing the system.	Low cost to start, higher cost later. A big change often means a new system altogether.
Choice of supplier	Choose from 500+ certified manufacturers and switch any supplier at any time.	One manufacturer, full stop. Switching from supplier, means switching the system.
Skills needed	ETS, the KNX configuration tool, takes time to learn. Learn it once, and use it on every future KNX job, of any size.	Fast to learn, but these skills are only relevant within that one system.
Reliability	Each device pulls its own weight. If one fails, the rest is moving on.	One central hub often runs the system. If it fails, the whole system can stop working.
Who stays in control	You and your client decide on what gets added, when and who you buy it from.	The manufacturer sets the prices and makes the rules. Some also bill your client directly, not you.
Cost over time	Low cost to start. Low cost to grow. Add or change parts without replacing the system.	Low cost to start, higher cost later. A big change often means a new system altogether.
Long-term support	KNX is an open ISO standard, supported for 30+ years and counting.	Support depends on one company. It can end if that company changes or closes.

Download the full paper and comparison table

Why installers choose KNX over proprietary systems

A single-manufacturer system can look quick and cheap to install. But it ties your business, and your client’s building, to one company’s survival, prices and permission, for as long as the system runs. KNX is built differently and offers these clear benefits for installers:

Low upfront cost, lasting value

Durable installs with a long product life. Expand a system without replacing it, and keep the client coming back for future work.

A hand interacting with a digital wall panel

A limitless, vendor-independent portfolio

Choose from 500+ certified manufacturers, and switch products or suppliers freely as your client’s needs and budget change.

Learn once, work on any job

Your one-off training works for every KNX project and any manufacturer’s products, from a single room to a large multi-building site.

A male electrician working on some wiring

Built to last, and never stranded

Intelligence is distributed across the system’s devices, so there is no single hub or company to depend on. If one device or one manufacturer fails, the building keeps working.

A modern seating area in front of a wall-mounted TV

Reliable for your client

Your client has absolute freedom of choice in companies and devices. If a manufacturer closes down or a device is no longer supported, the system keeps working and any alternative device can be added in its place.

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Will KNX devices still be supported in ten, twenty or thirty years?

As an open ISO standard, KNX is built to last. This means devices remain supported for decades to come.

What happens if a manufacturer is bought, changes its terms, or closes down?

Any alternative certified device from another manufacturer can be integrated, without disruption to the rest of the system.

How well does the system keep up with new regulations and new technology?

The KNX standard is continually updated to support the latest requirements and innovations.

Can the system keep up with new rules and technology?

The KNX standard is continuously updated to keep pace with new rules and technologies.

Do I keep the client relationship?

With KNX, the client relationship is yours from day one, and it stays yours for every future job on that system.

Can I fit the system to my client’s budget?

Yes, you can choose from hundreds of manufacturers within every price class to match your client’s budget.

A single-manufacturer system can be quick to install. But it ties you and your client to one company, for life. KNX keeps the choice, and the opportunity, open. Now and for the coming decades.

KNX vs. a single-manufacturer system

Find out what KNX can offer you and your clients compared to a proprietary system.