Datacake
German no-code IoT platform with dashboards, rules and a free LoRaWAN network server, starting from a free five-device plan
Quick Overview
| Company | DATACAKE GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | IoT Platforms |
| Headquarters | Vreden, Germany |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | Not stated on the pages reviewed |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Dashboard builder, rule engine, LoRaWAN network server, white label, REST API, MQTT and HTTPS webhooks, reporting engine, 400+ device templates, mobile app |
| Pricing | Free for 5 devices; Hobby EUR 25/month (25 devices); Light EUR 159/month (50 devices); Standard EUR 399/month (200 devices); Plus EUR 659/month (1,000 devices); Enterprise on request (checked 30 October 2026) |
| Best For | Small teams that want sensor dashboards and alerts live within a day |
| Replaces | Particle Console dashboards, Particle Ledger and Logic for data views |
Detailed Review
Datacake sits at the application end of the IoT stack. You bring sensors or gateways, and the platform supplies the part people usually build themselves: dashboards, alert rules, reports and a place to hand the result to a customer.
The company is a GmbH registered in Vreden, and its site closes each page with the line "Engineered in Germany". Its pricing page is public and quoted in euros, which makes budgeting for a pilot easy compared with vendors that only quote on request.
A Free Entry Point That Includes the Network Server
Datacake offers a plan that stays free for five devices, and the vendor says its LoRaWAN network server carries no per-gateway fees. For a LoRaWAN project that removes two line items before the first sensor is installed.
Paid plans are sized by device count rather than by feature gate, and the vendor states that every plan includes the full platform feature set.
Rules and Reports Without Programming
The dashboard builder and rule engine are meant for people who are not firmware developers. Basic rules are in every plan, while advanced rules, log retention and the reporting engine grow with the tier, from 5 advanced rules on Hobby to 100 on Plus.
Data goes out through MQTT, HTTPS webhooks and a REST API, so readings can feed a BI tool, an ERP or an in-house service.
White Label for Resellers
From the Light plan upward the platform can carry your own branding, and Plus adds a user and audit log. That suits system integrators who run one environment per customer and want the customer to see only their own logo.
Limitations to Consider
Datacake handles data, not connectivity or firmware: you still need a SIM provider such as 1NCE and a way to update devices, for which Mender is the closer fit. Pricing climbs with device count and add-ons, and data retention is one year on paid plans, two years only through an add-on. Invoice payment is limited to annual billing on Standard and above.
Who Should Use Datacake
Integrators and product teams that want customer-facing sensor dashboards, alerts and white label without writing a front end, especially on LoRaWAN.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free plan for five devices with no time limit
- LoRaWAN network server without per-gateway fees
- Euro pricing published for every tier up to 1,000 devices
- No-code dashboards, alert rules and reporting
- White label available from the Light plan
Cons
- Not a connectivity or firmware-update provider
- Data retention is one year unless you buy the add-on
- Hosting location not stated on the pages reviewed
- Invoice payment needs annual billing
Alternatives to Datacake
Other European iot platforms worth comparing before you decide:
Thinger.io
Spain · IoT cloud instance with fixed monthly price per size
akenza
Switzerland · Self-service IoT platform for LoRaWAN and building data
Nabto
Denmark · Peer-to-peer and WebRTC remote access for devices
Mender
Norway · Open source OTA updates for Linux and RTOS fleets
See all European iot platforms or compare them directly against Particle Console dashboards on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The platform includes its own LoRaWAN network server, and the vendor says it has no per-gateway fees. Customers who already run a server, for example on The Things Stack, can feed data in through integrations instead.
Five devices, with no time limit according to the pricing page. Paid plans start with Hobby at EUR 25 per month for up to 25 devices.
Yes, white label is included from the Light plan at EUR 159 per month. Standard and Plus add more white-label sites, and Enterprise is custom.