BACnet versus Modbus: Which 1 to Choose

Having options sure can be nice; however, sometimes help is needed to weigh out the options in order to choose the best one. Here at Functional Devices, we have lots of options for relays and other devices in the “Intelligent Field Devices” category. A brief glance through the category and one will see two options: BACnet-enabled devices and Modbus-enabled devices. The big question, though, is which one is the right choice?

BACnet and Modbus communication protocols are both non-proprietary, so that’s a convenient aspect that they share. Each protocol has its limitations, and we will not go into those details here. Also, if you already have a BACnet system up and running, then why switch over to Modbus? The same is true if the table was turned.

Simply looking at the products that we have to offer, then, one may see we have many options for BACnet. Here is a rundown of the features of the products within each category:

At the end of the day, the right product to choose might come down to a couple of specifications: 1) the best communication protocol for the application; 2) the features needed within the product itself. If the BACnet protocol is already implemented, then the choice is made up for you. Refer to the chart above for a quick rundown of the different features of each device.

Any questions? Contact the Technical Support team for a quick answer – we’re happy to help!