A comparison of real-time location systems, breaking down technologies, features, and key specifications.
Real-time location systems (RTLS) have become an essential tool in healthcare technology management (HTM), giving organizations greater visibility into equipment, staff, and patient movement. However, systems can vary in their underlying technologies, integration options, features, and overall capabilities.
This RTLS comparison guide highlights specifications from vendors to help HTM teams evaluate which solutions best align with their operational and technical needs. It highlights differences in hardware, workflow capabilities, pricing structures, and other features to support informed decision-making.
AiRISTA Flow, Inc – Sofia
Midmark RTLS- Midmark CareFlow RTLS
TrueSpot Health – MedSpot 360 powered by AQFind
Cognosos – Cognosos
CenTrak – CenTrak End-to-End RTLS Platform
HID Global – HID Healthcare RTLS
| Company Name: | AiRISTA Flow, Inc | Midmark RTLS | TrueSpot Health | Cognosos | CenTrak | HID Global |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMMS: | Sofia | Midmark CareFlow RTLS | MedSpot 360 powered by AQFind | Cognosos | CenTrak End-to-End RTLS Platform | HID Healthcare RTLS |
| Website: | airistaflow.com | careflowrtls.com | truespothealth.com | cognosos.com/ | centrak.com/ | hidglobal.com |
| Description: | AiRISTA’s solution is uniquely differentiated because of its seamless integration with clinical, facility, and business applications to orchestrate workflows using sofia’s powerful rules engine, many interfaces with wireless infrastructure vendors to ease deployment and reduce costs by avoiding the need for an overlay network, multiple location engine and technology options to scale from proximity to sub meter accuracy, and expansive tag portfolio with many patented capabilities such as two-way communication. No other vendor can offer everything AiRISTA provides at a better price. | Midmark RTLS stands out for deep healthcare expertise, robust technology, and a strong customer success mindset. Its hybrid IR/BLE architecture enables facility-wide coverage and precise, room-level locating, with broad interoperability across EMR and nurse call systems, plus open APIs for flexible integration. A dedicated team of experts and regionally certified System Integrators provide expert guidance and support at every stage. Midmark RTLS is consistently ranked as a top 3 RTLS vendor by KLAS and is recognized for its long-standing Epic integration including Epic Toolbox designation for RTLS and real-time, bi-directional data exchange. | MedSpot 360 from TrueSpot is the next-generation location-powered asset management solution that is purpose-built for healthcare and hospitals. This end-to-end solution is powered by the proprietary and multi-patented AQFind™ campus network. Our plug-and-play wireless network, ultra-small TrueTags™, and mobile-friendly MODAR Mode™ (Mobile + Radar) make deployment fast and asset tracking precise, even for hidden equipment. With robust reporting, asset proximity alarms, and seamless integration, TrueSpot delivers rapid ROI, fewer lost assets, and greater staff efficiency with minimal IT burden. | Cognosos is unlike any other RTLS solution as we use a proprietary AI Hierarchical Inference Framework to directly determine the location of all tracked devices, delivering highly confident, highly accurate real-time location throughout the hospital without having to install hardware in every room. This is achieved with the installation of simple BLE reference beacons (long-life, battery-operated) that provide reference points for the AI algorithm to reference against. Cognosos also provides outdoor location visibility, which is an often-requested requirement for staff safety solutions. | One platform. Every level of locating. From Bluetooth to clinical-grade, CenTrak delivers flexible RTLS solutions to fit your needs and budget. Trusted by healthcare leaders, CenTrak goes beyond tracking to deliver actionable data that drives safety, efficiency, and better patient experiences. Use cases span asset tracking, staff duress protection, workflow automation, environmental monitoring, wayfinding, infant protection, wander management, hand hygiene compliance monitoring and more, empowering hospitals to scale from point solutions to enterprise-wide programs. | The HID RTLS platform enables real-time coordination of assets, staff, and patients through our portfolio of solutions including asset management, staff safety, Infant security, wander management, wayfinding, hand hygiene, environmental monitoring, and clinical workflow. Our goal is to improve efficiency and safety across hospitals. Our solutions are designed specifically for healthcare, and our team of clinically trained specialists is here to support our customers in both their mission and ours, which is why our focus is always first and foremost on delivering solutions that will keep patients safe. |
| Year RTLS Launched: | 2023 | 1995 | 2022 | 2015 | 2007 | 1990 |
| Primary use cases supported: | Asset tracking, staff workflow, patient tracking, hand hygiene compliance, temperature/environmental monitoring, staff duress | Asset tracking, staff workflow, patient tracking, temperature/environmental monitoring, staff duress, nurse call automation, patient flow, interfaces, contact tracing | Asset tracking, patient tracking | Asset tracking, staff workflow, hand hygiene compliance, temperature/environmental monitoring, automated equipment distribution, native PAR room management, staff duress/panic wearable devices | Asset tracking, staff workflow, patient tracking, hand hygiene compliance, temperature/environmental monitoring, clinical workflow, staff duress, nurse call automation, infection control, safety solutions, wander management, digital wayfinding | Asset tracking, staff workflow, patient tracking, infant protection, hand hygiene compliance, temperature/environmental monitoring, wayfinding |
| Technology types used: | Infrared, Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi, BLE Angle of Arrival, GPS, Cellular | Infrared, Ultrasound, Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi, RFID, Ultra-wideband | Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, Proprietary LoRa + LTE + MODAR Mode, and proprietary implementation and integration of technologies | Bluetooth low energy, AI hierarchical inference framework, a deep-learning neural network situation-extraction with Ensemble Voting final stage | Infrared, Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi, RFID, second generation infrared, low frequency | Bluetooth low energy, RFID, ultra-wideband, LF |
| Deployment models offered: | Cloud-based, on-premises | On-premises, hybrid | Hybrid | Cloud-based | Cloud-based, on-premises, hybrid | Cloud-based, on-premises, hybrid |
| Typical hospital profiles served: | All types use our solution for staff duress. Asset tracking is more common in larger hospitals. | Hospitals, outpatient clinics, oncology centers | Acute care facilities, surgical centers, community hospitals, senior centers, academic medical centers, IDNs, pediatric hospitals, trauma centers | Large community hospitals that are part of IDNs, state and county hospitals | Academic medical centers, IDNs, children’s hospitals, community hospitals, critical Access hospitals, senior care communities, ambulatory surgery centers | Acute care hospitals, academic medical centers, IDNs |
| What hardware components are available? | Asset tag, asset tag with buttons to trigger workflows, high-temp asset tag, disposable asset tags, patient tag with call button, staff badge with duress button, staff badge with display, safety switch, man down alert, soft tag for staff with display and duress button, temperature sensor, humidity sensor | CareFlow RTLS leverages a hybrid architecture to deliver both precision and scalability. It uses infrared technology for room- and bed-level accuracy, supported by sensors, badges, and asset tags. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) enables near-room locating and works with sensors, badges, and tags, while also being compatible with existing BLE-capable infrastructure. Wi-Fi provides zone-level locating and supports asset tags only, with compatibility for existing Wi-Fi-capable infrastructure. | Wide range of ultra small and long battery life trackers (eg TrueTags). Various small form factors (Triangle, SIM-Tag, Teardrop, Sticker Tags, Flex Tags (waterproof) Tags (replaceable battery). All form factors are highly IP rated; some have replaceable batteries, and all are easily attached to any and all hospital assets. Proprietary indoor (USB and battery powered) and outdoor (solar + battery) BLE/LoRA gateways. Proprietary asset proximity alarms (used to detect critical assets entering forbidden areas or exiting designated areas). | Asset tag, staff badge with call button, Beacon, gateway, exit monitors, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, hand hygiene sensor | Asset tags (mini, micro, scope tags), patient and infant wearables, staff badge with customizable call buttons, BLE Gateways, Repeaters and Beacons, Room-level Monitors, Virtual Walls and LF Exciters, “Star” CenTrak’s Dedicated UHF Access Point, Temperature and Environmental Monitoring Sensors, Probes and Buffers, Doors and elevator controllers, External Hand Hygiene Sensors, Embedded Hand Hygiene Sensors | Tags include staff badge with call button, infant security tag, asset tag, temperature and environmental sensors, patient locating tags, high-risk patient tamper tags, and ABHS/soap dispenser tags. Infrastructure, including readers, indoor/outdoor gateways, and exciters |
| Integration capabilities: | CMMS, nurse call, EHR, building systems, and clinical systems such as infusion pumps. Examples include Ascom, Singlewire, Connexall, Epic, BD | Nurse call, CMMS, EMR systems like Epic, alarm suppression, smart IV pumps, patient engagement, digital whiteboards | TrueSpot APIs enable secure, real-time data exchange with external systems, supporting workflows like preventive maintenance updates, asset status syncs, or patient-flow automation. The platform can push or receive location events, asset metadata, or usage state changes in real time, allowing for bidirectional integrations where required. | CMMS, nurse call, building security, infusion pump platforms, other integrations (uses an open API first model) | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth access point providers, CMMS, nurse call, EHR, building automation systems, infotainment/edutainment platforms, clinical communication devices, security platforms | CMMS- Service Now, Nuvolo, AIMS, TMS; Nurse call- Westcom EHR/digital engagement – Epic, Cerner, Get Well, Video management systems- Genetec, Milestone, Ocularis, Avigilon, Access aontrol – Lenel, CCure, Mass notification / alarm management – Tiger Connect, Connexall, Spok, Lynx +, others |
| Workflow and analytics features: | Sofia has the ability to create custom dashboards and reports. The built-in rules engine makes it easy to create custom alerts and trigger actions in external systems. Example rules are for zone entry/exit/dwell/absence, button pushes, PAR level, and motion. | Nuse call automation, staff duress, asset tracking, patient flow, analytics, contact tracing, interfaces | Near real-time location data across thousands of assets. Integrated with PowerBI, it delivers analytics and reports on asset utilization, travel history, PAR levels, and equipment loss prevention. | Automation of clean equipment distribution, automation of soiled equipment pick up, automation of transport equipment staging, mobile equipment utilization and availability metrics, preventative maintenance schedules, environmental monitoring, hand hygiene compliance rates by floor and department | A user-friendly, cloud-based enterprise platform that automates workflows, enhances staff efficiency, and supports compliance. Built-in analytics deliver actionable insights, milestone tracking, and a holistic view of interactions to identify bottlenecks and optimize operations. | Customizable reporting, alerting, and dashboards are incorporated into all of our solution suites; for example asset utilization, patient & staff safety alerting, hand hygiene compliance, environmental monitoring, and patient and staff workflow. |
| Support and maintenance: | In-house, vendor-managed | Hybrid | In-house, vendor-managed, hybrid | Vendor-managed | In-house, vendor-managed, hybrid | Hybrid |
| Pricing model: | Most common purchases are one-time tag purchases with a multi-year software subscription tied to each tag. Costs vary by module, tag type, and infrastructure type. | Pricing typically includes capital expenses and annual expenses, although operational models are also available. Cost is dependent on the size of the deployment, use cases, and location. | Built to scale with each customer’s needs, aligning costs with the size of the deployment. Flexible subscription tiers based on the number of tracked assets and selected features, with one-time hardware and installation costs. Customizable features, such as advanced analytics, integrations, and enhanced support, allow customers to customize their solution while ensuring predictable, transparent pricing. | SaaS-based subscription based on facility size, number of tracked assets, monitored devices (soap dispensers, refrigerators, etc), and supported staff. | Flexible pricing structures to accommodate a variety of deployment models and organizational needs. Options include capital purchases, subscription-based packages, and scalable models based on room count, badge/tag volume, or bundled services. Incentive pricing is available through Group Purchasing Organization, with discounts offered for volume commitments and multi-year agreements. | Infrastructure sold as one-time cost with software as a subscription. |
Last updated August 2025.
Information for this guide is based on data submitted by RTLS marketers. 24×7 strives for accuracy in all data but cannot be held responsible for claims made by marketers. All RTLS marketers get one listing at no charge. Advertisers are offered multiple listings. All RTLS platforms may not be included. Email [email protected] to be considered for the next update.
