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Calibre MCP lets your coding agent read RUM and Lighthouse data, then fix the slow code
Comparison · Analytics
Fulcrum vs ThingsBoard
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Fulcrum and ThingsBoard — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Fulcrum vs ThingsBoard: at a glance
| Feature | Fulcrum | ThingsBoard |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Analytics | Analytics |
| Velocity score | 6.3 | 5.0 |
| Sparks · 30d | 0 | 0 |
| Top themes | field data collection, ai assistant, mcp, gps | iot platform, security, release maintenance, lts |
| Last editorial update | 17h ago | 10d ago |
| Website | — | Visit → |
What is Fulcrum?
Fulcrum lets AI assistants sign in to its MCP server with a normal account.
Fulcrum, a field data collection platform, opened its Insights AI assistant to all customers in October. Its weekly web release now adds OAuth sign-in for the Fulcrum MCP server in alpha, so outside AI assistants connect with a user account and see only what that role allows. The rest is GPS Device Capture support on repeatables and fixes across the web, iOS and Android apps.
What is ThingsBoard?
ThingsBoard closes a script-sandbox file write and dozens of CVEs on its 4.3 and 4.2 lines.
ThingsBoard keeps three lines patched in parallel: 4.4, 4.3.1 and the 4.2 LTS. On October 27, 4.3.1.8 and 4.2.2.8 shipped a large security batch, including a fix for arbitrary file writes from the TBEL script sandbox and tamper protection for the OAuth2 authorization cookie. On October 30, 4.4.0.2 followed with security patches, though its notes list no details.
Fulcrum vs ThingsBoard: editorial side-by-side
Fulcrum
6.3ANALYTICS
Fulcrum lets AI assistants sign in to its MCP server with a normal account.
◆ Current state
Fulcrum, a field data collection platform, opened its Insights AI assistant to all customers in October. Its weekly web release now adds OAuth sign-in for the Fulcrum MCP server in alpha, so outside AI assistants connect with a user account and see only what that role allows. The rest is GPS Device Capture support on repeatables and fixes across the web, iOS and Android apps.
◆ Where it's heading
Fulcrum is opening its data to AI from both sides: Insights inside the product and MCP for assistants outside it. Role-scoped OAuth is the piece that makes the outside route usable without sharing API tokens.
◆ Prediction
The MCP sign-in is likely to move from alpha to beta in the weekly web notes, following how Insights and GPS Integration were labeled as they matured.
ThingsBoard
5.0ANALYTICS
ThingsBoard closes a script-sandbox file write and dozens of CVEs on its 4.3 and 4.2 lines.
◆ Current state
ThingsBoard keeps three lines patched in parallel: 4.4, 4.3.1 and the 4.2 LTS. On October 27, 4.3.1.8 and 4.2.2.8 shipped a large security batch, including a fix for arbitrary file writes from the TBEL script sandbox and tamper protection for the OAuth2 authorization cookie. On October 30, 4.4.0.2 followed with security patches, though its notes list no details.
◆ Where it's heading
After the 4.4 feature release the project is back to maintenance on all supported lines, mostly security and runtime fixes, with the IoT Hub catalogue getting steady UI work alongside. Feature work arrives in larger, infrequent releases.
◆ Prediction
Expect the next entries to be routine patches across all three lines. The notes do not say whether 4.4.0.2 carries the same fixes as the 4.3 batch.
Alternatives to Fulcrum and ThingsBoard
Other Analytics products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Fulcrum or ThingsBoard.
Dovetail
Dovetail opens its docs to Claude and ChatGPT as co-authors.
Apache SkyWalking
SkyWalking 11.1 builds service maps from OpenTelemetry traces, no SkyWalking agent required.
OpenReplay
OpenReplay's feed is Helm chart bumps behind its asset-cacher deny list.
Tinybird
Tinybird shrinks its Local image by a third after a run of observability updates.
OpenHouse
OpenHouse tightens view authorization and moves its optimizer schema to Flyway.
See all Fulcrum alternatives → · See all ThingsBoard alternatives →
Recent activity from Fulcrum and ThingsBoard
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 4d agoFulcrumWeb: MCP sign-in with OAuth (alpha), GPS capture on repeatables
- 5d agoFulcrumAndroid 2610.3.0: Follow Mode rotation and photo stability fixes
- 5d agoFulcrumiOS 2610.3.0: NMEA GPS accuracy and stability fixes
- 10d agoFulcrumWeb: bulk edit, PROJECTNAME() and Data Downloader fixes
- 10d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.4.0.2: security patches, no details listed
- 11d agoFulcrumAndroid 2610.2.1: drill-down photo save fix
- 12d agoFulcrumiOS 2610.2.1: Save and Done button contrast fix
- 13d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.3.1.8 fixes TBEL sandbox file write and CVE batch
- 13d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.2.2.8: LTS security backport
- 18d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.4.0.1: 2026 time zone data update
- 18d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.3.1.7: 2026 time zone data update
- 18d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.2.2.7: 2026 time zone data update
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Fulcrum and ThingsBoard?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Fulcrum is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Fulcrum better than ThingsBoard?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Fulcrum is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Analytics products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Fulcrum?
Top Fulcrum alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Fulcrum alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/fulcrum for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to ThingsBoard?
Top ThingsBoard alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "ThingsBoard alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/thingsboard for the full list with editorial commentary on each.