SaM Solutions vs Rigado: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Rigado (4.3/5) edges ahead of SaM Solutions (4.0/5) overall. Rigado is the better choice for commercial IoT deployments needing pre-certified BLE modules and firmware. SaM Solutions is the stronger option for enterprises wanting an established IT generalist with embedded capability. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
SaM Solutions vs Rigado: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | SaM Solutions | Rigado |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 | 2010 |
| HQ | Gilching, Germany | Portland and Salem, Oregon, USA (also London, UK and Shenzhen, China) |
| Team size | 501–1,000 | 12–17 |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Three-decade-old IT services firm with an embedded and IoT practice inside a much broader software portfolio | Pre-certified low-power wireless modules paired with edge computing and firmware for large-scale commercial IoT rollouts |
| Pricing model | Fixed project, staff augmentation, and managed services | Product and firmware engagements, plus module and hardware sales |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Embedded C/C++, IoT platforms, Enterprise integration tooling | BLE, 802.15.4, Edge computing platforms |
| Industries served | Manufacturing, Automotive, Enterprise IT | Retail IoT, Smart buildings, Asset tracking |
SaM Solutions vs Rigado: overview
SaM Solutions
SaM Solutions was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Gilching, Germany, with a workforce reported between 501 and 1,000 employees serving clients across Europe and the United States. Embedded and IoT engineering sits as one practice area within a broader IT services portfolio that also covers enterprise software, QA, and data engineering, so the firm suits a client that wants an established generalist with embedded capability rather than a specialist firmware boutique. Its scale and three-decade history give it more organizational stability than most firms on this list, at the cost of the deep firmware specialization boutiques offer.
Rigado
Rigado was founded in 2010 by Justin Rigling and Ben Corrado and is headquartered in Portland and Salem, Oregon, with additional offices in London and Shenzhen; employee counts are reported between roughly 12 and 17 people depending on the source. The firm provides pre-certified low-power wireless modules alongside gateways, firmware, and an edge computing platform for commercial and industrial IoT deployments such as asset tracking and smart buildings. Its small team size focused on Bluetooth Low Energy and edge connectivity makes it a narrower specialist than the larger, broader-scope firms on this list.
Services and capabilities: SaM Solutions vs Rigado
| Capability | SaM Solutions | Rigado |
|---|---|---|
| RTOS firmware development | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bare-metal & driver development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Secure boot / OTA firmware updates | ✗ | ✗ |
| MCU & platform migration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Connectivity & IoT protocols | ✓ | ✓ |
| Functional safety / MISRA compliance | ✗ | ✗ |
| Embedded AI / on-device inference | ✗ | ✗ |
| Firmware GUI development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Staff augmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: SaM Solutions vs Rigado
| Framework / platform | SaM Solutions | Rigado |
|---|---|---|
| FreeRTOS | N/A | N/A |
| Zephyr | N/A | N/A |
| STM32 | N/A | N/A |
| ARM Cortex-M | N/A | N/A |
| BLE | N/A | ✓ |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| Secure OTA | N/A | N/A |
| PCB | N/A | N/A |
| AWS IoT | N/A | N/A |
| RISC-V | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: SaM Solutions vs Rigado
| Criterion | SaM Solutions | Rigado |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Staff augmentation, Managed services | Fixed project |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: SaM Solutions vs Rigado
| Dimension | SaM Solutions | Rigado |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Mid-market to enterprise | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Manufacturing, Automotive, Enterprise IT | Retail IoT, Smart buildings, Asset tracking |
| Best use cases | Enterprise client wanting a single established vendor for both firmware and broader IT needs, Large-scale industrial IoT program needing significant staff augmentation capacity | Large-scale commercial IoT deployment needing pre-certified BLE modules, Smart building or asset-tracking program requiring an edge computing platform alongside firmware |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
SaM Solutions vs Rigado: pros and cons
| SaM Solutions | |
|---|---|
| + | More than three decades of operating history since 1993 gives strong organizational stability |
| + | Large team of 501 to 1,000 supports bigger, multi-workstream enterprise programs |
| + | Broader IT services portfolio can absorb adjacent work like enterprise integration alongside firmware |
| - | Embedded and IoT firmware is a smaller practice inside a much larger generalist IT business |
| - | Less firmware-specific specialization than the boutique firms ranked above it on this list |
| Rigado | |
|---|---|
| + | Pre-certified BLE and low-power wireless modules can shorten time to certification for a new IoT product |
| + | Offices spanning Oregon, London, and Shenzhen give reach across major IoT manufacturing and deployment regions |
| + | Edge computing platform plus firmware and modules covers the full connectivity stack for large rollouts |
| - | Team size in the low teens limits capacity for large, multi-workstream programs |
| - | Narrow specialization in BLE and edge connectivity is a weaker fit for RTOS-heavy or bare-metal firmware projects outside that scope |
Who should choose SaM Solutions?
A typical fit: enterprise client wanting a single established vendor for both firmware and broader IT needs.
Three-decade-old IT services firm with an embedded and IoT practice inside a much broader software portfolio. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Manufacturing, Automotive, Enterprise IT.
Who should choose Rigado?
A typical fit: large-scale commercial IoT deployment needing pre-certified BLE modules.
Pre-certified low-power wireless modules paired with edge computing and firmware for large-scale commercial IoT rollouts. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Retail IoT, Smart buildings, Asset tracking.
Decision matrix: SaM Solutions vs Rigado
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | SaM Solutions |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: SaM Solutions (Not published) vs Rigado (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | SaM Solutions |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | SaM Solutions |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: SaM Solutions vs Rigado
| Use case | SaM Solutions fit | Rigado fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise client wanting a single established vendor for both firmware and broader IT needs | Strong | Limited | SaM Solutions |
| Large-scale industrial IoT program needing significant staff augmentation capacity | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Large-scale commercial IoT deployment needing pre-certified BLE modules | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Smart building or asset-tracking program requiring an edge computing platform alongside firmware | Limited | Strong | Rigado |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Strong | Limited | SaM Solutions |
Verdict: SaM Solutions vs Rigado
Rigado (4.3/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Development projects. Pre-certified low-power wireless modules paired with edge computing and firmware for large-scale commercial IoT rollouts.
SaM Solutions (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need large-scale industrial IoT program needing significant staff augmentation capacity. If your situation matches that, SaM Solutions is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
SaM Solutions vs Rigado FAQ
Is SaM Solutions better than Rigado?
Rigado (4.3/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. SaM Solutions's strongest advantage: more than three decades of operating history since 1993 gives strong organizational stability. Rigado's strongest advantage: pre-certified BLE and low-power wireless modules can shorten time to certification for a new IoT product.
How do SaM Solutions and Rigado differ in pricing?
SaM Solutions uses fixed project, staff augmentation, and managed services pricing. Rigado uses product and firmware engagements, plus module and hardware sales pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: SaM Solutions or Rigado?
SaM Solutions is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between SaM Solutions and Rigado?
SaM Solutions's primary differentiator is: three-decade-old IT services firm with an embedded and IoT practice inside a much broader software portfolio. Rigado's primary differentiator is: pre-certified low-power wireless modules paired with edge computing and firmware for large-scale commercial IoT rollouts. They also differ in team size (501–1,000 vs 12–17), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Manufacturing, Automotive vs Retail IoT, Smart buildings).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.