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Conserv vs HOBO: which is right for your collection?

Last updated: September 25, 2026

The short answerHOBO MX loggers are accurate, affordable instruments that suit spot checks, short-term studies, and lower-risk spaces where someone can download data on a schedule. Conserv suits museums, libraries, and archives that need to know about a problem while it’s happening, in buildings where Bluetooth and Wi-Fi don’t reach, with preservation metrics, real-time alerts, and conservator support included. Many institutions start by moving their highest-risk spaces to Conserv and keep HOBO loggers elsewhere.

HOBO® data loggers, made by Onset and now a LI-COR brand, are accurate, widely used instruments. Most collections use the Bluetooth MX series, where you download data on site with the HOBOconnect app or relay it to the cloud through an MX Gateway. Conserv is a monitoring platform built for collections care in museums, libraries, archives, and historic properties: long-range wireless sensors, preservation analytics, real-time alerts, and support from conservators, in one subscription. This page compares Conserv with the HOBO MX series so you can decide which fits your institution.

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Wireless range

Collection environments are hard on wireless signals: concrete floors, dense shelving, metal cases, and few access points. HOBO MX loggers use Bluetooth, rated at about 100 feet with a clear line of sight and less through walls. Conserv’s LoRaWAN sensors reach several hundred feet through walls and floors, so one gateway typically covers a whole building.

What’s included

Conserv’s Complete plan is one subscription: the hardware, software with preservation metrics and reporting built in, real-time alerts, and support from conservators. Devices are covered for the life of your subscription and replaced with freshly calibrated ones every three years. With HOBO, loggers, gateways, cloud data plans, calibration certificates, and extended warranties are sold separately, and preservation analysis needs separate software.

Real-time alerts

SMS and email alerts come standard with Conserv’s Complete plan, so you hear about a leak or a failing HVAC unit while there’s still time to act, wherever you are. HOBO MX loggers sound an on-device alarm; email and text alerts require an MX Gateway, Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and a cloud data plan.

Which is right for you?

HOBO MX loggers are a good fit for spot checks, short-term studies, monitoring where real-time alerts are not required, and low-risk spaces where someone can collect data on a schedule. They’re inexpensive, accurate, and familiar to most collections staff.

Conserv is a good fit when you need to know about a problem while it’s happening, including overnight and over holiday weekends; when your building makes Wi-Fi or Bluetooth unreliable; when your team’s time is better spent on the collection than on walking to loggers; and when you want preservation metrics and reports without building them yourself.

Many institutions run both for a while. See the FAQ below for some tips on how to do this.

Considering other environmental monitoring options? Our Buyer’s Guide to Environmental Monitoring covers seven factors for evaluating any modern system, from vendor commitment and IT fit to total cost of ownership, and includes a weighted scoring template you can use to compare HOBO, Conserv, or anything else side by side. Get the guide →

How do HOBO and Conserv compare?

HOBO serves general-purpose instrumentation across labs, agriculture, building science, and many other fields. The MX series has long been used in museums because it is accurate and affordable. Conserv was built specifically for collections care: it covers more agents of deterioration, collects data automatically, and includes the analytics conservators actually use.

HOBO MX multi-step data collection process

  1. 1Walk to each logger
  2. 2Download the data over Bluetooth to your device
  3. 3Share the files or upload to LI-COR Cloud
  4. 4Export the data
  5. 5Import into a spreadsheet or analysis software
  6. You find out after the fact

Conserv automated data collection

  1. 1Sensors send readings to Conserv Cloud automatically through the gateway
  2. 2Real-time alerts and preservation metrics, out of the box
  3. You can act while it's happening
With an MX Gateway and a cloud data plan, HOBO MX data uploads to LI-COR Cloud automatically, which removes the first three steps; preservation metrics still need separate software.

Hardware and networking

HOBO figures are from Onset’s published specifications for the MX1101 and MX1104, the models Onset recommends for museum and preservation monitoring, as of September 2026. Conserv figures are from the published specifications for the Smart Collection Sensor (SCS-3-5) and Conserv’s gateway documentation. See Sources below.

Feature HOBO MX (MX1101 / MX1104) Conserv (Smart Collection Sensor SCS-3-5)
Measurement parameters Temperature and RH (MX1101); temperature, RH, light, and one external channel (MX1104). Other parameters need other loggers Temperature, RH, visible light, UV, and movement/shock in one device
Temperature accuracy ±0.21°C / ±0.38°F (MX1101); ±0.20°C / ±0.36°F (MX1104), from 0–50°C ±0.1°C / ±0.18°F typical; ±0.3°C / ±0.54°F maximum
RH accuracy ±2% from 20–80% RH (MX1101); ±2.5% typical from 10–90% RH (MX1104) ±1% typical; ±2% maximum
Drift Temperature: <0.1°C (0.18°F) per year RH: <1% per year typical Temperature: <0.03°C (0.05°F) per year RH: <0.2% per year
Getting data off the device Download over Bluetooth to the HOBOconnect app on a phone, tablet, or Windows computer, where the data files are stored until you upload or share them. Then export CSV or XLSX files, or upload to LI-COR Cloud (formerly HOBOlink) with a data plan Syncs automatically to Conserv Cloud through the gateway, with no phones or laptops involved in routine collection. If a sensor loses connection, stored readings can be recovered over Bluetooth with the Conserv mobile app, which syncs them straight to the cloud without storing them on the phone
Automated data transmission Yes, with an MX Gateway and a cloud data plan Yes, continuous, included in the Complete plan
Range in open space (line of sight) About 100 ft (30.5 m) from logger to gateway or phone (Bluetooth) Several miles outdoors with no obstructions (LoRaWAN)
Range inside a building Less than 100 ft once walls, metal display cases, shelving, or floors are in the way Several hundred feet through walls and floors. Sensors have reported reliably from more than 300 ft (100 yards) away, across multiple floors
Coverage from one gateway Loggers within about 100 ft line of sight. Covering several rooms or floors usually means more gateways, each needing its own Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection Typically a whole building: tens of thousands of square feet, including multiple floors and concrete construction
Network setup MX Gateway connects over Wi-Fi or Ethernet Gateway connects over cellular, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet, so no IT project is required
Battery life About 1 year at 1-minute logging (MX1101, and MX1104 with Bluetooth Always On); about 2 years for the MX1104 with Bluetooth Always On disabled (per Onset) 3–4 years typical (36–48 months) with readings every 15 minutes
Best suited for Spot checks, short-term studies, and lower-risk spaces High-value or sensitive collections and buildings that are hard on wireless signals
Other devices A broad catalogue for many industries A curated set for collection risks, including leak detection and cold and cryo storage

HOBO MX: Bluetooth, about 100 ft line of sight

Illustrative diagram of a three-floor building with one HOBO MX Gateway on the ground floor. Its Bluetooth range of about 100 feet line of sight reaches one nearby logger; loggers in other rooms, upstairs and in the basement store are out of range.

Conserv: LoRaWAN, several hundred feet through walls and floors

Illustrative diagram of the same three-floor building with one Conserv LoRaWAN gateway on the ground floor, connected to sensors in every room on every floor, including the basement store.

■ Reporting to the gateway automatically□ Out of range: download on site or add a gateway

Illustrative only. Real coverage depends on your building. HOBO MX figures are from Onset; Conserv figures are from Conserv’s gateway documentation. Both are listed in the Sources at the end of this page.

IT and security

Feature HOBO MX Conserv
Sensor-to-gateway link Bluetooth Low Energy. An optional logger password restricts which devices can connect LoRaWAN with AES-128 encryption between sensor and gateway
Gateway connection The MX Gateway joins your institution's Wi-Fi or Ethernet network, so IT usually needs to approve and configure it Cellular, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet. With cellular, the monitoring system runs on its own network, separate from your institution's IT network, and typically needs no IT involvement to deploy
Where the data travels Readout files are stored on the phone, tablet, or computer running HOBOconnect until uploaded or shared. With an MX Gateway, data goes to LI-COR Cloud over your network Readings go from sensor to gateway to Conserv Cloud. The Conserv mobile app doesn't store readings on the device
Data hosting and access LI-COR Cloud, with user management tools Conserv Cloud with unlimited users and standard roles; role-based access control and local data hosting on the Enterprise plan
Data export and ownership Yes: CSV export, custom exports, and an API Yes: CSV export, custom and scheduled reports, and an API

Analysis software and alerts

Feature HOBO (HOBOconnect / LI-COR Cloud) Conserv
Data visualization Yes: graphs in HOBOconnect, dashboards in LI-COR Cloud Yes, including preservation-specific views such as 24-hour fluctuation
Preservation metrics Not built in. Requires additional software Built in and calculated automatically
Reporting Chart and CSV exports; custom exports and an API in LI-COR Cloud Industry reports (for example the AAM General Facility Report), custom reports, and scheduled reports
Real-time alerts On-device audible and visual alarms. Email and text alerts require an MX Gateway and cloud data plan Real-time, configurable SMS and email alerts, included
Log observations against data No collections-specific observation log Yes
Integrated pest management (IPM) No Yes
Mobile app Yes (HOBOconnect) Yes

Services and support

Feature HOBO Conserv
Support Manufacturer technical support for the devices Support from in-house conservators who understand your collection and your goals
Collections-focused professional services No Available as add-ons, including data analysis and building assessments
Warranty and replacement One year from purchase; two-year extended or premium warranties sold separately at 10% or 25% of logger cost Covered for the life of your subscription, with refreshed devices every 3 years
Calibration Calibration certificates available at extra cost when you order. HOBOconnect has no user-adjustable calibration correction for MX temperature/RH loggers Freshly calibrated devices every 3 years, included. In-field calibration adjustments in the Conserv mobile app, and if you need a lab calibration in between, Conserv coordinates it with a third-party lab for you
See Conserv in your building
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What does it look like to switch to Conserv?

Two institutions that moved from HOBO to Conserv.

Maryland State Archives

Before

HOBO loggers across three historic buildings, with data collected on periodic retrieval visits. If conditions drifted between visits, no one knew until the next download.

With Conserv

Real-time monitoring and threshold alerts across the State House, Government House, and the main archives building, so the team hears about a problem while there’s still time to act.

Read the full story →

University of Wyoming Art Museum

Before

Twenty HOBO loggers in galleries without reliable Wi-Fi, a monthly walk to collect from each one, and three to four hours of processing before the data was usable.

With Conserv

Continuous remote monitoring across the galleries, with the monthly collection round and manual processing gone.

Read the full story →

Frequently asked questions

What's the main difference between Conserv and HOBO?

HOBO MX loggers are instruments: you download the data on site, or relay it to the cloud over Bluetooth through an MX Gateway within about 100 feet line-of-sight. Conserv is a monitoring platform for collections care: long-range wireless sensors with multi-year battery life, analytics and reporting in a web and mobile app, real-time alerts, and preservation support from conservators. With Conserv, no one has to walk the building to find out what happened.

What's the best HOBO alternative for museums, libraries, and archives?

It depends on what you need HOBO to do better. If you need real-time alerts, coverage in buildings where Bluetooth and Wi-Fi don’t reach, and preservation metrics without extra software, Conserv is built for exactly that in collections care. If you like HOBO hardware but need longer range, Onset’s HOBOnet system is another option (see below). If your loggers already cover your spaces and scheduled downloads are working, staying with HOBO is reasonable.

Are HOBO data loggers good for museums?

Yes, for the right job. HOBO MX loggers are accurate, affordable, and widely used for spot checks, short-term studies, and lower-risk spaces. Their limits show up when you need continuous coverage: Bluetooth range is about 100 feet line of sight, remote access and alerts need an MX Gateway on your network plus a cloud plan, and preservation metrics require separate software.

Does HOBO have wireless monitoring?

Yes. HOBO MX loggers connect over Bluetooth to an MX Gateway, which needs its own Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, or to the HOBOconnect app on a phone or tablet. Range is about 100 feet with a clear line of sight, and less through walls, metal display cases, or between floors. In some collection environments, as in the University of Wyoming story above, that isn’t enough to cover the building, and you’re back to downloading data manually. One practical note: if staff read loggers out with HOBOconnect on their own phones, the logger data lives on those phones until it’s uploaded or shared, which some institutions’ IT or records policies don’t permit. Worth checking before you rely on that workflow.

Doesn't HOBO have a longer-range option?

It does. Onset’s HOBOnet system uses a 900 MHz mesh network with up to about 2,000 feet line-of-sight range and a cellular station, and Onset markets it for museums and archives. It is priced and designed differently from the MX loggers: the station alone starts at $750 (RX2100) to $1,025 (RX3000) before sensors. This page compares Conserv with the MX loggers because those are the devices most collections already own and the ones institutions most often ask us about replacing. If you’re weighing HOBOnet, we’re happy to talk through the trade-offs for your building.

Does Conserv need Wi-Fi?

No. Conserv sensors send readings to the gateway over LoRaWAN, a long-range wireless protocol that doesn’t use your Wi-Fi. The gateway connects to the internet over Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or cellular. With cellular, the whole system runs separately from your institution’s network.

How accurate are Conserv sensors compared with HOBO?

Both are accurate enough for collections monitoring. Conserv’s Smart Collection Sensor (SCS-3-5) is specified at ±0.1°C typical for temperature and ±1% typical for RH, with drift under 0.03°C and 0.2% RH per year. HOBO’s MX1101 is specified at ±0.21°C and ±2% RH (20–80%), with drift under 0.1°C and 1% RH per year. Lower drift matters most over long periods, because it keeps multi-year trends comparable.

Does Conserv work for libraries and archives?

Yes. Archives, university special collections, and libraries use Conserv to monitor stacks, vaults, and reading rooms, including basements and storage areas where Wi-Fi is weak. The Maryland State Archives story above is one example of an archive that moved from HOBO loggers to continuous monitoring.

Is Conserv more expensive than HOBO?

Per device, yes. A HOBO MX logger can be purchased for $165 to $240 (MX1101 and MX1104). To monitor remotely you add an MX Gateway ($375), a Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection for it, and a $25-per-logger annual cloud plan; calibration certificates, extended warranties, replacement loggers, preservation analysis software, and the staff time to collect and process data are on top. Conserv’s Complete plan is $295 per device per year and includes the sensor, replacement and recalibration every three years, the software, real-time alerts, and time with our conservators. Which is the better value depends on how much your team’s time and early warning are worth to you. Section 4 of our Buyer’s Guide walks through how to calculate total cost of ownership, including staff time and calibration, for any system you’re considering.

Can I switch from HOBO without losing my historical data?

Yes. Conserv imports CSV exports from HOBOware, HOBOconnect, and LI-COR Cloud (formerly HOBOlink), so the baseline you’ve built carries over as you move to continuous monitoring. See how to import data from HOBO.

Do I have to replace all my HOBO loggers at once?

No. Most institutions we work with phase the transition one space at a time, often starting with the highest-risk or hardest-to-reach areas. Some keep a hybrid deployment for a while, with Conserv sensors in some spaces and HOBO loggers in others, and use Conserv Cloud as the single place the data comes together.

What if I'm not ready to retire my HOBO loggers yet?

You can still start with Conserv, for free. On the Essentials plan, you can import your HOBO exports (files up to 1 MB) into Conserv Cloud and get standard graphs and reports, exterior weather data, observations, and IPM, with unlimited users and data storage. The Pro plan ($95 per month) adds larger and batch imports, preservation metrics, advanced graphs, custom and scheduled reports, and video or phone support from preservation professionals. Add Conserv sensors when the time is right.
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HOBO®, Onset®, HOBOconnect®, HOBOware®, and HOBOnet® are trademarks of Onset Computer Corporation. LI-COR® and LI-COR Cloud® are trademarks of LI-COR, Inc. Conserv is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Onset or LI-COR. HOBO specifications and list prices are taken from Onset’s published product pages and documentation as of September 2026 and may change; see the linked sources. Conserv specifications are from Conserv’s published documentation.

Sources

HOBO

Conserv