The four brands we encounter most often in ANPR installations for car parks are Axis, Hikvision, Bosch and Dahua. They all supply cameras with built-in plate recognition — but there are real differences in accuracy, price, reliability and integration ease. Here's what you need to know before making a choice.
Revtek · 1 February 2026
Axis is a Swedish brand regarded as the premium choice in the security industry. Their ANPR cameras — such as the P1448-LE or the Q1615-LE — deliver consistent recognition accuracy of 98 to 99 percent, even in difficult conditions: poor light, fast-moving vehicles, glare from rain.
The built-in AXIS ANPR software runs on the camera itself, without an external server. That's reliable: if the network connection drops, the camera continues making local decisions and stores events for later sync.
Downside: the purchase price. A suitable Axis ANPR camera costs €700 to €1,200. For installations where accuracy is critical — a hospital, a legal complex, a site with high-value vehicles — that's justified. For a small residential complex it's often more than necessary.
Hikvision is the world's best-selling CCTV brand, and their ANPR models — such as the DS-2CD4A26FWD — are the most commonly used choice for private car parks in the Netherlands. Recognition accuracy sits at 96 to 98 percent with a correctly installed setup, which is more than sufficient for most applications.
The purchase price of €350 to €600 makes Hikvision the most accessible option. Many installers work with Hikvision, which simplifies the choice for maintenance and future expansion.
One caveat: Hikvision equipment appears on restricted lists in some government and defence-related sectors due to concerns about the Chinese supply chain. For commercial and residential use this isn't a practical issue, but it's worth being aware of.
Bosch Security Systems supplies ANPR cameras that integrate well with their broader security products — video management software, access control systems, intercom systems. If a site already has Bosch equipment for other functions, it makes sense to source the ANPR cameras from Bosch too.
Standalone accuracy is comparable to Hikvision. Purchase price is slightly higher: €450 to €750. Bosch has a strong service network in the Netherlands, which matters if you want to outsource long-term maintenance.
Dahua is, like Hikvision, a Chinese brand with a similar value-for-money reputation. Their ANPR models — such as the ITC237-PW1B-IRZ — are slightly cheaper than Hikvision at comparable specs: €300 to €500.
Recognition accuracy is acceptable for standard outdoor setups, but in our experience falls slightly behind Axis or Hikvision in difficult light conditions. For sites where the camera can be well-positioned and the light is reasonable, Dahua is a solid choice.
The most common question we receive: "Can our existing cameras already do ANPR?" The answer is often yes, as long as they're models from Axis, Hikvision, Bosch or Dahua purchased in the past five years. In many cases a firmware update or an ANPR licence is all it takes to activate existing cameras.
That can significantly reduce the hardware investment. If you're not sure which cameras you have or whether they're ANPR-capable, get in touch — we're happy to check that with you. More on the technical setup of an ANPR installation on the residential complex page or the office page, depending on your situation.
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