The selection and installation of an online vibration monitoring system can be a complicated task with many variables and potential problems to be aware of. Considerations include cost, availability of components and replacement parts, warranties, ease of installation, configuration and maintenance. The least or most expensive system may not be the ‘best’ for your reliably program goals, and those goals may not be clearly defined. This paper discusses some of the experiences of the authors’ observations over the last 20+ years of being involved with online vibration systems, including the more recent and increasingly popular wireless systems. Pricing, physical characteristics, long term considerations including maintenance and software evolution will be included in the discussion.