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ABB Ability vs Amazon Alexa

ABB Ability logo

ABB Ability

Software

Digital solutions for energy and automation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Amazon Alexa logo

Amazon Alexa

Software

Amazon's voice-controlled smart home ecosystem

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amazon Alexa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ABB Ability the Internet Archive's capture of ABB Ability's page on 19 December 2021 showed it is sold only through a 'Find Your Sales Partner' channel across industry verticals (Automotive, Buildings, Data Centers, EV Charging, Manufacturing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Power, and others), with no price list published.; Amazon Alexa amazon Alexa is a free consumer app (per Apple App Store listing under AMZN Mobile LLC) with no subscription required for core voice assistant functionality; premium content and some skills route through separate Amazon subscriptions such as Prime and Amazon Music
  • They diverge on capability: ABB Ability covers Asset health monitoring, Amazon Alexa covers Voice Control.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ABB Ability and Amazon Alexa actually diverge.

Attributes where ABB Ability and Amazon Alexa differ
AttributeABB AbilityAmazon Alexa
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, ApiEcho devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS
Founded19881994

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ABB Ability

  • Asset health monitoring
  • Predictive maintenance
  • Performance optimization
  • Energy management
  • Grid automation
  • Remote diagnostics
  • Advanced analytics
  • Digital twin technology

Only in Amazon Alexa

  • Voice Control
  • Skills Library
  • Routines
  • Multi-Room Audio
  • 100,000+ skills
  • Ring
  • Blink
  • Fire TV

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ABB Ability

  • Asset performance managementnot Amazon Alexa
  • Predictive maintenancenot Amazon Alexa
  • Grid optimizationnot Amazon Alexa
  • Energy efficiencynot Amazon Alexa

Amazon Alexa

  • Voice-controlled homenot ABB Ability
  • Smart shoppingnot ABB Ability
  • Entertainmentnot ABB Ability
  • Home securitynot ABB Ability

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ABB Ability

  • The Internet Archive's capture of ABB Ability's page on 19 December 2021 showed it is sold only through a 'Find Your Sales Partner' channel across industry verticals (Automotive, Buildings, Data Centers, EV Charging, Manufacturing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Power, and others), with no price list published.

Amazon Alexa

  • Amazon Alexa is a free consumer app (per Apple App Store listing under AMZN Mobile LLC) with no subscription required for core voice assistant functionality; premium content and some skills route through separate Amazon subscriptions such as Prime and Amazon Music

Pricing, plan by plan

ABB Ability

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the ABB Ability review.

Amazon Alexa

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Voice control
    • Skills
    • Smart home control
  • Alexa Guard Plus$4.99/month
    • Emergency response
    • Hands-free calling
    • Enhanced alerts

Which should you pick?

Choose ABB Ability if

  • You need asset health monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want predictive maintenance.
ABB Ability review

Choose Amazon Alexa if

  • You need voice control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Echo devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS.
  • You also want skills library.
Amazon Alexa review

Questions people ask

Is ABB Ability or Amazon Alexa better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB Ability starts at On request and Amazon Alexa at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB Ability or Amazon Alexa?
Amazon Alexa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ABB Ability and Free for Amazon Alexa.
Does ABB Ability or Amazon Alexa run on more platforms?
ABB Ability runs on Web, Mobile, Api. Amazon Alexa runs on Echo devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS.
Can I use Amazon Alexa for free?
Yes. Amazon Alexa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ABB Ability starts at On request.
What is ABB Ability best used for?
ABB Ability is most often used for asset performance management, predictive maintenance, grid optimization, energy efficiency. Of those, asset performance management and predictive maintenance are not what Amazon Alexa is typically brought in for.
What can ABB Ability do that Amazon Alexa cannot?
ABB Ability covers Asset health monitoring, Predictive maintenance, Performance optimization, Energy management. Amazon Alexa covers Voice Control, Skills Library, Routines, Multi-Room Audio.
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