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Energy · head to head

ABB Ability vs HOMER Energy

ABB Ability logo

ABB Ability

Energy

Digital solutions for energy and automation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HOMER Energy logo

HOMER Energy

Energy

Microgrid and distributed energy optimization software

From
$187.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; HOMER Energy now owned by UL Solutions rather than being independent
  • They diverge on capability: ABB Ability covers Asset health monitoring, HOMER Energy covers Microgrid optimization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ABB Ability and HOMER Energy actually diverge.

Attributes where ABB Ability and HOMER Energy differ
AttributeABB AbilityHOMER Energy
Starting priceOn request$187.5/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, ApiWindows, Web
Founded19882009

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Energy).

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 HOMER Energy

  • Microgrid optimization
  • Techno-economic analysis
  • Component library
  • Sensitivity analysis
  • Energy storage sizing
  • Renewable integration
  • Load profile analysis
  • Financial modeling

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • On-premise deployment

What people use each for

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

ABB Ability

  • Asset performance managementnot HOMER Energy
  • Predictive maintenancenot HOMER Energy
  • Grid optimizationnot HOMER Energy
  • Energy efficiencynot HOMER Energy

HOMER Energy

  • Sizing and optimising off-grid and microgrid systemsnot ABB Ability
  • Modelling the economics of solar, wind and battery combinationsnot ABB Ability
  • Electric bill optimisation for grid-connected sites and EV chargingnot ABB Ability
  • Utility-scale storage investment analysisnot ABB Ability
  • Comparing least-cost configurations against load and resource datanot 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.

HOMER Energy

  • Now owned by UL Solutions rather than being independent
  • Split into three separate products, HOMER Pro for off-grid and microgrids, HOMER Grid for bill optimisation and HOMER Front for utility-scale, so the right one depends on project type
  • Pricing is not shown on the product pages

Pricing, plan by plan

ABB Ability

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the ABB Ability review.

HOMER Energy

$187.5/month
  • Base$187.5/month
    • No modules included; add individually
    • Basic support
    • Software updates
  • Professional$373.5/month
    • Any 4 modules included (Biomass Generation, Run of River Hydro, Advanced Grid, Advanced Load, etc.)
    • Basic support
    • Software updates
  • Expert$568.5/month
    • All modules included: Biomass, Hydro, Hydrogen, Advanced Grid/Load/Storage, Combined Heat & Power, Multi-Year, MATLAB Link
    • Basic support
    • Software updates

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 HOMER Energy if

  • You need microgrid optimization.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want techno-economic analysis.
HOMER Energy review

Questions people ask

Is ABB Ability or HOMER Energy better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB Ability starts at On request and HOMER Energy at $187.5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB Ability or HOMER Energy?
ABB Ability starts at On request and HOMER Energy at $187.5/month.
Does ABB Ability or HOMER Energy run on more platforms?
ABB Ability runs on Web, Mobile, Api. HOMER Energy runs on Windows, Web.
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 HOMER Energy is typically brought in for.
What can ABB Ability do that HOMER Energy cannot?
ABB Ability covers Asset health monitoring, Predictive maintenance, Performance optimization, Energy management. HOMER Energy covers Microgrid optimization, Techno-economic analysis, Component library, Sensitivity analysis. Both handle Cloud deployment, On-premise deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HOMER Energy: What are the pricing options for HOMER Energy?

HOMER Energy pricing information is not publicly available on their website. Customers must contact the vendor directly to obtain pricing information, trial access, and licensing options.

Source
HOMER Energy: Does HOMER Energy offer a free trial or demo?

Trial or demo availability cannot be confirmed from publicly accessible pages. Visit the main website or contact HOMER Energy sales directly to inquire about evaluation options.

Source
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