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Energy · head to head

Aurora Solar vs Bently Nevada System 1

Aurora Solar logo

Aurora Solar

Energy

The leading solar design and sales platform

From
$135/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bently Nevada System 1 logo

Bently Nevada System 1

Energy

Machinery condition monitoring software for critical rotating equipment protected by Bently Nevada hardware

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Aurora Solar both published plans are single user, so a second designer means a second licence; Bently Nevada System 1 system 1 assumes Bently Nevada hardware; connected to third-party protection systems it loses access to the dynamic and transient data that is the entire reason to buy it, so the software choice is really made when the racks are specified.
  • They diverge on capability: Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, Bently Nevada System 1 covers Turbomachinery plot set.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aurora Solar and Bently Nevada System 1 actually diverge.

Attributes where Aurora Solar and Bently Nevada System 1 differ
AttributeAurora SolarBently Nevada System 1
Starting price$135/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, ApiWindows, Web, On-premise
Founded2013Unknown

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 Aurora Solar

  • 3D solar design
  • Shade analysis
  • LIDAR integration
  • Performance simulation
  • Sales proposals
  • Financing options
  • Permit packages
  • NEC code compliance

Only in Bently Nevada System 1

  • Turbomachinery plot set
  • Transient capture
  • 3500 and Orbit 60 integration
  • Decision support
  • Data diode support
  • Process data correlation

What people use each for

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

Aurora Solar

  • Designing and simulating residential and commercial solar installationsnot Bently Nevada System 1
  • Producing shade analysis and sales proposals for solar projectsnot Bently Nevada System 1

Bently Nevada System 1

  • A refinery with API 670 protected compressor trains needing transient startup data captured and analysed, which general vibration platforms cannot donot Aurora Solar
  • An LNG plant where a single unplanned compressor trip costs more than the entire monitoring programmenot Aurora Solar
  • A power station correlating turbine vibration with process conditions to distinguish a real fault from a load-related responsenot Aurora Solar
  • An offshore operator using remote diagnostics because there is no rotating machinery specialist on the installationnot Aurora Solar

Where each one falls short

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

Aurora Solar

  • Both published plans are single user, so a second designer means a second licence
  • Projects are capped at 50 a month on both Basic and Premium, so the tiers differ on features rather than volume
  • LIDAR assisted modelling, shade reports and battery storage modelling all require Premium at $259 a month
  • API access and integrations are Enterprise only, which is priced per project rather than per month
  • Paying monthly rather than annually costs $288 more a year on Basic and $468 on Premium

Bently Nevada System 1

  • System 1 assumes Bently Nevada hardware; connected to third-party protection systems it loses access to the dynamic and transient data that is the entire reason to buy it, so the software choice is really made when the racks are specified.
  • It is priced by machine train, which makes it appropriate for a dozen critical machines and prohibitively expensive as a plant-wide condition monitoring system for balance-of-plant equipment.
  • Reading the output well needs a rotating machinery specialist; orbit and shaft centreline plots are not self-explanatory, and a site without that skill will either buy the Baker Hughes remote monitoring service or under-use the software.
  • The annual support and upgrade contract is a continuing cost that must be maintained to stay on supported versions, and lapsing it on a system tied to safety-relevant protection hardware is not a realistic saving.
  • Nothing about pricing is published and the product is sold as part of a machinery relationship with Baker Hughes, so competitive tension at renewal is limited once the hardware is installed.

Pricing, plan by plan

Aurora Solar

$135/month
  • Basic$159/month
    • Tablet-friendly sales proposals
    • Industry-leading design accuracy
    • HD imagery
  • Premium$259/month
    • Tablet-friendly sales proposals
    • Industry-leading design accuracy
    • HD imagery
  • Enterprise$null/project
    • All Premium features
    • AI-assisted site models
    • APIs and integrations

Bently Nevada System 1

On request
  • System 1$undefined/year
    • Priced by machine train and connected data source
    • Bently Nevada protection hardware assumed or purchased alongside
    • Annual software support and upgrade contract sold separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Aurora Solar if

  • You need 3d solar design.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want shade analysis.
Aurora Solar review

Choose Bently Nevada System 1 if

  • You need turbomachinery plot set.
  • You work on Windows, Web, On-premise.
  • You also want transient capture.
Bently Nevada System 1 review

Questions people ask

Is Aurora Solar or Bently Nevada System 1 better?
Neither clearly leads. Aurora Solar starts at $135/month and Bently Nevada System 1 at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aurora Solar or Bently Nevada System 1?
Aurora Solar starts at $135/month and Bently Nevada System 1 at On request.
Does Aurora Solar or Bently Nevada System 1 run on more platforms?
Aurora Solar runs on Web, Api. Bently Nevada System 1 runs on Windows, Web, On-premise.
What is Aurora Solar best used for?
Aurora Solar is most often used for designing and simulating residential and commercial solar installations, producing shade analysis and sales proposals for solar projects. Of those, designing and simulating residential and commercial solar installations and producing shade analysis and sales proposals for solar projects are not what Bently Nevada System 1 is typically brought in for.
What can Aurora Solar do that Bently Nevada System 1 cannot?
Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, Shade analysis, LIDAR integration, Performance simulation. Bently Nevada System 1 covers Turbomachinery plot set, Transient capture, 3500 and Orbit 60 integration, Decision support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aurora Solar: How much does Aurora Solar cost per month?

Aurora Solar Basic costs $159/month billed monthly or $135/month billed annually (save $288/year). Premium costs $259/month monthly or $220/month annually (save $468/year). Enterprise pricing is custom per project. Monthly plans have no minimum commitment and can be cancelled at any billing period end. Annual plans require a one-year commitment.

Source
Bently Nevada System 1: Do I need Bently Nevada hardware?

Practically, yes. System 1 can take some third-party inputs but the dynamic and transient data that justify it come from 3500 or Orbit 60 racks.

Aurora Solar: What features does Aurora Solar Premium add over Basic?

Premium adds LIDAR-assisted modeling, bankable shade reports, and battery modeling for backup, self-consumption, and arbitrage scenarios. Both tiers include 50 projects per month and support 1 user.

Source
Bently Nevada System 1: Is System 1 suitable for all my plant motors?

No. It is priced and designed for critical machine trains. Balance-of-plant motors are far better served by a general condition monitoring platform.

Aurora Solar: How many users and projects can I have on Aurora Solar?

Basic and Premium plans support 1 user with a 50-project monthly limit. Enterprise plans support unlimited users and custom project limits; Enterprise pricing and terms are custom and determined through sales.

Source
Bently Nevada System 1: What does Orbit 60 add?

A newer protection platform with SIL certification and a built-in data diode, which removes the network security objection to connecting protection systems.

Bently Nevada System 1: Can Baker Hughes monitor the machines for me?

Yes, remote machinery diagnostic services are offered, which is how many sites without an in-house specialist actually consume System 1.

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