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Energy & Utilities · head to head

Aurora Solar vs ESPHome

Aurora Solar logo

Aurora Solar

Energy & Utilities

The leading solar design and sales platform

From
$250/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ESPHome logo

ESPHome

IoT & Smart Home

Custom firmware for ESP8266/ESP32 smart home devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ESPHome has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aurora Solar both published plans are single user, so a second designer means a second licence; ESPHome eSPHome runs only on supported microcontrollers; the project recommends ESP32, ESP32-S3, ESP32-C3 and ESP32-C6 and advises against ESP8266 for new projects
  • They diverge on capability: Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, ESPHome covers YAML Configuration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aurora Solar and ESPHome actually diverge.

Attributes where Aurora Solar and ESPHome differ
AttributeAurora SolarESPHome
Starting price$250/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiESP8266, ESP32, Docker, Raspberry Pi
CategoryEnergy & UtilitiesIoT & Smart Home
Founded20132018

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

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 ESPHome

  • YAML Configuration
  • OTA Updates
  • Home Assistant Native
  • Custom Components
  • Home Assistant
  • MQTT
  • API
  • Native integration

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 ESPHome
  • Producing shade analysis and sales proposals for solar projectsnot ESPHome

ESPHome

  • Building custom smart home sensors and switches on ESP32 hardwarenot Aurora Solar
  • Replacing vendor cloud firmware on ESP based devices with locally controlled firmwarenot Aurora Solar
  • Integrating DIY devices into Home Assistant over a native API or MQTTnot 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

ESPHome

  • ESPHome runs only on supported microcontrollers; the project recommends ESP32, ESP32-S3, ESP32-C3 and ESP32-C6 and advises against ESP8266 for new projects
  • Support for ESP32-H2, RP2040 and other newer chips is documented as less mature
  • Large displays and some sensors do not work well on ESP8266 because of its limited RAM, which is roughly a fifth of an ESP32

Pricing, plan by plan

Aurora Solar

$250/month
  • Starter$250/month
    • Basic design tools
    • Sales mode
    • Shade analysis
  • Pro$500/month
    • Advanced LIDAR integration
    • Performance simulation
    • Custom branding
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom integrations

ESPHome

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Full firmware
    • Home Assistant integration
    • Custom sensors

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 ESPHome if

  • You need yaml configuration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on ESP8266, ESP32, Docker, Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want ota updates.
ESPHome review

Questions people ask

Is Aurora Solar or ESPHome better?
Neither clearly leads. Aurora Solar starts at $250/month and ESPHome at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aurora Solar or ESPHome?
ESPHome has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $250/month for Aurora Solar and Free for ESPHome.
Does Aurora Solar or ESPHome run on more platforms?
Aurora Solar runs on Web, Api. ESPHome runs on ESP8266, ESP32, Docker, Raspberry Pi.
Can I use ESPHome for free?
Yes. ESPHome has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aurora Solar starts at $250/month.
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 ESPHome is typically brought in for.
What can Aurora Solar do that ESPHome cannot?
Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, Shade analysis, LIDAR integration, Performance simulation. ESPHome covers YAML Configuration, OTA Updates, Home Assistant Native, Custom Components.
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