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Energy & Utilities · head to head

Aurora Solar vs Nest

Aurora Solar logo

Aurora Solar

Energy & Utilities

The leading solar design and sales platform

From
$250/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nest logo

Nest

IoT & Smart Home

Google's smart home hardware and software ecosystem

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; Nest pricing not published in support documentation; individual product prices vary significantly
  • They diverge on capability: Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, Nest covers Learning Thermostat.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Aurora Solar and Nest differ
AttributeAurora SolarNest
Starting price$250/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWeb, ApiHardware, Mobile, Web
CategoryEnergy & UtilitiesIoT & Smart Home
Founded20132010

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Nest

  • Learning Thermostat
  • HD Cameras
  • Smart Alerts
  • Energy Savings
  • Google Home
  • Google Assistant
  • Third-party apps
  • Works with Nest

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

Nest

  • Households already invested in Google Home ecosystem seeking integrated smart thermostat, camera, and door locknot Aurora Solar
  • Users wanting unified control of temperature, security, and entertainment across multiple devicesnot Aurora Solar
  • Organisations deploying Google-based smart building solutions with Nest hardwarenot 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

Nest

  • Pricing not published in support documentation; individual product prices vary significantly
  • All Nest products require Google Home ecosystem integration for full functionality
  • Smart home devices operate only within the Google Nest ecosystem; limited third-party interoperability
  • Support and product documentation dispersed across Google support rather than centralised Nest site

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

Nest

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Nest review.

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 Nest if

  • You need learning thermostat.
  • You work on Hardware, Mobile, Web.
  • You also want hd cameras.
Nest review

Questions people ask

Is Aurora Solar or Nest better?
Neither clearly leads. Aurora Solar starts at $250/month and Nest at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aurora Solar or Nest?
Aurora Solar starts at $250/month and Nest at On request.
Does Aurora Solar or Nest run on more platforms?
Aurora Solar runs on Web, Api. Nest runs on Hardware, Mobile, Web.
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 Nest is typically brought in for.
What can Aurora Solar do that Nest cannot?
Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, Shade analysis, LIDAR integration, Performance simulation. Nest covers Learning Thermostat, HD Cameras, Smart Alerts, Energy Savings.
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