Software · head to head
Aurora Solar vs OATI webSmartEnergy
Aurora Solar
Software
The leading solar design and sales platform
- From
- $250/month
- Rated
- -
OATI webSmartEnergy
Software
Comprehensive utility billing and customer engagement
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Aurora Solar both published plans are single user, so a second designer means a second licence; OATI webSmartEnergy oATI publishes no price for webSmartEnergy anywhere on its site; even the product overview is gated behind a brochure request form, with further detail requiring direct email contact to sales@oati.net rather than any published rate (archived brochure page, 25 June 2024)
- They diverge on capability: Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, OATI webSmartEnergy covers Customer information system.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Aurora Solar and OATI webSmartEnergy actually diverge.
| Attribute | Aurora Solar | OATI webSmartEnergy |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $250/month | On request |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Web, Mobile, Api |
| Founded | 2013 | 1995 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Aurora Solar
- 3D solar design
- Shade analysis
- LIDAR integration
- Performance simulation
- Sales proposals
- Financing options
- Permit packages
- NEC code compliance
Only in OATI webSmartEnergy
- Customer information system
- Utility billing
- Payment processing
- Smart meter integration
- Rate management
- Service order management
- Customer portal
- Demand response
Both cover
- Salesforce
- SOC2
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 OATI webSmartEnergy
- Producing shade analysis and sales proposals for solar projectsnot OATI webSmartEnergy
OATI webSmartEnergy
- Utility billingnot Aurora Solar
- Customer managementnot Aurora Solar
- Smart meter datanot Aurora Solar
- Rate analysisnot Aurora Solar
- Demand response programsnot 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
OATI webSmartEnergy
- OATI publishes no price for webSmartEnergy anywhere on its site; even the product overview is gated behind a brochure request form, with further detail requiring direct email contact to sales@oati.net rather than any published rate (archived brochure page, 25 June 2024)
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
OATI webSmartEnergy
On request- CIS Basic$undefined/custom
- Customer management
- Billing engine
- Payment processing
- CIS Advanced$undefined/custom
- Advanced rate structures
- Demand response
- Prepaid metering
- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- MDM integration
- Analytics suite
- Multi-commodity
Which should you pick?
Choose Aurora Solar if
- You need 3d solar design.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want shade analysis.
Choose OATI webSmartEnergy if
- You need customer information system.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
- You also want utility billing.
Questions people ask
- Is Aurora Solar or OATI webSmartEnergy better?
- Neither clearly leads. Aurora Solar starts at $250/month and OATI webSmartEnergy at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Aurora Solar or OATI webSmartEnergy?
- Aurora Solar starts at $250/month and OATI webSmartEnergy at On request.
- Does Aurora Solar or OATI webSmartEnergy run on more platforms?
- Aurora Solar runs on Web, Api. OATI webSmartEnergy runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
- 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 OATI webSmartEnergy is typically brought in for.
- What can Aurora Solar do that OATI webSmartEnergy cannot?
- Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, Shade analysis, LIDAR integration, Performance simulation. OATI webSmartEnergy covers Customer information system, Utility billing, Payment processing, Smart meter integration. Both handle Salesforce, SOC2.