Softwr

Software · head to head

AVEVA PI System vs Helioscope

AVEVA PI System logo

AVEVA PI System

Software

Industrial data infrastructure for real-time insights

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Helioscope logo

Helioscope

Software

Accurate solar design for commercial projects

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Helioscope has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AVEVA PI System pricing is not published and comes through an account representative; Helioscope licences are single user, so each designer needs their own
  • They diverge on capability: AVEVA PI System covers Real-time data collection, Helioscope covers PV system design.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AVEVA PI System and Helioscope actually diverge.

Attributes where AVEVA PI System and Helioscope differ
AttributeAVEVA PI SystemHelioscope
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsDesktop, Web, Mobile, ApiWeb, Api
Founded19672012

Identical on both: 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 AVEVA PI System

  • Real-time data collection
  • Time-series data storage
  • Asset framework
  • Visualization
  • Analytics
  • Event management
  • Notifications
  • Data integration

Only in Helioscope

  • PV system design
  • 3D shade modeling
  • Performance simulation
  • Single-line diagrams
  • BOM generation
  • Proposal templates
  • Component database
  • Financial modeling

Both cover

  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

AVEVA PI System

  • Collecting and historising real-time process data from plant equipmentnot Helioscope
  • Operations dashboards and alerting through PI Visionnot Helioscope
  • Edge data collection where connectivity is intermittentnot Helioscope
  • Pulling process data into Excel analysis with PI DataLinknot Helioscope
  • Utilities, pharma, mining and oil and gas process monitoringnot Helioscope

Helioscope

  • Simulating photovoltaic system performance and energy yieldnot AVEVA PI System
  • Laying out commercial solar arrays and producing design reportsnot AVEVA PI System

Where each one falls short

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

AVEVA PI System

  • Pricing is not published and comes through an account representative
  • The vendor is moving to a subscription commercial model, so perpetual licence expectations no longer hold
  • Made up of several separately named components, including PI Server, PI Vision, Edge Data Store and the adapters and connectors needed per data source

Helioscope

  • Licences are single user, so each designer needs their own
  • Projects are capped at 10 a month on both Basic and Pro
  • System size is capped by plan, at 1.25 MW DC on Basic and 5 MW on Pro, so a larger array forces an upgrade regardless of project count
  • Trackers, LIDAR modelling and API access sit on the higher tiers
  • Enterprise is priced per project with no published figure

Pricing, plan by plan

AVEVA PI System

On request
  • Data Archive$undefined/license
    • Time-series data storage
    • High-speed data collection
    • Data compression
  • Operations$undefined/license
    • PI Vision dashboards
    • AF analytics
    • Event frames
  • Enterprise$undefined/license
    • PI Integrator
    • Cloud connectivity
    • Advanced analytics

Helioscope

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 projects
    • Basic design tools
    • Shade analysis
  • Professional$95/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Advanced shading
    • Custom reports
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • API access
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose AVEVA PI System if

  • You need real-time data collection.
  • You work on Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want time-series data storage.
AVEVA PI System review

Choose Helioscope if

  • You need pv system design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want 3d shade modeling.
Helioscope review

Questions people ask

Is AVEVA PI System or Helioscope better?
Neither clearly leads. AVEVA PI System starts at On request and Helioscope at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AVEVA PI System or Helioscope?
Helioscope has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AVEVA PI System and Free for Helioscope.
Does AVEVA PI System or Helioscope run on more platforms?
AVEVA PI System runs on Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api. Helioscope runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Helioscope for free?
Yes. Helioscope has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. AVEVA PI System starts at On request.
What is AVEVA PI System best used for?
AVEVA PI System is most often used for collecting and historising real-time process data from plant equipment, operations dashboards and alerting through pi vision, edge data collection where connectivity is intermittent, pulling process data into excel analysis with pi datalink. Of those, collecting and historising real-time process data from plant equipment and operations dashboards and alerting through pi vision are not what Helioscope is typically brought in for.
What can AVEVA PI System do that Helioscope cannot?
AVEVA PI System covers Real-time data collection, Time-series data storage, Asset framework, Visualization. Helioscope covers PV system design, 3D shade modeling, Performance simulation, Single-line diagrams. Both handle SOC2.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on AVEVA PI System

More on Helioscope

Keep looking

Other head to heads