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Energy · head to head

AVEVA PI System vs Helioscope

AVEVA PI System logo

AVEVA PI System

Energy

Industrial data infrastructure for real-time insights

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Helioscope logo

Helioscope

Energy

Accurate solar design for commercial projects

From
$159/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

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 request$159/month
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
PlatformsDesktop, Web, Mobile, ApiWeb, Api
Founded19672012

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 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

  • Industrial data collection and storage for oil, gas, and chemical processingnot Helioscope
  • Real-time operational data visualization and HMI dashboardsnot Helioscope
  • Supply chain and asset performance monitoring across sitesnot Helioscope
  • Compliance and audit trail management for regulated industriesnot Helioscope
  • Integration with SCADA systems and manufacturing executionnot Helioscope

Helioscope

  • Solar project design and modelingnot AVEVA PI System
  • Rooftop, carport, and ground-mount solar system planningnot AVEVA PI System
  • Financial analysis and sales proposal generation for solar installationsnot 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

$159/month
  • Basic$159/month
    • 1 user per license
    • 10 projects per month (120 per year)
    • 15% discount for annual billing ($1,620/year)
  • Pro$259/month
    • 1 user per license
    • 10 projects per month (120 per year)
    • 15% discount for annual billing ($2,640/year)
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited projects
    • Custom pricing

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 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 $159/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AVEVA PI System or Helioscope?
AVEVA PI System starts at On request and Helioscope at $159/month.
Does AVEVA PI System or Helioscope run on more platforms?
AVEVA PI System runs on Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api. Helioscope runs on Web, Api.
What is AVEVA PI System best used for?
AVEVA PI System is most often used for industrial data collection and storage for oil, gas, and chemical processing, real-time operational data visualization and hmi dashboards, supply chain and asset performance monitoring across sites, compliance and audit trail management for regulated industries. Of those, industrial data collection and storage for oil, gas, and chemical processing and real-time operational data visualization and hmi dashboards 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.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AVEVA PI System: What is AVEVA PI System pricing?

AVEVA does not list PI System pricing on its website. AVEVA markets industrial software through enterprise sales channels with custom quotes.

Source
Helioscope: What is the starting price for HelioScope?

HelioScope Basic plan costs $159 per month per license with annual billing at $1,620/year (15% discount). The Pro plan is $259/month or $2,640/year. Each license covers 1 user. Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
AVEVA PI System: Does AVEVA offer a Flex Subscription Program?

AVEVA mentions Flex Subscription Program on its site for flexible product access, but pricing and terms are not published publicly.

Source
Helioscope: How many projects can I design monthly with HelioScope Basic and Pro?

Both Basic and Pro plans include 10 projects per month, equaling 120 projects per year. The project allocation is the same across both tiers; the difference is in design capability (1.25 MW for Basic vs. 5 MW for Pro). Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
AVEVA PI System: Is AVEVA PI System available in the cloud?

AVEVA offers cloud options for its products, but per-seat or usage-based pricing for cloud deployments is not disclosed on the vendor website.

Source
Helioscope: What is the maximum solar design capacity by HelioScope tier?

HelioScope Basic supports designs up to 1.25 MW DC, Pro supports up to 5 MW DC, and Enterprise supports unlimited designs up to 30 MW DC. Accuracy within 1% of PVsyst modeling is maintained across tiers. Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
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