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AVEVA PI System vs SMA Energy

AVEVA PI System logo

AVEVA PI System

Software

Industrial data infrastructure for real-time insights

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SMA Energy

Software

Inverter monitoring and cloud portal

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SMA Energy 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; SMA Energy requires SMA Premium subscription for advanced automation features
  • They diverge on capability: AVEVA PI System covers Real-time data collection, SMA Energy covers Real-time monitoring.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AVEVA PI System and SMA Energy differ
AttributeAVEVA PI SystemSMA Energy
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelone-timefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsDesktop, Web, Mobile, ApiWeb, Mobile
Founded19671981

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 SMA Energy

  • Real-time monitoring
  • Battery management
  • Energy analytics
  • Mobile portal
  • System optimization
  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

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 SMA Energy
  • Operations dashboards and alerting through PI Visionnot SMA Energy
  • Edge data collection where connectivity is intermittentnot SMA Energy
  • Pulling process data into Excel analysis with PI DataLinknot SMA Energy
  • Utilities, pharma, mining and oil and gas process monitoringnot SMA Energy

SMA Energy

  • System monitoringnot AVEVA PI System
  • Battery optimizationnot 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

SMA Energy

  • Requires SMA Premium subscription for advanced automation features
  • SMA Sunny Portal monitoring has data delays and does not guarantee real-time updates
  • Limited scalability for larger residential or commercial installations beyond 18.9 kWh
  • Requires all devices to have latest software versions and compatible communication protocols

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

SMA Energy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SMA Energy review.

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 SMA Energy if

  • You need real-time monitoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want battery management.
SMA Energy review

Questions people ask

Is AVEVA PI System or SMA Energy better?
Neither clearly leads. AVEVA PI System starts at On request and SMA Energy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AVEVA PI System or SMA Energy?
SMA Energy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AVEVA PI System and Free for SMA Energy.
Does AVEVA PI System or SMA Energy run on more platforms?
AVEVA PI System runs on Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api. SMA Energy runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use SMA Energy for free?
Yes. SMA Energy 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 SMA Energy is typically brought in for.
What can AVEVA PI System do that SMA Energy cannot?
AVEVA PI System covers Real-time data collection, Time-series data storage, Asset framework, Visualization. SMA Energy covers Real-time monitoring, Battery management, Energy analytics, Mobile portal.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SMA Energy: Is SMA Energy Maximizer free?

No. SMA Energy Maximizer requires an SMA Premium subscription. However, there is a 90-day free trial period. After the trial, the service requires a paid subscription to access automated optimization features. The SMA Premium digital service is built into SMA devices powered by ennexOS.

Source
SMA Energy: What are the system requirements for SMA Energy?

SMA Energy requires compatible SMA inverters, SMA Energy Meter for consumption tracking, and communication protocols like Modbus or Speedwire for connectivity. All devices must have the latest software version, and a network connection is required for remote monitoring through SMA Sunny Portal.

Source
SMA Energy: Does SMA Energy work offline?

SMA Energy systems can continue generating electricity offline, but remote monitoring and cloud-based optimization through SMA Sunny Portal require internet connectivity. If communication fails between devices, inverters reduce output power to 0 percent as a safety fallback.

Source
SMA Energy: What is the maximum system size for residential installations?

SMA systems typically support a maximum residential configuration of 18.9 kWh battery storage, which is suitable for most single-family homes but may be insufficient for larger properties or commercial applications.

Source
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