Softwr

AI · head to head

Banana vs Stem Athena

Banana logo

Banana

AI

ML inference at scale

From
$1200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stem Athena logo

Stem Athena

Energy

AI-driven clean energy optimization

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Banana banana shut down its serverless GPU infrastructure on 31 March 2024 at noon PST and told customers to migrate to another provider by that time; Stem Athena stem's site names the product PowerTrack Optimizer, formerly Athena, so the Athena name is retired
  • They diverge on capability: Banana covers GPU inference, Stem Athena covers AI optimization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Banana and Stem Athena actually diverge.

Attributes where Banana and Stem Athena differ
AttributeBananaStem Athena
Starting price$1200/monthOn request
PlatformsCloud, ApiWeb, Mobile, Api
CategoryAIEnergy
Founded20212009

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Banana

  • GPU inference
  • Auto-scaling
  • Docker deployment
  • Low latency
  • REST API
  • Python SDK
  • Cloud support
  • Api support

Only in Stem Athena

  • AI optimization
  • Energy storage management
  • Demand charge reduction
  • Grid services
  • Solar integration
  • Weather forecasting
  • Performance analytics
  • Remote monitoring

What people use each for

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

Banana

  • Historically, serverless GPU inference for machine learning modelsnot Stem Athena
  • Migration reference for teams that ran models on Banana before the 2024 shutdownnot Stem Athena

Stem Athena

  • Energy asset optimization and managementnot Banana
  • Renewable energy integrationnot Banana
  • Energy storage managementnot Banana
  • Grid operations optimizationnot Banana

Where each one falls short

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

Banana

  • Banana shut down its serverless GPU infrastructure on 31 March 2024 at noon PST and told customers to migrate to another provider by that time
  • The vendor's own sunset notice names limited runway, retention problems and GPU supply constraints as the reasons for closing
  • The banana.dev site still displays pricing tiers, but every tier links to the sunset notice rather than to a purchase

Stem Athena

  • Stem's site names the product PowerTrack Optimizer, formerly Athena, so the Athena name is retired
  • No price, subscription fee or contract term is published anywhere on the site
  • The optimizer is one component of the wider PowerTrack suite alongside separate EMS, SCADA, Power Plant Controller and Logger products rather than a standalone licence
  • Design, procurement, commissioning and operation are sold as managed services separate from the software

Pricing, plan by plan

Banana

$1200/month
  • Team$1200/month
    • 10 team members
    • 5 projects
    • 50 max parallel GPUs
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom seat limit
    • Custom GPU configuration

Stem Athena

On request
  • Commercial$undefined/custom
    • Energy storage optimization
    • Demand charge management
    • Rate optimization
  • Utility$undefined/custom
    • Grid services
    • VPP management
    • Frequency regulation
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Fleet management
    • Portfolio optimization
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Banana if

  • You need gpu inference.
  • You work on Cloud, Api.
  • You also want auto-scaling.
Banana review

Choose Stem Athena if

  • You need ai optimization.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want energy storage management.
Stem Athena review

Questions people ask

Is Banana or Stem Athena better?
Neither clearly leads. Banana starts at $1200/month and Stem Athena at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Banana or Stem Athena?
Banana starts at $1200/month and Stem Athena at On request.
Does Banana or Stem Athena run on more platforms?
Banana runs on Cloud, Api. Stem Athena runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
What is Banana best used for?
Banana is most often used for historically, serverless gpu inference for machine learning models, migration reference for teams that ran models on banana before the 2024 shutdown. Of those, historically, serverless gpu inference for machine learning models and migration reference for teams that ran models on banana before the 2024 shutdown are not what Stem Athena is typically brought in for.
What can Banana do that Stem Athena cannot?
Banana covers GPU inference, Auto-scaling, Docker deployment, Low latency. Stem Athena covers AI optimization, Energy storage management, Demand charge reduction, Grid services.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Banana: How much does Banana's Team plan cost?

The Team plan costs $1,200 per month plus the cost of compute resources at cost with zero markup applied.

Source
Stem Athena: How much does Stem Athena cost?

Stem does not publish pricing for Athena on its website. The company appears to use a custom enterprise pricing model. Interested customers must contact Stem directly through their website to inquire about pricing and availability.

Source
Banana: What is the maximum team size on Banana's Team plan?

The Team plan includes 10 team members and supports a maximum of 5 projects with up to 50 parallel GPUs.

Source
Stem Athena: Does Stem offer a free trial?

The Stem website does not mention a free trial or demo option for Athena. Customers are directed to contact Stem's sales team for information about trial access or pricing.

Source
Banana: Does Banana offer an Enterprise plan with custom pricing?

Banana offers an Enterprise plan with custom pricing plus at-cost compute, including SAML SSO, automation API, and dedicated support.

Source
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