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Energy · head to head

Cognite Data Fusion vs Enphase Enlighten

Cognite Data Fusion logo

Cognite Data Fusion

Energy

Industrial data platform that contextualises OT, IT and engineering data into an asset-centric knowledge graph

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
E

Enphase Enlighten

Energy

Microinverter monitoring and management platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Enphase Enlighten has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cognite Data Fusion the platform is only as good as the contextualisation work, and that mapping effort is a consulting project that regularly costs more than the first-year subscription.; Enphase Enlighten only works with Enphase microinverter systems, not compatible with other solar equipment
  • They diverge on capability: Cognite Data Fusion covers Asset-centric data model, Enphase Enlighten covers Real-time monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cognite Data Fusion and Enphase Enlighten actually diverge.

Attributes where Cognite Data Fusion and Enphase Enlighten differ
AttributeCognite Data FusionEnphase Enlighten
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: 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 Cognite Data Fusion

  • Asset-centric data model
  • Entity matching
  • P&ID parsing
  • 3D contextualisation
  • Cognite Atlas AI
  • Data workflows
  • Open SDKs
  • Extractors

Only in Enphase Enlighten

  • Real-time monitoring
  • Per-module performance
  • Alert notifications
  • Mobile app
  • API access
  • SunPower
  • Tesla
  • SSL encryption

What people use each for

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

Cognite Data Fusion

  • An operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one searchnot Enphase Enlighten
  • A company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plantsnot Enphase Enlighten
  • An upstream operator building a production-optimisation model that needs sensor data joined to equipment metadatanot Enphase Enlighten
  • A team replacing a stalled internal data-lake project where nobody could reconstruct what the tag names meantnot Enphase Enlighten

Enphase Enlighten

  • System monitoringnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • Performance optimizationnot Cognite Data Fusion

Where each one falls short

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

Cognite Data Fusion

  • The platform is only as good as the contextualisation work, and that mapping effort is a consulting project that regularly costs more than the first-year subscription.
  • Pricing is consumption-based and unpublished, so costs move with data volume and usage patterns you cannot forecast well until a year in.
  • It does not replace your historian, your ERP or your maintenance system, so Cognite is an additional recurring cost layered on systems you still pay for.
  • The reference base and data model lean heavily towards Norwegian and wider oil, gas and process industries; discrete manufacturing fit is weaker and the local partner network thinner outside energy.
  • Getting value out requires in-house Python and data engineering skill; organisations without a data team end up dependent on Cognite professional services for every new use case.

Enphase Enlighten

  • Only works with Enphase microinverter systems, not compatible with other solar equipment
  • Requires 10-year paid subscription after initial free period for core monitoring
  • Cloud-based system requiring internet connection for real-time data access

Pricing, plan by plan

Cognite Data Fusion

On request
  • Cognite Data Fusion$undefined/year
    • Consumption-based pricing on data volume, compute and users
    • Available through cloud marketplaces with private offers
    • Contextualisation and onboarding quoted as a separate engagement

Enphase Enlighten

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Enphase Enlighten review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Cognite Data Fusion if

  • You need asset-centric data model.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want entity matching.
Cognite Data Fusion review

Choose Enphase Enlighten if

  • You need real-time monitoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want per-module performance.
Enphase Enlighten review

Questions people ask

Is Cognite Data Fusion or Enphase Enlighten better?
Neither clearly leads. Cognite Data Fusion starts at On request and Enphase Enlighten at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cognite Data Fusion or Enphase Enlighten?
Enphase Enlighten has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cognite Data Fusion and Free for Enphase Enlighten.
Does Cognite Data Fusion or Enphase Enlighten run on more platforms?
Cognite Data Fusion runs on Web, Cloud. Enphase Enlighten runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Enphase Enlighten for free?
Yes. Enphase Enlighten has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cognite Data Fusion starts at On request.
What is Cognite Data Fusion best used for?
Cognite Data Fusion is most often used for an operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one search, a company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plants, an upstream operator building a production-optimisation model that needs sensor data joined to equipment metadata, a team replacing a stalled internal data-lake project where nobody could reconstruct what the tag names meant. Of those, an operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one search and a company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plants are not what Enphase Enlighten is typically brought in for.
What can Cognite Data Fusion do that Enphase Enlighten cannot?
Cognite Data Fusion covers Asset-centric data model, Entity matching, P&ID parsing, 3D contextualisation. Enphase Enlighten covers Real-time monitoring, Per-module performance, Alert notifications, Mobile app.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cognite Data Fusion: Is Cognite a historian?

No. It reads from historians such as PI System and adds context. You still need the historian underneath.

Enphase Enlighten: Is Enphase Enlighten free to use?

The standard Enlighten app comes included with any Enphase microinverter system at no extra charge for the first 10 years from installation, after which it costs $49/year minimum.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: How is it priced?

Consumption-based on data, compute and users, quoted per customer. Nothing is published.

Enphase Enlighten: What is the cost for Enlighten Manager premium upgrade?

Enlighten Manager upgrade costs $9.99/month with month-to-month cancellation, or a one-time lifetime subscription is available through the Enphase store.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: How long does a deployment take?

First useful graph in a few months is realistic; full plant contextualisation across a site is typically a year or more.

Enphase Enlighten: What data does Enlighten monitor?

Enlighten pulls data from IQ Microinverters, the IQ Gateway, IQ Batteries, and Enphase EV chargers into a single monitoring view, showing near real-time panel-by-panel performance data.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: Can we do the contextualisation ourselves?

Technically yes, the SDKs and matching tools are open, but most customers use Cognite or a partner for the first site.

Enphase Enlighten: Does Enlighten send alerts for system issues?

Yes, Enlighten continuously monitors system performance and highlights deviations, with customers able to choose to receive alerts upon certain conditions.

Source
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