Softwr

Energy · head to head

Cognite Data Fusion vs Shelly

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
Shelly logo

Shelly

Smart Home

Powerful WiFi smart home devices with local control

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shelly 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.; Shelly premium features limited to cloud-based functionality; local control requires separate setup
  • They diverge on capability: Cognite Data Fusion covers Asset-centric data model, Shelly covers Local Control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cognite Data Fusion and Shelly differ
AttributeCognite Data FusionShelly
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network
CategoryEnergySmart Home
FoundedUnknown2016

Identical on both: 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 Cognite Data Fusion

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

Only in Shelly

  • Local Control
  • Open API
  • MQTT Support
  • Energy Monitoring
  • Home Assistant
  • Alexa
  • Google Home
  • SmartThings

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 Shelly
  • A company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plantsnot Shelly
  • An upstream operator building a production-optimisation model that needs sensor data joined to equipment metadatanot Shelly
  • A team replacing a stalled internal data-lake project where nobody could reconstruct what the tag names meantnot Shelly

Shelly

  • Smart home automation and controlnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • Energy monitoring and managementnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • WiFi/Bluetooth/Matter device integrationnot 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.

Shelly

  • Premium features limited to cloud-based functionality; local control requires separate setup
  • Device-specific capabilities vary; not all features available across entire product range

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

Shelly

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Shelly 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 Shelly if

  • You need local control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network.
  • You also want open api.
Shelly review

Questions people ask

Is Cognite Data Fusion or Shelly better?
Neither clearly leads. Cognite Data Fusion starts at On request and Shelly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cognite Data Fusion or Shelly?
Shelly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cognite Data Fusion and Free for Shelly.
Does Cognite Data Fusion or Shelly run on more platforms?
Cognite Data Fusion runs on Web, Cloud. Shelly runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network.
Can I use Shelly for free?
Yes. Shelly 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 Shelly is typically brought in for.
What can Cognite Data Fusion do that Shelly cannot?
Cognite Data Fusion covers Asset-centric data model, Entity matching, P&ID parsing, 3D contextualisation. Shelly covers Local Control, Open API, MQTT Support, Energy Monitoring.

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.

Shelly: Does Shelly offer a free tier or paid premium service?

Shelly offers a free service with an option to upgrade. The site mentions Go Premium in the Shelly app, which provides more automation and control capabilities. A Shelly Cloud Premium Voucher is available for purchase.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: How is it priced?

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

Shelly: What is the difference between free Shelly and Shelly Cloud Premium?

The free version provides basic functionality, while Premium unlocks more automation options and additional control features. Specific pricing for Premium is not disclosed on the homepage.

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.

Shelly: Can I purchase Shelly Cloud Premium directly?

Yes. Shelly Cloud Premium Vouchers are available for purchase through the Shelly shop. Pricing details are available on the product shop page.

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.

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