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Energy · head to head

PowerFactory DIgSILENT vs Wood Mackenzie Lens

PowerFactory DIgSILENT logo

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

Energy

Advanced power system analysis and grid simulation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wood Mackenzie Lens logo

Wood Mackenzie Lens

Energy

Subscription research data and analytics covering oil, gas, power, renewables and mining assets

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PowerFactory DIgSILENT no prices are published; the product pages only offer Request a Quotation and Demo Request; Wood Mackenzie Lens licensing is per named seat and per dataset, so sharing a login across an analyst team breaches the contract and licensing the team properly multiplies the fee rather than adding to it.
  • They diverge on capability: PowerFactory DIgSILENT covers Load flow calculation, Wood Mackenzie Lens covers Upstream asset data.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PowerFactory DIgSILENT and Wood Mackenzie Lens actually diverge.

Attributes where PowerFactory DIgSILENT and Wood Mackenzie Lens differ
AttributePowerFactory DIgSILENTWood Mackenzie Lens
PlatformsWindows, Linux, ApiWeb, API
Founded1985Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • Load flow calculation
  • Short-circuit analysis
  • RMS and EMT simulation
  • Harmonic analysis
  • Stability analysis
  • Protection coordination
  • Renewable energy integration
  • Scripting and automation

Only in Wood Mackenzie Lens

  • Upstream asset data
  • Power and renewables
  • Metals and mining
  • Gas and LNG
  • Energy transition scenarios
  • Emissions data
  • Lens Direct
  • Scenario and portfolio tools

What people use each for

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

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • Power system load flow, short circuit and stability analysis for transmission and distribution networksnot Wood Mackenzie Lens
  • Grid code compliance studies and protection coordinationnot Wood Mackenzie Lens
  • Modelling renewables and distributed generation integrationnot Wood Mackenzie Lens

Wood Mackenzie Lens

  • A corporate development team screening acquisition targets against independent asset economicsnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • A lender or investor testing a project sponsor case against third-party cost and production estimatesnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • A strategy team building long-term scenarios that need consistent cross-commodity assumptionsnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • A trading or origination desk that needs asset level supply data pulled into its own models through the APInot PowerFactory DIgSILENT

Where each one falls short

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

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • No prices are published; the product pages only offer Request a Quotation and Demo Request
  • The commercial licence is sold by node count, in tiers of 100, 250, 500 or unlimited nodes
  • Functions are sold as a configurable package rather than included, so advanced modules are priced separately
  • Support, maintenance and upgrades are included only for the first 12 months of a perpetual licence and then require an annual maintenance contract
  • The number of concurrent users on the Multi-User Edition is limited to the number of licences purchased
  • A floating licence used on a local machine is time limited to a maximum of 30 days
  • Centralised project data on Oracle, SQL Server or PostgreSQL requires the Team Edition; Single-User and Multi-User editions use a local SQLite database
  • Education licences are capped at 50 nodes and forbid commercial use
  • Student licences are capped at 50 nodes, are cloud softkey only and expire 12 months from issue

Wood Mackenzie Lens

  • Licensing is per named seat and per dataset, so sharing a login across an analyst team breaches the contract and licensing the team properly multiplies the fee rather than adding to it.
  • The content is analyst-modelled rather than operator-reported, so asset economics and reserve figures are estimates and can differ materially from what the owner of the asset publishes.
  • Modules are split by commodity and by region, and a question that spans gas and power, or Americas and EMEA, can require two or three separate subscriptions to answer.
  • Content refresh follows the research publication calendar, so individual asset records can lag a transaction or a project decision by a quarter or more, which matters on live deals.
  • Ownership passed from Verisk to Veritas Capital in 2023, so buyers signing multi-year terms are contracting with a private equity holding whose plans for pricing and packaging are not public.

Pricing, plan by plan

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the PowerFactory DIgSILENT review.

Wood Mackenzie Lens

On request
  • Lens subscription$undefined/year
    • Quoted per dataset and per named user
    • Regional variants of a module are priced as separate subscriptions
    • Lens Direct API access licensed on top of platform access

Which should you pick?

Choose PowerFactory DIgSILENT if

  • You need load flow calculation.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Api.
  • You also want short-circuit analysis.
PowerFactory DIgSILENT review

Choose Wood Mackenzie Lens if

  • You need upstream asset data.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want power and renewables.
Wood Mackenzie Lens review

Questions people ask

Is PowerFactory DIgSILENT or Wood Mackenzie Lens better?
Neither clearly leads. PowerFactory DIgSILENT starts at On request and Wood Mackenzie Lens at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PowerFactory DIgSILENT or Wood Mackenzie Lens?
PowerFactory DIgSILENT starts at On request and Wood Mackenzie Lens at On request.
Does PowerFactory DIgSILENT or Wood Mackenzie Lens run on more platforms?
PowerFactory DIgSILENT runs on Windows, Linux, Api. Wood Mackenzie Lens runs on Web, API.
What is PowerFactory DIgSILENT best used for?
PowerFactory DIgSILENT is most often used for power system load flow, short circuit and stability analysis for transmission and distribution networks, grid code compliance studies and protection coordination, modelling renewables and distributed generation integration. Of those, power system load flow, short circuit and stability analysis for transmission and distribution networks and grid code compliance studies and protection coordination are not what Wood Mackenzie Lens is typically brought in for.
What can PowerFactory DIgSILENT do that Wood Mackenzie Lens cannot?
PowerFactory DIgSILENT covers Load flow calculation, Short-circuit analysis, RMS and EMT simulation, Harmonic analysis. Wood Mackenzie Lens covers Upstream asset data, Power and renewables, Metals and mining, Gas and LNG.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: How does DIgSILENT PowerFactory licensing work?

PowerFactory offers flexible software editions and licensing options. Customers must request a quotation from DIgSILENT to get pricing based on their specific needs and applications. A demo request option is also available.

Source
Wood Mackenzie Lens: Am I buying software or research?

Research. Lens is the delivery platform for Wood Mackenzie analysis, and the analysis is what the price reflects.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: What training and support does DIgSILENT offer?

DIgSILENT provides training courses that can be booked directly. Customers also have access to a knowledge base, license migration assistance, and customer portal. Support services include consulting, testing and certification, and IT projects.

Source
Wood Mackenzie Lens: Who owns Wood Mackenzie?

Veritas Capital, which acquired it from Verisk in 2023.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: Is there a demo version available?

Yes, DIgSILENT offers demo requests for PowerFactory and StationWare products. Prospective customers can contact DIgSILENT directly to schedule a demonstration of the software capabilities.

Source
Wood Mackenzie Lens: Can a team share one licence?

No. Licences are per named user, and sharing breaches the subscription terms.

Wood Mackenzie Lens: Can I get the data into my own models?

Yes, through Lens Direct, which is licensed separately from platform access.

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