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Software · head to head

Helioscope vs NAVTOR

Helioscope logo

Helioscope

Software

Accurate solar design for commercial projects

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NAVTOR logo

NAVTOR

Software

Digital navigation and maritime compliance

From
$200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Helioscope has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Helioscope licences are single user, so each designer needs their own; NAVTOR specialized product focused only on maritime industry, not suitable for other domains
  • They diverge on capability: Helioscope covers PV system design, NAVTOR covers Digital chart services.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Helioscope and NAVTOR actually diverge.

Attributes where Helioscope and NAVTOR differ
AttributeHelioscopeNAVTOR
Starting priceFree$200/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
Founded20122011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Helioscope

  • PV system design
  • 3D shade modeling
  • Performance simulation
  • Single-line diagrams
  • BOM generation
  • Proposal templates
  • Component database
  • Financial modeling

Only in NAVTOR

  • Digital chart services
  • Passage planning
  • Compliance management
  • Fleet monitoring
  • ECDIS systems
  • Fleet management
  • Classification societies
  • Windows support

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Helioscope

  • Simulating photovoltaic system performance and energy yieldnot NAVTOR
  • Laying out commercial solar arrays and producing design reportsnot NAVTOR

NAVTOR

No use cases recorded yet. See the NAVTOR review.

Where each one falls short

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

Helioscope

  • Licences are single user, so each designer needs their own
  • Projects are capped at 10 a month on both Basic and Pro
  • System size is capped by plan, at 1.25 MW DC on Basic and 5 MW on Pro, so a larger array forces an upgrade regardless of project count
  • Trackers, LIDAR modelling and API access sit on the higher tiers
  • Enterprise is priced per project with no published figure

NAVTOR

  • Specialized product focused only on maritime industry, not suitable for other domains
  • Requires subscription to PRIMAR or IC-ENC chart sources

Pricing, plan by plan

Helioscope

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 projects
    • Basic design tools
    • Shade analysis
  • Professional$95/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Advanced shading
    • Custom reports
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • API access
    • Custom integrations

NAVTOR

$200/month
  • NavStation$500/month
    • Digital charts
    • Passage planning
    • Compliance tools

Which should you pick?

Choose Helioscope if

  • You need pv system design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want 3d shade modeling.
Helioscope review

Choose NAVTOR if

  • You need digital chart services.
  • You also want passage planning.
NAVTOR review

Questions people ask

Is Helioscope or NAVTOR better?
Neither clearly leads. Helioscope starts at Free and NAVTOR at $200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Helioscope or NAVTOR?
Helioscope has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Helioscope and $200/month for NAVTOR.
Does Helioscope or NAVTOR run on more platforms?
Helioscope runs on Web, Api. NAVTOR runs on Web.
Can I use Helioscope for free?
Yes. Helioscope has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NAVTOR starts at $200/month.
What is Helioscope best used for?
Helioscope is most often used for simulating photovoltaic system performance and energy yield, laying out commercial solar arrays and producing design reports. Of those, simulating photovoltaic system performance and energy yield and laying out commercial solar arrays and producing design reports are not what NAVTOR is typically brought in for.
What can Helioscope do that NAVTOR cannot?
Helioscope covers PV system design, 3D shade modeling, Performance simulation, Single-line diagrams. NAVTOR covers Digital chart services, Passage planning, Compliance management, Fleet monitoring. Both handle Web support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NAVTOR: What are Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs)?

ENCs are official digital charts used for maritime navigation. NAVTOR distributes ENCs from PRIMAR and IC-ENC in S-63 format and NAVTOR SENC format, covering over 15,800 official charts.

Source
NAVTOR: What is NAVTOR's PAYS pricing model?

PAYS (Pay As You Sail) charges vessels only for the chart cells they pass through during a voyage, while allowing navigators free access to any ENC for planning purposes before sailing.

Source
NAVTOR: What is NavStation used for?

NavStation is NAVTOR's voyage planning software that integrates official ENC charts with overlays of navigational data to assist in route planning and voyage optimization.

Source
NAVTOR: What platforms does NAVTOR serve?

NAVTOR focuses on the maritime shipping industry, serving vessel operators, fleet managers, and navigation professionals with e-Navigation solutions and digital logbooks.

Source
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