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Energy & Utilities · head to head

Helioscope vs SolarWinds

Helioscope logo

Helioscope

Energy & Utilities

Accurate solar design for commercial projects

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SolarWinds

Energy & Utilities

Solar asset performance monitoring and management

From
$2/kW/month
Rated
-
Full review

The short version

  • Only Helioscope has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Helioscope covers PV system design, SolarWinds covers Real-time monitoring.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Helioscope and SolarWinds actually diverge.

Attributes where Helioscope and SolarWinds differ
AttributeHelioscopeSolarWinds
Starting priceFree$2/kW/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Mobile, Api
Founded20122015

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Energy & Utilities).

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 SolarWinds

  • Real-time monitoring
  • Performance analytics
  • Alarm management
  • O&M workflows
  • Reporting
  • Benchmarking
  • Weather integration
  • Financial tracking

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Helioscope

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

SolarWinds

  • Solar monitoringnot Helioscope
  • Performance optimizationnot Helioscope
  • O&M managementnot Helioscope
  • Portfolio reportingnot Helioscope
  • Investor reportingnot Helioscope

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

SolarWinds

Nothing recorded yet. See the SolarWinds review.

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

SolarWinds

$2/kW/month
  • Monitor$2/kW/month
    • Real-time monitoring
    • Performance tracking
    • Alerts
  • Optimize$4/kW/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Degradation analysis
    • Benchmarking
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Portfolio management
    • Custom integrations
    • Financial modeling

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 SolarWinds if

  • You need real-time monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want performance analytics.
SolarWinds review

Questions people ask

Is Helioscope or SolarWinds better?
Neither clearly leads. Helioscope starts at Free and SolarWinds at $2/kW/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Helioscope or SolarWinds?
Helioscope has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Helioscope and $2/kW/month for SolarWinds.
Does Helioscope or SolarWinds run on more platforms?
Helioscope runs on Web, Api. SolarWinds runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
Can I use Helioscope for free?
Yes. Helioscope has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SolarWinds starts at $2/kW/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 SolarWinds is typically brought in for.
What can Helioscope do that SolarWinds cannot?
Helioscope covers PV system design, 3D shade modeling, Performance simulation, Single-line diagrams. SolarWinds covers Real-time monitoring, Performance analytics, Alarm management, O&M workflows. Both handle SOC2, Cloud deployment.
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