Software · head to head
HOMER Energy vs Honeywell Building Management
HOMER Energy
Software
Microgrid and distributed energy optimization software
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Honeywell Building Management
Software
Integrated building and energy management system
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only HOMER Energy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: HOMER Energy now owned by UL Solutions rather than being independent; Honeywell Building Management honeywell Building Management publishes no online pricing across its product category pages (buildings.honeywell.com/us/en/products); the only purchasing path offered site-wide is a Contact Us support form, consistent with B2B building automation sold through installers/distributors rather than direct sale.
- They diverge on capability: HOMER Energy covers Microgrid optimization, Honeywell Building Management covers HVAC control.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which HOMER Energy and Honeywell Building Management actually diverge.
| Attribute | HOMER Energy | Honeywell Building Management |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, Web | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2009 | 1906 |
Identical on both: 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 HOMER Energy
- Microgrid optimization
- Techno-economic analysis
- Component library
- Sensitivity analysis
- Energy storage sizing
- Renewable integration
- Load profile analysis
- Financial modeling
Only in Honeywell Building Management
- HVAC control
- Lighting management
- Energy analytics
- Maintenance tracking
- Security integration
- Microsoft
- SOC2
Both cover
- On-premise deployment
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- English language support
- Spanish language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
HOMER Energy
- Sizing and optimising off-grid and microgrid systemsnot Honeywell Building Management
- Modelling the economics of solar, wind and battery combinationsnot Honeywell Building Management
- Electric bill optimisation for grid-connected sites and EV chargingnot Honeywell Building Management
- Utility-scale storage investment analysisnot Honeywell Building Management
- Comparing least-cost configurations against load and resource datanot Honeywell Building Management
Honeywell Building Management
- Building automationnot HOMER Energy
- Energy optimizationnot HOMER Energy
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
HOMER Energy
- Now owned by UL Solutions rather than being independent
- Split into three separate products, HOMER Pro for off-grid and microgrids, HOMER Grid for bill optimisation and HOMER Front for utility-scale, so the right one depends on project type
- Pricing is not shown on the product pages
Honeywell Building Management
- Honeywell Building Management publishes no online pricing across its product category pages (buildings.honeywell.com/us/en/products); the only purchasing path offered site-wide is a Contact Us support form, consistent with B2B building automation sold through installers/distributors rather than direct sale.
Pricing, plan by plan
HOMER Energy
Free- HOMER GridFree
- Grid-connected optimization
- Basic components
- Limited simulations
- HOMER Pro$1500/year
- Advanced optimization
- All components
- Unlimited simulations
- Enterprise$undefined/year
- Multi-user licenses
- API access
- Custom modules
Honeywell Building Management
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Honeywell Building Management review.
Which should you pick?
Choose HOMER Energy if
- You need microgrid optimization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Web.
- You also want techno-economic analysis.
Choose Honeywell Building Management if
- You need hvac control.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want lighting management.
Questions people ask
- Is HOMER Energy or Honeywell Building Management better?
- Neither clearly leads. HOMER Energy starts at Free and Honeywell Building Management at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, HOMER Energy or Honeywell Building Management?
- HOMER Energy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HOMER Energy and On request for Honeywell Building Management.
- Does HOMER Energy or Honeywell Building Management run on more platforms?
- HOMER Energy runs on Windows, Web. Honeywell Building Management runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use HOMER Energy for free?
- Yes. HOMER Energy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Honeywell Building Management starts at On request.
- What is HOMER Energy best used for?
- HOMER Energy is most often used for sizing and optimising off-grid and microgrid systems, modelling the economics of solar, wind and battery combinations, electric bill optimisation for grid-connected sites and ev charging, utility-scale storage investment analysis. Of those, sizing and optimising off-grid and microgrid systems and modelling the economics of solar, wind and battery combinations are not what Honeywell Building Management is typically brought in for.
- What can HOMER Energy do that Honeywell Building Management cannot?
- HOMER Energy covers Microgrid optimization, Techno-economic analysis, Component library, Sensitivity analysis. Honeywell Building Management covers HVAC control, Lighting management, Energy analytics, Maintenance tracking. Both handle On-premise deployment, Cloud deployment, Web support, English language support.