Software · head to head
HOMER Energy vs OpenLink Endur

HOMER Energy
Software
Microgrid and distributed energy optimization software
- From
- Free
- 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; OpenLink Endur openLink Endur (an ETRM/CTRM platform, now part of ION Group's OpenLink brand) is sold only through named enterprise license agreements with individual utilities and trading firms, confirmed by a chain of dated press releases announcing signed licenses (DTE Energy, Barclays Capital, RWE Trading Americas, Petrobras and others), none of which disclose a price; ION's current careers pages still list dedicated Endur and Findur implementation consultant roles, confirming the product line is separate from and sold alongside sibling products IRM, RightAngle and dbcSMARTsoft rather than as one unified suite (archived press release, 16 April 2015)
- They diverge on capability: HOMER Energy covers Microgrid optimization, OpenLink Endur covers Deal capture.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which HOMER Energy and OpenLink Endur actually diverge.
| Attribute | HOMER Energy | OpenLink Endur |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, Web | Desktop, Web, Api |
| Founded | 2009 | 1999 |
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 OpenLink Endur
- Deal capture
- Position management
- Risk analytics
- Credit management
- Logistics
- Settlement
- Accounting integration
- Regulatory compliance
Both cover
- Data encryption
- Cloud deployment
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 OpenLink Endur
- Modelling the economics of solar, wind and battery combinationsnot OpenLink Endur
- Electric bill optimisation for grid-connected sites and EV chargingnot OpenLink Endur
- Utility-scale storage investment analysisnot OpenLink Endur
- Comparing least-cost configurations against load and resource datanot OpenLink Endur
OpenLink Endur
- Energy tradingnot HOMER Energy
- Risk managementnot HOMER Energy
- Commodity logisticsnot HOMER Energy
- Regulatory compliancenot HOMER Energy
- Settlementnot 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
OpenLink Endur
- OpenLink Endur (an ETRM/CTRM platform, now part of ION Group's OpenLink brand) is sold only through named enterprise license agreements with individual utilities and trading firms, confirmed by a chain of dated press releases announcing signed licenses (DTE Energy, Barclays Capital, RWE Trading Americas, Petrobras and others), none of which disclose a price; ION's current careers pages still list dedicated Endur and Findur implementation consultant roles, confirming the product line is separate from and sold alongside sibling products IRM, RightAngle and dbcSMARTsoft rather than as one unified suite (archived press release, 16 April 2015)
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
OpenLink Endur
On request- Trading$undefined/custom
- Deal capture
- Position management
- P&L analytics
- Risk$undefined/custom
- VaR and PaR
- Credit risk
- Limit monitoring
- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Full ETRM suite
- Multi-commodity
- Global support
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 OpenLink Endur if
- You need deal capture.
- You work on Desktop, Web, Api.
- You also want position management.
Questions people ask
- Is HOMER Energy or OpenLink Endur better?
- Neither clearly leads. HOMER Energy starts at Free and OpenLink Endur at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, HOMER Energy or OpenLink Endur?
- HOMER Energy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HOMER Energy and On request for OpenLink Endur.
- Does HOMER Energy or OpenLink Endur run on more platforms?
- HOMER Energy runs on Windows, Web. OpenLink Endur runs on Desktop, Web, Api.
- Can I use HOMER Energy for free?
- Yes. HOMER Energy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OpenLink Endur 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 OpenLink Endur is typically brought in for.
- What can HOMER Energy do that OpenLink Endur cannot?
- HOMER Energy covers Microgrid optimization, Techno-economic analysis, Component library, Sensitivity analysis. OpenLink Endur covers Deal capture, Position management, Risk analytics, Credit management. Both handle Data encryption, Cloud deployment.
Related pages
More on HOMER Energy
More on OpenLink Endur
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