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Energy · head to head

HOMER Energy vs Uplight

HOMER Energy logo

HOMER Energy

Energy

Microgrid and distributed energy optimization software

From
$187.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Uplight logo

Uplight

Energy

Customer engagement, rebate marketplaces and demand flexibility software sold to regulated utilities

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HOMER Energy now owned by UL Solutions rather than being independent; Uplight the product assumes a regulated utility with commission-approved programmes, so competitive retailers and aggregators find much of the reporting and measurement machinery irrelevant while still paying for it.
  • They diverge on capability: HOMER Energy covers Microgrid optimization, Uplight covers Energy marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HOMER Energy and Uplight actually diverge.

Attributes where HOMER Energy and Uplight differ
AttributeHOMER EnergyUplight
Starting price$187.5/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWindows, WebWeb, iOS, Android, API
Founded2009Unknown

Identical on both: 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 HOMER Energy

  • Microgrid optimization
  • Techno-economic analysis
  • Component library
  • Sensitivity analysis
  • Energy storage sizing
  • Renewable integration
  • Load profile analysis
  • Financial modeling

Only in Uplight

  • Energy marketplace
  • Personalised recommendations
  • Rates engagement
  • Demand response
  • Distributed energy resource management
  • Programme reporting
  • Home energy reports
  • OEM and device partnerships

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 Uplight
  • Modelling the economics of solar, wind and battery combinationsnot Uplight
  • Electric bill optimisation for grid-connected sites and EV chargingnot Uplight
  • Utility-scale storage investment analysisnot Uplight
  • Comparing least-cost configurations against load and resource datanot Uplight

Uplight

  • A regulated utility that must deliver an approved energy efficiency programme and evidence the savings to its commissionnot HOMER Energy
  • A utility launching a residential demand response programme built on customer-owned thermostats and batteriesnot HOMER Energy
  • A utility moving customers onto time-of-use tariffs that needs enrolment journeys rather than a billing change alonenot HOMER Energy
  • A utility that wants rebates applied at the point of purchase instead of processing claim forms after the factnot 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

Uplight

  • The product assumes a regulated utility with commission-approved programmes, so competitive retailers and aggregators find much of the reporting and measurement machinery irrelevant while still paying for it.
  • Procurement runs through long RFPs tied to rate cases and programme approvals, so implementation dates are set by a regulator rather than by the utility or the vendor and slip when filings slip.
  • The investor group of Schneider Electric, AES and Octopus Energy Group is made up of active energy market participants, which is a governance question a utility should raise in diligence rather than discover later.
  • The platform spans engagement, marketplace and demand management, and those capabilities were built or acquired separately, so a buyer taking one module gets less of the integration benefit than the platform story implies.
  • The reference base and product depth are strongest in North America, so a European or Asia-Pacific utility gets fewer comparable deployments and less functionality built around local market rules.

Pricing, plan by plan

HOMER Energy

$187.5/month
  • Base$187.5/month
    • No modules included; add individually
    • Basic support
    • Software updates
  • Professional$373.5/month
    • Any 4 modules included (Biomass Generation, Run of River Hydro, Advanced Grid, Advanced Load, etc.)
    • Basic support
    • Software updates
  • Expert$568.5/month
    • All modules included: Biomass, Hydro, Hydrogen, Advanced Grid/Load/Storage, Combined Heat & Power, Multi-Year, MATLAB Link
    • Basic support
    • Software updates

Uplight

On request
  • Uplight platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per utility programme by customer count and modules
    • Frequently structured around approved programme budgets and performance targets
    • Marketplace economics include product fulfilment and rebate handling

Which should you pick?

Choose HOMER Energy if

  • You need microgrid optimization.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want techno-economic analysis.
HOMER Energy review

Choose Uplight if

  • You need energy marketplace.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want personalised recommendations.
Uplight review

Questions people ask

Is HOMER Energy or Uplight better?
Neither clearly leads. HOMER Energy starts at $187.5/month and Uplight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HOMER Energy or Uplight?
HOMER Energy starts at $187.5/month and Uplight at On request.
Does HOMER Energy or Uplight run on more platforms?
HOMER Energy runs on Windows, Web. Uplight runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
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 Uplight is typically brought in for.
What can HOMER Energy do that Uplight cannot?
HOMER Energy covers Microgrid optimization, Techno-economic analysis, Component library, Sensitivity analysis. Uplight covers Energy marketplace, Personalised recommendations, Rates engagement, Demand response.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HOMER Energy: What are the pricing options for HOMER Energy?

HOMER Energy pricing information is not publicly available on their website. Customers must contact the vendor directly to obtain pricing information, trial access, and licensing options.

Source
Uplight: Who owns Uplight?

It is privately held and backed by Schneider Electric, AES Corporation and Octopus Energy Group.

HOMER Energy: Does HOMER Energy offer a free trial or demo?

Trial or demo availability cannot be confirmed from publicly accessible pages. Visit the main website or contact HOMER Energy sales directly to inquire about evaluation options.

Source
Uplight: Can a competitive energy retailer use it?

It can, but the product is designed around regulated programme delivery and measurement, so a retailer pays for machinery it does not need.

Uplight: Does Uplight do demand response as well as efficiency?

Yes. It acquired the AutoGrid distributed energy resource platform from Schneider Electric in 2024, which added device control and dispatch to the engagement business.

Uplight: Is pricing published?

No. Deals are quoted per programme and usually sized against an approved programme budget.

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