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Energy · head to head

Helioscope vs OATI webSmartEnergy

Helioscope logo

Helioscope

Energy

Accurate solar design for commercial projects

From
$159/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OATI webSmartEnergy logo

OATI webSmartEnergy

Energy

Comprehensive utility billing and customer engagement

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Helioscope licences are single user, so each designer needs their own; OATI webSmartEnergy oATI publishes no price for webSmartEnergy anywhere on its site; even the product overview is gated behind a brochure request form, with further detail requiring direct email contact to [email protected] rather than any published rate (archived brochure page, 25 June 2024)
  • They diverge on capability: Helioscope covers PV system design, OATI webSmartEnergy covers Customer information system.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Helioscope and OATI webSmartEnergy actually diverge.

Attributes where Helioscope and OATI webSmartEnergy differ
AttributeHelioscopeOATI webSmartEnergy
Starting price$159/monthOn request
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Mobile, Api
Founded20121995

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Helioscope

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

Only in OATI webSmartEnergy

  • Customer information system
  • Utility billing
  • Payment processing
  • Smart meter integration
  • Rate management
  • Service order management
  • Customer portal
  • Demand response

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Helioscope

  • Solar project design and modelingnot OATI webSmartEnergy
  • Rooftop, carport, and ground-mount solar system planningnot OATI webSmartEnergy
  • Financial analysis and sales proposal generation for solar installationsnot OATI webSmartEnergy

OATI webSmartEnergy

  • Utility billingnot Helioscope
  • Customer managementnot Helioscope
  • Smart meter datanot Helioscope
  • Rate analysisnot Helioscope
  • Demand response programsnot 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

OATI webSmartEnergy

  • OATI publishes no price for webSmartEnergy anywhere on its site; even the product overview is gated behind a brochure request form, with further detail requiring direct email contact to [email protected] rather than any published rate (archived brochure page, 25 June 2024)

Pricing, plan by plan

Helioscope

$159/month
  • Basic$159/month
    • 1 user per license
    • 10 projects per month (120 per year)
    • 15% discount for annual billing ($1,620/year)
  • Pro$259/month
    • 1 user per license
    • 10 projects per month (120 per year)
    • 15% discount for annual billing ($2,640/year)
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited projects
    • Custom pricing

OATI webSmartEnergy

On request
  • CIS Basic$undefined/custom
    • Customer management
    • Billing engine
    • Payment processing
  • CIS Advanced$undefined/custom
    • Advanced rate structures
    • Demand response
    • Prepaid metering
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • MDM integration
    • Analytics suite
    • Multi-commodity

Which should you pick?

Choose Helioscope if

  • You need pv system design.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want 3d shade modeling.
Helioscope review

Choose OATI webSmartEnergy if

  • You need customer information system.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want utility billing.
OATI webSmartEnergy review

Questions people ask

Is Helioscope or OATI webSmartEnergy better?
Neither clearly leads. Helioscope starts at $159/month and OATI webSmartEnergy at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Helioscope or OATI webSmartEnergy?
Helioscope starts at $159/month and OATI webSmartEnergy at On request.
Does Helioscope or OATI webSmartEnergy run on more platforms?
Helioscope runs on Web, Api. OATI webSmartEnergy runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
What is Helioscope best used for?
Helioscope is most often used for solar project design and modeling, rooftop, carport, and ground-mount solar system planning, financial analysis and sales proposal generation for solar installations. Of those, solar project design and modeling and rooftop, carport, and ground-mount solar system planning are not what OATI webSmartEnergy is typically brought in for.
What can Helioscope do that OATI webSmartEnergy cannot?
Helioscope covers PV system design, 3D shade modeling, Performance simulation, Single-line diagrams. OATI webSmartEnergy covers Customer information system, Utility billing, Payment processing, Smart meter integration. Both handle Salesforce, SOC2, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Helioscope: What is the starting price for HelioScope?

HelioScope Basic plan costs $159 per month per license with annual billing at $1,620/year (15% discount). The Pro plan is $259/month or $2,640/year. Each license covers 1 user. Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
Helioscope: How many projects can I design monthly with HelioScope Basic and Pro?

Both Basic and Pro plans include 10 projects per month, equaling 120 projects per year. The project allocation is the same across both tiers; the difference is in design capability (1.25 MW for Basic vs. 5 MW for Pro). Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
Helioscope: What is the maximum solar design capacity by HelioScope tier?

HelioScope Basic supports designs up to 1.25 MW DC, Pro supports up to 5 MW DC, and Enterprise supports unlimited designs up to 30 MW DC. Accuracy within 1% of PVsyst modeling is maintained across tiers. Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
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