Softwr

Energy · head to head

Helioscope vs OSIsoft PI System

Helioscope logo

Helioscope

Energy

Accurate solar design for commercial projects

From
$159/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OSIsoft PI System logo

OSIsoft PI System

Energy

Real-time operational intelligence for industrial operations

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; OSIsoft PI System oSIsoft is now AVEVA and osisoft.com redirects to the AVEVA PI System pages
  • They diverge on capability: Helioscope covers PV system design, OSIsoft PI System covers Real-time data collection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Helioscope and OSIsoft PI System actually diverge.

Attributes where Helioscope and OSIsoft PI System differ
AttributeHelioscopeOSIsoft PI System
Starting price$159/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, ApiWindows, Web, Api
Founded20121980

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 Helioscope

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

Only in OSIsoft PI System

  • Real-time data collection
  • Time-series data storage
  • Advanced analytics
  • Asset framework
  • Visualization tools
  • Event frames
  • Data compression
  • Notifications and alerts

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • SSL encryption

What people use each for

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

Helioscope

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

OSIsoft PI System

  • Collecting and historising high frequency industrial process and sensor datanot Helioscope
  • Operations dashboards and trend analysis for plants and utilitiesnot Helioscope
  • Feeding real time operational data into analytics and digital twin applicationsnot 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

OSIsoft PI System

  • OSIsoft is now AVEVA and osisoft.com redirects to the AVEVA PI System pages
  • No pricing is published; osisoft.com/pricing resolves to AVEVA product pages with no rate, minimum or cost driver
  • Licensing runs through the AVEVA Flex Subscription Program rather than a published per-seat or per-tag price
  • The PI System is split across separately listed products including PI Server, PI Vision, PI Data Infrastructure and Edge Data Store

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

OSIsoft PI System

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the OSIsoft PI System review.

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 OSIsoft PI System if

  • You need real-time data collection.
  • You work on Windows, Web, Api.
  • You also want time-series data storage.
OSIsoft PI System review

Questions people ask

Is Helioscope or OSIsoft PI System better?
Neither clearly leads. Helioscope starts at $159/month and OSIsoft PI System at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Helioscope or OSIsoft PI System?
Helioscope starts at $159/month and OSIsoft PI System at On request.
Does Helioscope or OSIsoft PI System run on more platforms?
Helioscope runs on Web, Api. OSIsoft PI System runs on Windows, Web, 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 OSIsoft PI System is typically brought in for.
What can Helioscope do that OSIsoft PI System cannot?
Helioscope covers PV system design, 3D shade modeling, Performance simulation, Single-line diagrams. OSIsoft PI System covers Real-time data collection, Time-series data storage, Advanced analytics, Asset framework. Both handle SOC2, SSL encryption.

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
OSIsoft PI System: How much does the AVEVA PI System cost?

AVEVA PI System (formerly OSIsoft PI System) operates on a subscription-based commercial model with customized pricing. The company structures subscriptions to match specific use cases and business needs, requiring direct contact with account representatives.

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
OSIsoft PI System: What is AVEVA PI System's pricing model?

AVEVA offers subscription-based licensing for software components running on-premises or in the cloud. Subscriptions are customized per customer use case, and pricing is determined through consultation with local account representatives.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Helioscope

More on OSIsoft PI System

Keep looking

Other head to heads