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Maritime · head to head

Portcast vs Stem Athena

Portcast logo

Portcast

Maritime

AI-powered container tracking and ETA

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stem Athena logo

Stem Athena

Energy

AI-driven clean energy optimization

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Portcast pricing not published on homepage or dedicated pricing page; Stem Athena stem's site names the product PowerTrack Optimizer, formerly Athena, so the Athena name is retired
  • They diverge on capability: Portcast covers Predictive ETAs, Stem Athena covers AI optimization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Portcast and Stem Athena actually diverge.

Attributes where Portcast and Stem Athena differ
AttributePortcastStem Athena
Starting price$500/monthOn request
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Mobile, Api
CategoryMaritimeEnergy
Founded20182009

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Portcast

  • Predictive ETAs
  • Container tracking
  • Exception alerts
  • Port congestion data
  • TMS platforms
  • ERP systems
  • Shipping lines
  • Web support

Only in Stem Athena

  • AI optimization
  • Energy storage management
  • Demand charge reduction
  • Grid services
  • Solar integration
  • Weather forecasting
  • Performance analytics
  • Remote monitoring

What people use each for

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

Portcast

  • Real-time container and air cargo tracking across carriersnot Stem Athena
  • Predicted ETAs and delay forecasting for ocean freightnot Stem Athena
  • Port congestion monitoringnot Stem Athena
  • Auditing freight invoices automaticallynot Stem Athena
  • Feeding predicted arrival data into a TMS or ERPnot Stem Athena

Stem Athena

  • Energy asset optimization and managementnot Portcast
  • Renewable energy integrationnot Portcast
  • Energy storage managementnot Portcast
  • Grid operations optimizationnot Portcast

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Portcast

  • Pricing not published on homepage or dedicated pricing page
  • No free tier or trial information disclosed
  • Features and billing model not detailed publicly

Stem Athena

  • Stem's site names the product PowerTrack Optimizer, formerly Athena, so the Athena name is retired
  • No price, subscription fee or contract term is published anywhere on the site
  • The optimizer is one component of the wider PowerTrack suite alongside separate EMS, SCADA, Power Plant Controller and Logger products rather than a standalone licence
  • Design, procurement, commissioning and operation are sold as managed services separate from the software

Pricing, plan by plan

Portcast

$500/month
  • Professional$1500/month
    • AI-powered ETAs
    • Container tracking
    • Analytics

Stem Athena

On request
  • Commercial$undefined/custom
    • Energy storage optimization
    • Demand charge management
    • Rate optimization
  • Utility$undefined/custom
    • Grid services
    • VPP management
    • Frequency regulation
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Fleet management
    • Portfolio optimization
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Portcast if

  • You need predictive etas.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want container tracking.
Portcast review

Choose Stem Athena if

  • You need ai optimization.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want energy storage management.
Stem Athena review

Questions people ask

Is Portcast or Stem Athena better?
Neither clearly leads. Portcast starts at $500/month and Stem Athena at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Portcast or Stem Athena?
Portcast starts at $500/month and Stem Athena at On request.
Does Portcast or Stem Athena run on more platforms?
Portcast runs on Web, Api. Stem Athena runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
What is Portcast best used for?
Portcast is most often used for real-time container and air cargo tracking across carriers, predicted etas and delay forecasting for ocean freight, port congestion monitoring, auditing freight invoices automatically. Of those, real-time container and air cargo tracking across carriers and predicted etas and delay forecasting for ocean freight are not what Stem Athena is typically brought in for.
What can Portcast do that Stem Athena cannot?
Portcast covers Predictive ETAs, Container tracking, Exception alerts, Port congestion data. Stem Athena covers AI optimization, Energy storage management, Demand charge reduction, Grid services.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Portcast: Where can I find Portcast pricing?

Portcast does not display pricing information on their website. They direct inquiries to Book a demo or Get in Touch options on their homepage for pricing and plan details. Source: https://www.portcast.io

Source
Stem Athena: How much does Stem Athena cost?

Stem does not publish pricing for Athena on its website. The company appears to use a custom enterprise pricing model. Interested customers must contact Stem directly through their website to inquire about pricing and availability.

Source
Portcast: Does Portcast offer a free trial or demo?

Portcast emphasizes booking a demo as the primary way to learn about features and pricing. No free tier details are described on their homepage. Source: https://www.portcast.io

Source
Stem Athena: Does Stem offer a free trial?

The Stem website does not mention a free trial or demo option for Athena. Customers are directed to contact Stem's sales team for information about trial access or pricing.

Source
Portcast: Is Portcast supply chain visibility software priced per user or by usage?

Portcast does not disclose their pricing model publicly. Contact their sales team through their website's demo booking or contact form to discuss per-user, usage-based, or other billing options. Source: https://www.portcast.io

Source
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