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Energy · head to head

ABB Ability vs SolarWinds

ABB Ability logo

ABB Ability

Energy

Digital solutions for energy and automation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SolarWinds

Energy

Solar asset performance monitoring and management

From
$2/kW/month
Rated
-
Full review

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ABB Ability the Internet Archive's capture of ABB Ability's page on 19 December 2021 showed it is sold only through a 'Find Your Sales Partner' channel across industry verticals (Automotive, Buildings, Data Centers, EV Charging, Manufacturing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Power, and others), with no price list published.; SolarWinds website uses outdated NetObjects Fusion 2015 tools, suggesting legacy technical infrastructure
  • They diverge on capability: ABB Ability covers Asset health monitoring, SolarWinds covers Real-time monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ABB Ability and SolarWinds actually diverge.

Attributes where ABB Ability and SolarWinds differ
AttributeABB AbilitySolarWinds
Starting priceOn request$2/kW/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Founded19882015

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, Mobile, Api), 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 ABB Ability

  • Asset health monitoring
  • Predictive maintenance
  • Performance optimization
  • Energy management
  • Grid automation
  • Remote diagnostics
  • Advanced analytics
  • Digital twin technology

Only in SolarWinds

  • Real-time monitoring
  • Performance analytics
  • Alarm management
  • O&M workflows
  • Reporting
  • Benchmarking
  • Weather integration
  • Financial tracking

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

ABB Ability

  • Asset performance managementnot SolarWinds
  • Predictive maintenancenot SolarWinds
  • Grid optimizationnot SolarWinds
  • Energy efficiencynot SolarWinds

SolarWinds

  • Solar monitoringnot ABB Ability
  • Performance optimizationnot ABB Ability
  • O&M managementnot ABB Ability
  • Portfolio reportingnot ABB Ability
  • Investor reportingnot ABB Ability

Where each one falls short

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

ABB Ability

  • The Internet Archive's capture of ABB Ability's page on 19 December 2021 showed it is sold only through a 'Find Your Sales Partner' channel across industry verticals (Automotive, Buildings, Data Centers, EV Charging, Manufacturing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Power, and others), with no price list published.

SolarWinds

  • Website uses outdated NetObjects Fusion 2015 tools, suggesting legacy technical infrastructure
  • No specific product models, brands, or technical specifications listed for offered solutions
  • Geographic service area boundaries unclear; only mentions San Francisco Bay Area and Central California
  • Minimal customer engagement features; lacks testimonials, project galleries, financing calculators, or online quote forms
  • Email contact discrepancy between display text ([email protected]) and actual mailto link ([email protected])

Pricing, plan by plan

ABB Ability

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the ABB Ability review.

SolarWinds

$2/kW/month
  • Monitor$2/kW/month
    • Real-time monitoring
    • Performance tracking
    • Alerts
  • Optimize$4/kW/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Degradation analysis
    • Benchmarking
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Portfolio management
    • Custom integrations
    • Financial modeling

Which should you pick?

Choose ABB Ability if

  • You need asset health monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want predictive maintenance.
ABB Ability review

Choose SolarWinds if

  • You need real-time monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want performance analytics.
SolarWinds review

Questions people ask

Is ABB Ability or SolarWinds better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB Ability starts at On request and SolarWinds at $2/kW/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB Ability or SolarWinds?
ABB Ability starts at On request and SolarWinds at $2/kW/month.
Does ABB Ability or SolarWinds run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is ABB Ability best used for?
ABB Ability is most often used for asset performance management, predictive maintenance, grid optimization, energy efficiency. Of those, asset performance management and predictive maintenance are not what SolarWinds is typically brought in for.
What can ABB Ability do that SolarWinds cannot?
ABB Ability covers Asset health monitoring, Predictive maintenance, Performance optimization, Energy management. SolarWinds covers Real-time monitoring, Performance analytics, Alarm management, O&M workflows. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SolarWinds: What geographic areas does SolarWinds Energy serve?

SolarWinds Energy serves the San Francisco Bay Area and Central California regions, but the exact service area boundaries are not clearly defined on their website.

Source
SolarWinds: What solar and renewable products does SolarWinds Energy offer?

SolarWinds Energy specializes in energy efficiency and renewable technologies including solar energy systems and attic ventilation solutions, but specific product models and technical specifications are not published online.

Source
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