Software · head to head
Stem Athena vs AVEVA PI System
AVEVA PI System
Software
Industrial data infrastructure for real-time insights
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Stem Athena stem's site names the product PowerTrack Optimizer, formerly Athena, so the Athena name is retired; AVEVA PI System pricing is not published and comes through an account representative
- They diverge on capability: Stem Athena covers AI optimization, AVEVA PI System covers Real-time data collection.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Stem Athena and AVEVA PI System actually diverge.
| Attribute | Stem Athena | AVEVA PI System |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | one-time |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile, Api | Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api |
| Founded | 2009 | 1967 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Stem Athena
- AI optimization
- Energy storage management
- Demand charge reduction
- Grid services
- Solar integration
- Weather forecasting
- Performance analytics
- Remote monitoring
Only in AVEVA PI System
- Real-time data collection
- Time-series data storage
- Asset framework
- Visualization
- Analytics
- Event management
- Notifications
- Data integration
Both cover
- SOC2
- ISO27001
- Cybersecurity
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Stem Athena
- Optimising dispatch and market participation of battery energy storagenot AVEVA PI System
- Monitoring and reporting on solar and storage asset performancenot AVEVA PI System
- Remote diagnostics across renewable generation fleetsnot AVEVA PI System
AVEVA PI System
- Collecting and historising real-time process data from plant equipmentnot Stem Athena
- Operations dashboards and alerting through PI Visionnot Stem Athena
- Edge data collection where connectivity is intermittentnot Stem Athena
- Pulling process data into Excel analysis with PI DataLinknot Stem Athena
- Utilities, pharma, mining and oil and gas process monitoringnot Stem Athena
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
AVEVA PI System
- Pricing is not published and comes through an account representative
- The vendor is moving to a subscription commercial model, so perpetual licence expectations no longer hold
- Made up of several separately named components, including PI Server, PI Vision, Edge Data Store and the adapters and connectors needed per data source
Pricing, plan by plan
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$undefined/custom
- Fleet management
- Portfolio optimization
- Custom integrations
AVEVA PI System
On request- Data Archive$undefined/license
- Time-series data storage
- High-speed data collection
- Data compression
- Operations$undefined/license
- PI Vision dashboards
- AF analytics
- Event frames
- Enterprise$undefined/license
- PI Integrator
- Cloud connectivity
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Stem Athena if
- You need ai optimization.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
- You also want energy storage management.
Choose AVEVA PI System if
- You need real-time data collection.
- You work on Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api.
- You also want time-series data storage.
Questions people ask
- Is Stem Athena or AVEVA PI System better?
- Neither clearly leads. Stem Athena starts at On request and AVEVA PI System at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Stem Athena or AVEVA PI System?
- Stem Athena starts at On request and AVEVA PI System at On request.
- Does Stem Athena or AVEVA PI System run on more platforms?
- Stem Athena runs on Web, Mobile, Api. AVEVA PI System runs on Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api.
- What is Stem Athena best used for?
- Stem Athena is most often used for optimising dispatch and market participation of battery energy storage, monitoring and reporting on solar and storage asset performance, remote diagnostics across renewable generation fleets. Of those, optimising dispatch and market participation of battery energy storage and monitoring and reporting on solar and storage asset performance are not what AVEVA PI System is typically brought in for.
- What can Stem Athena do that AVEVA PI System cannot?
- Stem Athena covers AI optimization, Energy storage management, Demand charge reduction, Grid services. AVEVA PI System covers Real-time data collection, Time-series data storage, Asset framework, Visualization. Both handle SOC2, ISO27001, Cybersecurity.