Easy PV
Midsummer
Design & simulation · Web
Pricing GBP 0 Per seat Free tier, no time limit
Sept 2026
Comparison
HELIOS 3D vs SAM (System Advisor Model)
27 differences · 4 identical
HELIOS 3DHelios 3D (a product of STÖHR+SAUER CAD- und Computersystem GmbH)
- Entry price
- Not publicly disclosed
- Charged
- Quote only
- Free tier or trial
- No free tier or trial
- Named integrations
- 1
- Verified data points
- 9
SAM (System Advisor Model)National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) — formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
- Entry price
- Free
- Charged
- Free
- Free tier or trial
- Free tier, no time limit
- Named integrations
- 0
- Verified data points
- 6
The differences that matter most
- Price published Not published Published
- Pricing model quote-only free
- Free tier Not offered free-forever
HELIOS 3D or SAM (System Advisor Model)?
They differ most on price published. HELIOS 3D publishes Not publicly disclosed; SAM (System Advisor Model) publishes Free. They use different pricing models, so those figures do not compare directly.
We do not name a winner. Below are 27 differences drawn from the same sourced dataset that powers both product pages.
Verified against the vendor’s own pages.
Pricing
These cannot be compared on a single number
HELIOS 3D is priced quote-only and SAM (System Advisor Model) is priced free. These are different pricing models, so a single side-by-side figure would be misleading. Each is shown as its vendor states it.
HELIOS 3D
Not publicly disclosed
Quote only
SAM (System Advisor Model)
Free
0 USD free desktop application
Free
Prices are shown exactly as each vendor writes them and are never converted between currencies.
Where they differ
27 differences, ordered by how much they are likely to matter — pricing transparency first, then capabilities the vendor explicitly confirms or denies.
Legend Verified Vendor claim Not offered Not found Could not read
| Capability | HELIOS 3D | SAM (System Advisor Model) |
|---|---|---|
| Solar design & simulation | ||
| Automatic module layout | Advanced Verified | — Not found |
| Battery sizing and modelling | — Not found | Advanced Verified |
| CAD export (DXF/DWG) | Yes Verified | — Not found |
| Ground-mount / tracker layout | Advanced Verified | — Not found |
| Loss and uncertainty modelling (P50/P90) | — Not found | Advanced Verified |
| Remote site capture from imagery | Advanced Verified | — Not found |
| Shading analysis | Advanced Verified | — Not found |
| Single-line diagram | Advanced Verified | — Not found |
| Annual energy yield simulation | Basic Vendor claim | Advanced Verified |
| Inverter sizing | Advanced Verified | Basic Vendor claim |
| Proposals & sales | ||
| E-signature | — Not found | — Could not read |
| Estimation & financial modelling | ||
| ROI / payback calculation | — Not found | Advanced Verified |
| Reporting, data & BI | ||
| Report / deliverable export | Advanced Verified | — Not found |
| Integrations & extensibility | ||
| Public API | — Not found | Advanced Verified |
| Named, documented integrations | 1 Verified | 0 Verified |
| Platform & deployment | ||
| Delivery model | software Verified | open-source Verified |
| Desktop OS support | — Could not read | not stated beyond 'desktop application' Verified |
| Web application | — Could not read | No Verified |
| Pricing & commercial terms | ||
| Price published | Not published Verified | Published Verified |
| Pricing model | quote-only Verified | free Verified |
| Free tier | Not offered Verified | free-forever Verified |
| Entry price | — Could not read | 0 USD free desktop application Verified |
| Currency | — Could not read | USD Verified |
| Market fit & availability | ||
| C&I | No Verified | Yes Verified |
| Geographic availability | DE; global Verified | US; global Verified |
| Residential | No Verified | Yes Verified |
| Target buyer | enterprise-epc; engineering-firm Verified | engineering-firm; developer Verified |
Scroll the table sideways to see both products. The capability column stays in place.
Where they are the same 4 data points
- Bankable / IE-accepted simulation report
- Named weather / irradiance data source
- Product status
- Utility-scale
Which might suit you
Framed as requirements, not a verdict. Both descriptions come from the same data.
Consider HELIOS 3D if…
- you work at utility scale
For utility-scale project developers, EPCs and engineering firms that already own a Civil 3D estate, have IT able to run and back up a SQL Server instance, and need a layout that survives into earthworks and pile-driving coordinates. Not for anyone who wants a browser tool, a price they can read, a trial they can self-serve, a rooftop or residential workflow, or a licence that survives losing a USB stick — the vendor's own help centre says losing the dongle "will result in the irrevocable loss of your license" and recommends buying electronics insurance.
Full HELIOS 3D profileConsider SAM (System Advisor Model) if…
- you need a price you can plan against before talking to sales
- you want to start without a budget approval
- you are comfortable with desktop software and its constraints
- you work at utility scale
- your work is mostly residential
For analysts, researchers, policy people and developers who need a transparent, auditable, free model and a real financial structure behind the kWh. Not for installers who need a roof capture, a proposal or a plan set — SAM has no satellite imagery workflow, no proposal output and no CRM, and it registers users with a free software key rather than selling a licence.
Full SAM (System Advisor Model) profileRelated comparisons
Other options in design & simulation
SolarEdge Designer
SolarEdge Technologies
Design & simulation · Web
Pricing Free Free Free tier, no time limit
Sept 2026
SAM (System Advisor Model)
National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) — formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Design & simulation · Desktop
Pricing Free Free Free tier, no time limit
Sept 2026
Frequently asked
What is the main difference between HELIOS 3D and SAM (System Advisor Model)?
They differ most on price published. In total we recorded 27 verified differences and 4 points where they are the same.
Which costs more, HELIOS 3D or SAM (System Advisor Model)?
HELIOS 3D is priced quote-only and SAM (System Advisor Model) is priced free. These are different pricing models, so a single side-by-side figure would be misleading. Each is shown as its vendor states it.
Is HELIOS 3D or SAM (System Advisor Model) better?
We do not name a winner. Both are described from the same verified data, and which suits you depends on your requirements — the differences above are the facts; the choice is yours.
Last verified
Vendors change pricing and features without notice. Check the vendor’s own page before deciding.
This comparison is generated from the feature database, not written by hand. A pair is only published when the data holds at least five stateable differences — which is why 281 candidate pairs were refused. How comparisons are built