The 13 Best Utility Billing Software Solutions

Running even a small utility company can be an enormous undertaking. In addition to dealing with complex regulatory and technical issues, utility companies also have to manage financial aspects such as meter reading and customer billing. In the past, this required a lot of manual labor. Today, technology solutions, such as smart meters, can streamline these processes.

Utility billing software is a great way for any utility company to work smarter, not harder. These software solutions offer everything from customer account management to automatic billing to usage tracking. We have compiled a list of some of the best utility billing software platforms to help you choose one for your business. Our team can even help you integrate the software into your existing website to make sure that your operations run smoothly and seamlessly.

Inclind is an award-winning website design and development company that builds smart, attractive websites for utility companies that are chock-full of features. We understand that utility companies have unique concerns when it comes to their website and related technology, which is why we offer comprehensive services that are designed to approach tech from a more global perspective, such as integrating software platforms to make the most out of your website. If you’d like to know more about our website design, development, and support services for utility companies, reach out today to talk to our team.

Features to Look for in Utility Billing Software

Billing software is a fantastic investment for utility companies. This software can streamline operations, increasing efficiency and reducing the costs associated with traditional forms of billing. Many of these solutions allow utility companies to record usage data, automatically calculate bills, invoice customers, and process payments. The key is to pick a software solution that has the right features for your company.

Many different types of utility billing solutions are geared towards different types of utility companies. Some of the core features that they may offer include:

• Meter Management: The software pulls data from meters, imports the information, and pairs it with customer accounts for billing.
• Usage Tracking: The software tracks customers' historical usage and sends alerts if it is much higher than normal.
• Billing/Invoicing: The platform calculates a bill based on usage and current rates and then sends an invoice to the customer.
• Rate Management: The software assigns the correct rate to each customer, which is important for utility companies offering different rates based on contract and/or service type.
• Customer Account Management: Any utility billing software should offer a database with pertinent customer information.
• Payment Processing: The utility software should include payment options, such as using a customer portal to make a credit card or ACH payment, or manually.
• Reporting: The platform should offer financial reporting that can be used to generate actionable insights.

Not every utility company will need each of these features. Some utility companies may even require different features based on the unique aspects of their business. Below, we have compiled a list of some of the best utility billing software solutions to meet your company’s needs.

Top 13 Utility Billing Software Solutions

CIS Utility Billing

CIS Utility Billing (or CUSI) is great for smaller and mid-sized utility companies, with pricing starting at just 35 cents per meter monthly. Its features include customizable reporting, customer invoicing, and flexible billing tools. It also offers automated meter reading, customer account management, event alerts, process scheduling, and meter management.

Pros

• User-friendly interface with intuitive navigation.
• Comprehensive reporting capabilities.
• Robust account tracking and customer information management.

Cons

• Customer service experiences vary, and agents may sometimes be less responsive.

EnergyCAP

EnergyCAP is a platform that works well for larger utility companies, including universities and government agencies. It can handle thousands of monthly customer bills, offering web reporting tools, meter tracking, and fast processing. It also provides a unique feature that automatically examines usage to determine energy-saving ways. The pricing for this software starts at $24 per meter annually for basic service.

Pros

• Intuitive interface with over 100 customizable reports.
• Strong support for energy efficiency and sustainability tracking.
• Responsive customer support with detailed help resources.

Cons

• Report designs can be outdated and less visually appealing.

Kraken

Kraken is a great option for renewable energy providers and energy startup companies. This British company uses artificial intelligence (specifically machine learning) to automate energy supply chains and improve operational efficiency. Its features include AI integrations, customer management, and real-time data insights. Pricing is available upon request.

Pros

• AI-powered platform offering real-time energy load management.
• Designed for seamless integration across various utility operations.

Cons

• High costs and complex integrations may pose challenges.
• Less user-friendly compared to alternative options.

Bynry

Bynry is a utility billing software platform that works well for small and mid-sized utility providers. It offers a range of features, including AI-driven analytics, customer self-service portals, billing and collection, asset management, and meter data management. Bynry offers specialized software for water, electric, and gas utilities. Its pricing ranges from $1.29 per customerr small utility companies (up to 10,000 connections) to .99 cents per customerr mid-sized utilities (10,000 to 50,000 connections). For large utilities, it offers custom pricing upon request.

Pros

• All-in-one platform with automated meter reading and billing.
• Mobile-friendly interface suitable for field teams.
• Seamless integration with third-party tools.

Cons

• Advanced reporting features could benefit from enhanced customization.
• Occasional minor lags when handling large data volumes.

AMCS Utility Billing

AMCS Utility Billing is a good choice for waste management and water and energy utility companies. Based in Ireland, this cloud-based platform operates throughout Europe, North America, Australia, and Asia. Its core features include automated billing and contracts management, automated meter reading, plus customer self-service portals. It also has a scalable cloud platform that can be integrated with waste management systems. Its pricing structure is available upon request.

Pros

• Highly user-friendly, even for newcomers to utility billing.
• Fast and easy report generation.
• Exceptional customer support.

Cons

• Some users have encountered issues with managing inactive accounts and penalties.

Visual Utility Billing

Visual Utility Billing is a great option for government agencies like municipal agencies and companies with between 1,000 and 100,000 customers. It is priced at 0.15 to .089 per customer each month, depending on the service levels. Key features include meter reading to track customer usage, bill generation, customer payment processing, and a customer service portal.

Pros

• Super easy system with capabilities for emailing bills and online payments.
• Ability to upload meter readings, reducing manual entry.

Cons

• Lacking some features (like advanced reporting and more automated workflows) that could significantly improve functionality.

Tridens 

Tridens Technology offers charging, billing, and revenue management features for utility companies. Its software is appropriate for all types of utility providers, including solar, electricity, gas, wastewater, water, sewage, and property management. Its core features include smart metering to capture real-time energy consumption data, advanced billing features, and reporting tools to examine customer usage patterns, revenue streams, and other metrics. The pricing starts at $500 per user per month.

Pros

• Robust and scalable product with a modern, intuitive GUI.
• Excellent integration capabilities through webhooks.
• Highly customizable and accurate service.

Cons

• Offers more complex features that have a learning curve to master.

Oracle Energy and Water

Oracle Energy and Water is a utility billingsoftware service best suited for larger utility companies. A division of Oracle Corporation, this provider offers a suite of applications for utility companies that assist with metering, customer care, billing and invoicing, asset management, and analytics. It also offers enterprise billing, advanced metering tools, AI-based analytics, and cloud deployments. Pricing for this software is available upon request.

Pros

• Highly flexible platform capable of generating significant revenue.
• Comprehensive suite connecting customer care, billing, metering, and device management.

Cons

• The user interface is more plain and less engaging compared to alternative options.

SkyBill Utility Billing

SkyBill is a great option for utility service providers, property management firms, and municipalities. It offers a subscription-based pricing model that starts at $95 per user monthly. It utilizes comprehensive billing for different types of customers, automated meter reading, customization and automation options, and a customer self-service portal. It also includes enterprise resource planning (ERP) integrations.

Pros

• Easy to use with a functional design.
• Flexible billing options based on customer groups and meters.
• Automated billing processes with customizable bills.

Cons

• Dashboard customization could be improved for quicker access to frequently used functions.

MaxBill

MaxBill is a utility billing software for multi-utility suppliers and energy providers. It offers both billing and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. Its features include billing and revenue management, vendor management, multiple billing options, and customer service portals with detailed usage and billing data. MaxBill is a subscription-based model, with pricing available upon request.

Pros

• Comprehensive functionality suitable for complex environments.
• User-friendly interface with full process automation.
• Quick and efficient technical support.

Cons

• Setup and configuration can be time-consuming and require significant effort.
• Standard technologies like ADFS may need to be developed separately.

triPica

triPica is a French software company that offers billing solutions for utility companies. It offers an all-in-one comprehensive customer engagement and billing platform for electricity, gas, water, waste, and other utility companies. It also includes an AI-powered CRM assistant to boost customer service. Other key features include subscription and billing management, real-time data processing, and customization options. Pricing is available upon request.

Pros

• Comprehensive customer engagement and billing platform for various utilities.
• Real-time, AI-powered platform enhancing customer experience.

Cons

• Smaller team, so support sometimes isn’t as fast as other competitors.

MuniBilling

MuniBilling is a cloud-based software system that works well for smaller companies, such as homeowner associations (HOAs) and property management companies. It offers a centralized dashboard that can be used to track both metered and non-metered billable hours and to adjust rates and fees. It also offers move-in/move-out fees, payment processing, and penalty processing. Pricing is available upon request.

Pros

• Inexpensive solution with easy daily operation.
• Quick and painless implementation process.
• Highly responsive and helpful customer service.

Cons

• Account screen navigation can sometimes be challenging.
• Issues can be encountered when switching to certain web browsers, like Google Chrome.

El Dorado

El Dorado offers a unified customer management and billing platform. It uses third-party meter reading systems to allow utility companies to collect payments from customers through an online portal or through the mail. It also includes a historical tracking feature to identify customer usage history, plus an option to pursue past-due payments. It is a great choice for small to medium-sized cities, towns, and municipalities. El Dorado’s pricing starts at a one-time fee of $495 per user.

Pros

• Easy to use and adapt to various billing needs.
• Responsive customer support team.
• Affordable with a one-time cost, making it suitable for midsized municipalities.

Cons

• Adding or removing fees and charges can be cumbersome.
• May not integrate well with certain accounting software.

Build a Better Utility Company Website with Inclind

Utility billing software platforms are a great way to increase profitability while streamlining operations. They can also help with other aspects of your business, such as tracking usage to find ways to save energy or to build customer loyalty by informing them of unusual patterns in usage. Our skilled team of tech experts can advise you on the best utility billing software for your needs and help you integrate it with your existing website and software.

Based in Delaware, Inclind offers web development and design services to utility companies across the U.S. We know that utility companies must have safe, secure websites that are also geared towards usability and accessibility for customers. Our team of website designers and developers uses their technical know-how and creativity to help our utility company clients build highly effective websites that are fully integrated with the latest technologies. We offer a full range of services, including website support and maintenance, site redesigns, custom integrations, and accessibility audits. 

We're available if you’d like to learn more about our website development services for utility companies. You can fill out our online contact form, call us at 800-604-8139, or hit the live chat button to talk to one of our experts about your website.