SkyBill Utility Billing vs NorthStar CIS

SkyBill Utility Billing9.1Visit NorthStar CIS8.4Visit

Higher score SkyBill Utility Billing #3 in Utility Billing Software 9.1/10 Paid ✓ 5 of 5 features Visit SkyBill

vs

NorthStar CIS #8 in Utility Billing Software 8.4/10 Pricing on request ✓ 5 of 5 features Visit NorthStar CIS

• SkyBill Utility Billing fits best

  Metered utility operators needing flexibility

• NorthStar CIS fits best

  Established utilities needing flexible deployment

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	SkyBill Utility Billing 9.1/10 Visit ↗	NorthStar CIS 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.4
Ranking	#3 in Utility Billing Software	#8 in Utility Billing Software
Best for	Metered utility operators needing flexibility	Established utilities needing flexible deployment
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	—	Pricing on request
Free plan	—	Not checked yet
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop	Cloud, Self-hosted, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, Windows	Web
Support	Email, Live chat, Phone	Phone
Compliance	ISO 27001	PCI DSS
Integrations	9 integrations	8 integrations
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market
Features SkyBill Utility Billing 5/5 · NorthStar CIS 5/5
Rate management	✓	✓
Meter data import	✓	✓
Payment processing	✓	✓
Autopay	✓	✓
Customer account portal	✓	✓
Specs
Utility types	electricity, solar power, gas, water, wastewater, sewerage, district heating, waste, property billing	Not checked yet
Billing model	Mixed	Mixed
Our review
Pros	Supports metered and flat-rate billing across many utility types Configurable tariffs, validation, estimation, and pro-rata calculations Customer portal, electronic bills, payments, and Microsoft integrations	Supports tiered, time-of-use, and other configurable rate structures Imports meter data from AMR and AMI sources Offers web and self-hosted deployment options
Cons	Free trial is limited to one user and 100 meter points or agreements PRO pricing combines user charges with meter-point or agreement charges On-premises deployment is available on request rather than as the primary offer	Pricing requires contact with sales rather than published plans Portal and payment capabilities may depend on connected solutions May be more than smaller utilities need for basic billing
Our verdict	SkyBill Utility Billing is a utility management, billing, and customer information platform for utility providers, municipalities, property managers, and landlords. It covers electricity, solar power, gas, water, wastewater, sewerage,… Read the review →	NorthStar CIS is a customer information and utility billing system for utilities and municipalities. It combines account management, multiple-utility statements, configurable rate structures, meter data imports, guided workflows,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• SkyBill Utility Billing — where it wins

  • Supports metered and flat-rate billing across many utility types
  • Configurable tariffs, validation, estimation, and pro-rata calculations
  • Customer portal, electronic bills, payments, and Microsoft integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Free trial is limited to one user and 100 meter points or agreements
  • PRO pricing combines user charges with meter-point or agreement charges
  • On-premises deployment is available on request rather than as the primary offer

• NorthStar CIS — where it wins

  • Supports tiered, time-of-use, and other configurable rate structures
  • Imports meter data from AMR and AMI sources
  • Offers web and self-hosted deployment options

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires contact with sales rather than published plans
  • Portal and payment capabilities may depend on connected solutions
  • May be more than smaller utilities need for basic billing

• SkyBill Utility Billing9.1/10 · Paid

  A broad utility billing platform for operators managing varied meters, rates, and payment workflows.

  Visit SkyBillFull verdict →
• NorthStar CIS8.4/10 · Pricing on request

  Flexible utility billing with configurable rates, meter imports, workflows, and deployment options.

  Visit NorthStar CISFull verdict →