→ Software Comparison

Excel, EMS Software or Alligator –
what fits your organisation?

Many energy managers start with Excel. Others invest in traditional EMS solutions. Both have their place – and their limitations. Here is the honest comparison so you can choose the solution that truly suits your situation.

The Comparison

14 Criteria at a Glance

No marketing claims. Every solution has its strengths – and those should be transparent.

Criterion Excel Traditional EMS Software Alligator Analytica Recommended
Implementation Time Immediate 4–12 weeks 1–5 days
Initial Cost €0 licence €5,000–€30,000 Scales with sites
Internal Time Required / Week 5–15 hrs 2–4 hrs < 1 hr
Real-Time Monitoring ✗ ✓ ✓
Automated Alerting ✗ Limited ✓ configurable
Multi-Site Operation Limited Limited ✓ up to 1,000+ sites
Protocol Support – 3–5 protocols 12+ protocols
EnPI Normalisation (Production, Weather) ✗ Partial ✓ unlimited
ISO 50001 Documentation Manual only Partial ✓ fully supported
BAFA Funding (Accredited Partner) ✗ ✗ ✓ 25–45% funding
No Meter Replacement Required – Often hardware-bound ✓ vendor-independent
Drag & Drop Dashboards ✗ Limited ✓
Consulting & Operations Included ✗ ✗ (software only) ✓ Full-Service
Vendor Lock-in No Hardware / protocols No
The Honest Assessment

Every Solution Has Its Right Place

We will also tell you when Alligator is not the best choice.

Excel
The Classic
  • ✓ Free, available immediately
  • ✓ Everyone knows it – no training required
  • ✓ Maximum flexibility in structure
  • ✗ 5–15 hrs of manual effort per week
  • ✗ No real-time data, no automated alerts
  • ✗ Error-prone with manual data entry
  • ✗ ISO 50001 requires enormous additional effort
  • ✗ Not scalable beyond 3–5 sites
Excel works well as a starting point for a single site – as long as real-time monitoring, automated alerting and ISO 50001 compliance are not required. As soon as the organisation grows or compliance requirements increase, Excel becomes a bottleneck.
Traditional EMS Software
A step forward – with limitations
  • ✓ More structured than Excel
  • ✓ Real-time data connectivity possible
  • ✓ Established reporting capabilities
  • ✗ Implementation takes 4–12 weeks
  • ✗ Often tied to proprietary hardware (lock-in)
  • ✗ Only 3–5 supported protocols
  • ✗ Multi-site operation becomes complex beyond ~10 sites
  • ✗ No BAFA funding partnership
  • ✗ No full-service – software only, no managed operations
A sensible choice for organisations with homogeneous metering infrastructure and few sites that need more structure than Excel but have no plans for a growing multi-site portfolio. Quickly reaches its limits with heterogeneous infrastructure or ISO 50001 requirements.
Alligator Analytica
Built for SMEs
  • ✓ Operational in 1–5 days
  • ✓ No meter replacement, 12+ protocols
  • ✓ Scales from 1 to 1,000+ sites
  • ✓ Full ISO 50001 support
  • ✓ BAFA-accredited – 25–45% funding available
  • ✓ Full-Service: software + consulting + operations
  • → Not the cheapest option for a single site with no growth plans
  • → Maximum value at ≥ 2 sites or where ISO 50001 is required
The right choice when you want to reduce energy costs sustainably and automatically, manage multiple sites, achieve ISO 50001 compliance, or take advantage of BAFA funding – without months of implementation or vendor lock-in.
Frequently Asked Questions

Questions We Hear Regularly

Can I really use Excel for ISO 50001?
Technically yes – in practice it involves considerable effort. ISO 50001 requires traceable documentation of energy performance indicators (EnPIs), baselines, action plans and audit trails. In Excel you have to maintain, version and prepare all of this manually for audits. Our customers who previously used Excel report 5–10 hours of extra work per week for ISO documentation alone.
What does energy management software typically cost?
It depends heavily on the solution and your organisation. Traditional EMS software licences often start at €5,000–€30,000 plus annual maintenance costs. Alligator Analytica scales with your sites – from a single production site to a retail network with 200+ locations. In addition, BAFA funding can reimburse 25–45% of project costs (including consulting, hardware and software).
How long does implementation take with Alligator?
Typically 1–5 days per site – depending on the existing metering infrastructure and IT environment. Because we integrate existing meters and gateways (no replacement required), the time-consuming hardware rollout is eliminated. First dashboards and alerts are usually live on day one.
Is BAFA funding available for energy management software?
Yes – through the BAFA programme "Energy Consulting for Non-Residential Buildings, Plant and Systems" and the module for the introduction of energy management systems. A prerequisite is an accredited energy consultant. As a BAFA-accredited company, we manage the entire application process – from initial consultation to final billing. Consulting, implementation and in many cases metering technology are all eligible for funding.
What happens to my existing metering equipment?
It stays as it is. Alligator Analytica reads data from existing meters, gateways and control systems – regardless of manufacturer. We support Modbus, M-Bus, OPC-UA, KNX, MQTT and 12+ further protocols. If measurement points are missing, we advise specifically which hardware would be a useful addition – but no complete replacement is required.

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your organisation?

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