SolDial vs NetZero
Two of the best Tesla Powerwall apps, built around different ideas. An honest, side-by-side comparison — and who each one is for.
If you own a Tesla Powerwall, two apps come up most when people want more than Tesla's own app: SolDial and NetZero. Both are good. They're built around different ideas, though — and which one fits you depends on what you actually want your energy system to do. Here's an honest, side-by-side look. (Full disclosure: we make SolDial.)
The short version
SolDial is for Tesla owners who want their system optimized for them — an AI that reads your rate plan, goals, weather, and history and builds and runs the strategy automatically, with the deepest US rate and NEM 3.0 modeling. NetZero is a capable, mature app whose strengths are broad third-party device control and real-time dynamic tariffs, with a powerful manual rule builder you configure yourself.
For most US Tesla solar + Powerwall owners who'd rather not hand-build automations, SolDial does more of the thinking — and costs less.
Feature comparison
| Feature | SolDial | NetZero |
|---|---|---|
| AI builds & runs your strategy (Autopilot) | ✓ | — |
| AI suggestions tuned to your goals, weather & history | ✓ | — |
| Natural-language automation creation | ✓ | — |
| Compound automations (multi-trigger, multi-action, AND/OR) | ✓ | Single-trigger |
| US rate plans + NEM 1.0 / 2.0 / 3.0 modeling (vintage-locked) | Deep | Dynamic tariffs |
| Energy goals drive the strategy (savings / backup / independence) | ✓ | — |
| Native Tesla Wall Connector detail (incl. temperature) | ✓ | EV-charger level |
| Per-string solar detail & health diagnostics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live power-flow dial (3-second local updates) | ✓ | — |
| Multi-year history to per-minute | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple Watch & Wear OS apps + homescreen widgets | ✓ | — |
| Choose a combined rule’s firing moment (pinned edge vs any order) | ✓ | — |
| Powerwall Wrapped — monthly share card + collectible colorways | ✓ | — |
| Event automations (SoC, price, weather, grid, solar forecast) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cloud automations (run without the app open) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Third-party smart-home devices (EV chargers, EVs, HVAC) | — | ✓ |
| Real-time dynamic tariffs (Octopus, Tibber, Amber, ENTSO-E) | — | ✓ |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android, web, macOS |
| Pro price | $4.99/mo · $29.99/yr | $6.99/mo · $69.99/yr |
Based on each product's public docs and pricing as of July 2026. "Partial" means a related but narrower capability. Features change — check both before deciding.
Where SolDial pulls ahead
You choose how much thinking to do. This is the real difference. NetZero gives you a toolbox and asks you to build each automation by hand. SolDial offers three levels: Energy Autopilot — tell it about your home (utility, rate plan, cars) and pick a goal, and it builds and maintains the whole strategy, every rule shown in plain English; Suggestions — one AI proposal at a time with the reasoning attached, nothing happens until you approve; or the plain-English builder — type (or dictate) “when the Powerwall hits 80% and it’s a peak day, stop exporting” and it becomes a working rule in seconds.
Compound logic. SolDial automations support multiple triggers and actions with AND/OR conditions; NetZero's are single edge-triggers. That means SolDial can express rules NetZero can't in one automation.
US rates, done deeply. SolDial loads your exact plan from ~50,000 US tariffs and models NEM 1.0 / 2.0 / 3.0 with your vintage-locked export values, pricing every kWh against your real plan. If you're a US homeowner trying to win under NEM 3.0, that depth matters.
Native Tesla detail. Per-string solar, Powerwall vitals, and Tesla Wall Connector detail (including temperature) — the Tesla side, done thoroughly.
And it's less expensive — $4.99/mo or $29.99/yr versus $6.99/mo or $69.99/yr.
Where NetZero is strong
To be fair, NetZero does some things SolDial doesn't — and if these are central to you, it's worth a look:
- Third-party device breadth. NetZero advertises support for 500+ devices across 50+ brands (via the third-party Enode integration) — EV chargers, EVs, and heating/cooling. SolDial is deliberately Tesla-focused — we go deep on solar, Powerwall, Wall Connector, and vehicles rather than wide across many brands.
- Real-time dynamic tariffs. NetZero's Octopus, Tibber, Amber, and ENTSO-E integrations are excellent for UK/EU/Australia real-time pricing. SolDial focuses on US rate structures and NEM, where it goes deeper instead.
- Maturity & reach. NetZero has been around longer and offers web and macOS apps in addition to mobile.
None of these change the core point for a typical US Tesla owner: if you want your Powerwall and EV charging optimized automatically against your rate plan, that's SolDial's whole reason for existing.
Which should you choose?
Choose SolDial if you want AI to build and run your energy strategy, you're optimizing US TOU / NEM 3.0 savings, you live in the Tesla ecosystem, and you'd like to pay less.
Choose NetZero if you need to orchestrate lots of non-Tesla smart-home devices, or you're on a UK/EU/AU real-time tariff and want that tight integration.
Both connect through Tesla's official API and both have free tiers — so the lowest-risk move is to try them and see which one fits how you think about your energy.
Already on NetZero? The switching guide rebuilds your rules from screenshots in minutes — and your first month of Pro is free, matching the month you’d have gotten there.