SkyBill Utility Billing

Overview

SkyBill Utility Billing is utility management and customer-information software for utility providers, property managers and municipalities. It is best suited to organizations with varied billing rules, meter data to manage and a sizeable customer base. Its broad billing and portal capabilities are balanced by a trial capped at one user and by the need to arrange SMS delivery separately.

Key features

SkyBill calculates periodic bills from meter readings or flat rates, with tariffs configurable by service, customer, property, quantity and time period. That flexibility helps organizations bill mixed portfolios across utilities and property services; it is more than a small operator needs if its billing rules are simple.

External meter-reading gateways can upload data automatically, and SkyBill flags incomplete readings or unusual usage differences. Those checks help billing teams catch potential data problems before they affect bills, although the value depends on having meter data and gateway integrations in the workflow.

The client portal lets customers review bills, consumption and payment histories, submit meter readings and contact their provider. Customers can also pay online through gateways including Stripe, PayPal, Payzee and First Data; other gateways can be requested. This covers useful self-service needs, but SkyBill does not itself provide SMS delivery. Organizations that message customers by text will need a local service provider.

Integrations extend to ERP systems, bank gateways, debt collection, SMS messaging and client portals. SkyBill supports electricity, solar power, gas, water, wastewater, sewerage, district heating, waste and property billing, making its breadth relevant to providers or managers handling several service types.

SkyBill is offered as cloud SaaS, with an on-premises version available on request. The company says its SaaS environment is in a European Tier III data center and that it provides server infrastructure, backups and cybersecurity measures. It obtained ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certifications in 2019. Support includes everyday production help through an online ticketing system and client training.

Pricing

PRO subscription

SkyBill has no free plan, but offers a free trial. PRO subscription has custom pricing, billed per calendar month in advance. The total depends on users, meter points or agreements, and additional services. It includes no limits in system usage and 20 GB of database storage; each additional unit of storage costs €1.5. This structure suits organizations that need a tailored deployment, but buyers should account for the user and meter-point counts that determine their price.

The trial is limited to one user, 100 meter points or agreements, and five external web solution users. Access may be terminated after 30 days without system use. Those caps give a small team room to assess the workflow, but are a narrow test for organizations that need several staff or a larger sample of accounts.

Platforms

SkyBill supports Android, iOS, web, Windows, API access and self-hosted deployment. The combination suits organizations that need both customer-facing mobile access and integration or deployment options; on-premises availability is by request.

Who it's for

SkyBill is aimed at utility providers, property managers and municipalities. The company says most of its utility-billing clients have around 20,000–50,000 customers or tenants, and that the system can support projects with up to 1 million customers. Its configurable tariffs and broad utility coverage make it a stronger fit for substantial or mixed-service operations than for a small organization seeking basic invoicing.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Configurable billing covers meter readings and flat rates across multiple services, properties and time periods.
• Pros: Gateway imports, validation checks and a customer portal bring meter-data review and customer self-service into one system.
• Pros: The stated scale of up to 1 million customers accommodates large projects.
• Cons: There is no free plan, and the trial's one-user and 100-meter-point-or-agreement caps limit evaluation at larger organizations.
• Cons: SMS delivery must be handled by a local provider, adding a separate service for organizations that rely on text messaging.
• Cons: Custom pricing depends on users, meter points or agreements, and additional services, so buyers need a tailored quote to assess cost.

Alternatives

For other options, browse Utility Billing Software.

• CUSI Utility Billing is a paid web and Windows option with UB4 hosted or UMS on-premise; choose it if that specific deployment choice is the priority.
• MuniBilling is a paid Android, iOS and web option with a one-time setup and training fee plus a recurring monthly charge based on service locals billed; consider it if that pricing basis suits your organization.
• CivicPlus Utility Billing is a paid Android, iOS and web option with a custom estimate available by request; choose it if those platforms or a request-based estimate fit your needs.
• Utilities Group is a paid web-based alternative.
• Cogsdale CSM Utility Billing is a paid alternative with Android and iOS platforms.
• Utilmate is a paid web-based option with a free trial and a Starter plan priced by request. Its Starter plan caps users at five, includes migration assistance for up to 100 customers, and may charge for meter reads; consider it if those terms suit a smaller operation.
• Billingly is a paid web-based alternative.
• CentralSquare Utility Billing is a paid web-based option with no free trial; consider it if you prefer to approach a provider directly for pricing.

Verdict

SkyBill is a strong fit for utility providers, property managers and municipalities that need configurable, multi-service billing, meter-data checks and customer self-service at substantial scale. Its breadth is the main reason to choose it; custom pricing, a tightly capped trial and separate SMS delivery are reasons to look elsewhere if you need a low-commitment evaluation or built-in text messaging.