Cogsdale CSM Utility Billing vs Zero Friction
Cogsdale CSM Utility Billing
cogsdale.comZero Friction
zerofriction.coSide by side
| Figure | Cogsdale CSM Utility Billing | Zero Friction |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Spec score · Utility Billing Software | 8.3 (#4) | 7.7 (#9) |
| Billing | CSM supports flexible rates, unlimited routes, multiple billing plans, and complex bills for multiple services. | The platform supports invoicing based on fixed or consumption-related rates and cost distribution, with invoices sent by email or post. |
| Company headquarters | LinkedIn lists headquarters in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. | LinkedIn lists headquarters in Ghent, Flemish Region, Belgium. |
| Company size | LinkedIn places Cogsdale in the 51–200 employee range. | LinkedIn lists Zero Friction as a privately held software-development company with 11–50 employees. |
| Customer portal | The Customer Engagement Portal offers bill history, statements, online payments, wallets, pay-by-text, usage charts, CSV downloads and meter-reading submission. | An optional self-service portal lets end customers manage moves, view consumption and access invoices. |
| Headquarters | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Ghent, Belgium |
| Integrations | Cogsdale says it uses web services for automated integrations and identifies AMI, MDM, mobile apps, IVR, permits, and city management as complementary solution areas. | The integration catalog covers meter-data management, CRM, ERP, banking, reporting, payment, customer-service, accountancy, communication and e-invoicing systems. |
| Meter data | The MeterSense add-on connects to leading AMI systems to manage and interpret smart-meter data. | It accepts meter data through API, (S)FTP, or email and supports standard hourly metering data. |
| Payment processing | Payment channels include customer portals, IVR, kiosks and pay-by-text, with InvoiceCloud and Paymentus integrations and PCI-compliant processing claims. | Standard payment capabilities include direct debit, manual transfer, QR codes, payment links, reminders and payment plans. |
| Public API | Cogsdale provides a REST API with token security, JSON requests and responses, and endpoints for accounts, customers, payments, charges, deposits, service orders, mobile engineering and enterprise asset management. | Zero Friction provides a developer portal with API documentation, API reference material, quick-start instructions and interactive tools. |
| Purpose | Cogsdale CSM provides convergent billing for utility services including electric, water, wastewater, sewer, gas, refuse, internet, telephone and cable. | Zero Friction is a cloud SaaS meter-to-cash and billing platform for heating and cooling suppliers. |
| Rating on Capterra | 0.0 out of 5 from 0 user reviews. | 0.0 out of 5 from 0 reviews |
| Support | Cogsdale offers functional and technical support services, and describes its support staff as experienced with mission-critical high-availability systems. | Support is included in monthly pricing, with 24/7 self-service and contact with support by chat, phone, or email during CET office hours. |
| What it does | Cogsdale CSM is a convergent utility customer-service and billing system for electric, telecommunications, water, wastewater, stormwater, sewer, gas, refuse, internet, telephone and cable services. | Zero Friction is a SaaS meter-to-cash platform for district-heating, communal-heating and cooling suppliers, building managers and service providers. |
Plans
Cogsdale CSM Utility Billing
- BasicPriced on request
- Cogsdale CSM Utility BillingPriced on request
Zero Friction
- BPO EnterprisePriced on request
- BPO StandardPriced on request
- SaaSPriced on request
In their own words
Cogsdale CSM Utility Billing
Cogsdale CSM Utility Billing provides convergent billing for utility services, including electric, water, wastewater, sewer, gas, refuse, internet, telephone and cable. It supports flexible rates, unlimited routes, multiple billing plans and bills that combine services. Customer service tools bring together customer and premise information, activity history, payment arrangements, reports and document management. Payment channels include customer portals, IVR, kiosks and pay by text, with processing partnerships including InvoiceCloud and Paymentus. Collections cover overdue and delinquent payments, arrangements and extensions, agency exports, and bad debt or write-offs. The system can send bills and collection or payment-arrangement notices by email, SMS and electronic copies. Its MeterSense add-on works with leading AMI systems to manage and interpret smart meter data. Cogsdale describes a RESTful API using tokenized security and JSON, and offers managed cloud hosting with a stated 99.9%+ uptime guarantee. Listed platforms are Android and iOS. Pricing is on request.
Zero Friction
Zero Friction has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.