Analysis says free lightning risk tools can carry hidden costs

A new analysis from Skytree Scientific argues that free and low-cost lightning risk assessment software can end up costing far more than advertised once data, labor, compliance, and liability are included. The company is using the report to promote its own independent LRA platform and a 14-day free trial. Why it matters: - Lightning risk assessments can affect whether a facility is protected, insurable, or defensible in a legal dispute. - The analysis argues that advertised software prices can hide major costs that affect engineering budgets and compliance risk. - The issue matters most when assessments are used for permits, insurance reviews, or liability defense. What happened: - Skytree Scientific published an analysis on June 17, 2026, in Asheville, North Carolina, about the true cost of free and low-cost lightning risk assessment tools. - The report argues that many free tools are tied to hardware sales and are designed to influence purchasing decisions. - Skytree Scientific said it developed LRAplus® as an independent lightning risk assessment platform. - The company said LRAplus® includes live lightning strike-point density data, supports IEC 62305-2:2024 compliance, uses AI-powered scenario modeling, and produces reports in 57 languages. - Skytree Scientific is offering a free 14-day trial at more information with no credit card required. The details: - The analysis says a credible assessment under IEC 62305-2 requires location-specific lightning strike-point density data, which is typically a paid commercial dataset. - The report says low-cost tools often exclude that data, leaving users to buy it separately, rely on outdated databases, or omit it. - The analysis estimates that a manual lightning risk assessment can take more than 8 hours of qualified engineering time. - At $120 to $150 per hour, the report puts that labor cost at $720 to $1,200 per assessment. - The analysis says some tools charge extra for complex geometry features or current standards compliance. - The report also points to older distribution methods, including physical media and hardware dongles, as signs of outdated software models. - The analysis says IEC 62305-2:2024 is the current international standard and includes meaningful updates to risk calculation. - The report warns that tools last updated to the 2010 edition do not reflect the current standard. - Skytree Scientific says its platform includes live, site-specific data automatically for every project and uses a single all-inclusive price. Between the lines: - The report is making a broader case that software selection in lightning protection is not just a procurement issue but a compliance and liability decision. - The independence argument is central: a tool sold by a company that also sells protection hardware may face more scrutiny when its assessment supports a system recommendation. - The analysis says the full cost of “free” tools rises once labor, data acquisition, add-ons, and exposure from outdated standards are included. - On that basis, the report says a small firm running eight assessments a year could spend about $5,760 annually in labor and data costs. - It says an engineering team running 30 assessments a year could face more than $36,000 in annual combined costs. - It says a contractor handling 80 assessments could see well over $100,000 in true annual cost before any challenge to the assessment itself. What’s next: - Skytree Scientific is positioning LRAplus® as the alternative to low-cost tools that depend on hardware sales or limited feature sets. - The company is inviting professionals to test the platform through the free 14-day trial. - The broader debate over lightning risk software appears headed toward questions of data quality, standard updates, and audit defensibility rather than sticker price alone. The bottom line: - The report argues that “free” lightning risk software is rarely free once data, labor, compliance, and legal risk are counted.