Best Solar Software for Contractors

Judge solar software at the points where a contractor can lose real money: a roof model that misses an obstruction, a production estimate finance pushes back on, a proposal that sells the wrong system, a permit package that gets rejected, or sales moving faster than design can verify. A simple drawing tool can look fine while the company is small. The test is whether the software keeps design, proposal, shade, battery, finance, permit, and installation handoff tied to the same system record.

The right choice follows the solar work you actually sell. A small residential installer may start with OpenSolar because the core platform is free and can cover standard jobs. A growing residential company may move to Aurora Solar because paid modeling, shade reports, and proposal control reduce rework. A commercial team may put HelioScope first because C&I simulations and larger project design matter more than homeowner sales polish. Solargraf and Solo solve different problems: one packages annual proposal, permitting, financing, and CRM workflow around project volume, while the other is built for high-volume residential proposal production.

Disclosure: Some links on Contractor Software Hub are affiliate links. If you sign up through one, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. My recommendations do not change based on that.

Right for: residential solar installers, commercial solar contractors, EPCs, solar sales organizations, design teams, permitting teams, and owners comparing software for system design, shade analysis, proposals, battery modeling, production estimates, permitting, financing handoff, CRM workflow, and high-volume proposal production.

Not for: homeowners comparing solar quotes, utility-scale developers looking mainly for GIS site acquisition, contractors that only need generic lead capture, or teams expecting software to fix design quality before they have agreed on equipment standards, setbacks, AHJ rules, pricing assumptions, and revision ownership.

How to Choose Solar Software

Start with the workflow that breaks most often. Contractors use “design software” to describe several different problems: roof modeling, shade and production accuracy, sales proposals, C&I simulation, automated plan sets, permit support, financing handoff, CRM notes, or high-volume residential proposals without hiring more designers. Each problem points to a different first demo.

If the company needs a paid design and sales platform for residential or mixed work, start with Aurora Solar. Aurora publishes Basic at $159/user/month and Premium at $259/user/month, with annual rates of $1,620/year and $2,640/year. Both include 1 user and 50 projects/month. Basic is the paid starting point for solar design and proposals. Premium matters when LIDAR-assisted modeling, bankable shade reports, and battery modeling are part of the sales promise. Enterprise should be evaluated when the company needs unlimited users, custom project volume, APIs, integrations, advanced permissions, dealer setup, or premium services.

If budget is the main constraint, OpenSolar remains the first stop. The core app stays free for teams that design, sell, and manage projects inside OpenSolar. The 2026 change is about external data movement. API Access and supported connectors can create paid wallet usage after trial mechanics, especially when a contractor connects OpenSolar to a CRM, accounting platform, reporting system, or custom operations stack. That distinction matters. OpenSolar can still be free for the core workflow, but it may not be free for the connected workflow your operations team wants.

If the work is C&I, give HelioScope its own evaluation. It is not trying to be the broadest residential sales tool. Its value is commercial PV design and simulation for rooftops, carports, and ground mounts. Basic is $159/license/month and Pro is $259/license/month, with annual options. Both include 1 user and 10 projects/month on monthly plans. Pro adds C&I features such as LIDAR-assisted modeling, AI-based obstruction detection, financial modeling, P90/P95/P99 values, and higher design capacity. Enterprise adds larger team and API needs.

Evaluate Solargraf and Solo by operating model. Solargraf is annual and project-limited. That helps if you can forecast projects and users, because the pricing table is specific. It creates risk if sales volume swings or the team has not decided how design, permitting, financing, CRM, and API needs should work together. Solo is more about proposal production for residential sales teams. It can support internal proposal building, on-demand workflows, and Concierge Flex proposal delivery. That helps when sales volume is the bottleneck, but it is a different problem from commercial engineering depth.

Do not choose by the lowest starting price alone. OpenSolar at $0 is a different buying decision from Aurora Premium at $259/user/month, because the support, modeling, reporting, and controls differ. Solargraf Starter at $2,799/year may be cheaper than hiring more admin help, but only if its project and user limits match your year. Solo Flex can be low commitment per proposal, but it does not include the Studio or On-Demand platform. Price the job path from lead to sold system to permit to install, rather than the subscription line by itself.

Quick Picks

Do You Need This Yet?

Solar software becomes worth paying for when the sold system record can no longer stay accurate across sales, design, permitting, finance, and installation. A small installer can run on a free design tool, a spreadsheet, a shared drive, and a basic CRM while one person reviews every roof. That does not make paid software unnecessary forever. It means the buying trigger should be a real handoff problem, not the feeling that every competitor has a fancier proposal.

• You do not need it yet if one owner or designer can still verify every design, shade assumption, equipment choice, proposal, permit requirement, finance input, and install handoff without losing details.
• You need it now if permits are delayed, production estimates are challenged, site models are rebuilt, reps sell systems before design verification, or installation crews receive drawings that do not match the proposal.

The middle stage is common. A company may not need Aurora Enterprise, but may need Aurora Basic or Premium because paid design control and shade reports reduce rework. Another company may not need paid software yet and should stay inside OpenSolar until external integrations are valuable enough to pay for. A C&I contractor may skip residential-first tools and demo HelioScope first. A residential sales organization may care less about engineering depth and more about whether Solo can produce accurate proposals at the speed reps sell.

Before buying, write the current failure point in one sentence. Examples: shading is not trusted, proposal revisions are slow, permits come back, reps need designs faster, CRM data does not match design data, or finance inputs are being rekeyed. Then make every demo prove that exact issue using one recent job and one messy job that required revisions.

Product Reviews

1. Aurora Solar - Best paid design and sales platform for growing installers

What stands out: Aurora Solar is the paid platform I would demo first for most growing residential and mixed solar installers. Its value is bigger than drawing panels on a roof. Aurora brings design accuracy, roof modeling, production estimates, sales proposals, battery modeling by tier, and shade reporting closer to the same sales-design workflow. That matters when a proposal needs to become a permit package and installation handoff without the team rebuilding assumptions in another tool.

The current pricing table helps because it gives buyers a real anchor. Basic is $159/user/month or $1,620/year. Premium is $259/user/month or $2,640/year. Both include 1 user and 50 projects/month. Premium adds LIDAR-assisted modeling, bankable shade reports, and battery modeling. Enterprise is custom and should be priced when the company needs custom project volume, unlimited users, APIs, integrations, advanced permissions, dealer configuration, AI-assisted site models, premium services, or more formal team controls.

Where it falls short: Aurora can cost more than the headline plan once the company adds users, services, imagery, site models, or Enterprise needs. On-demand site models start at $9.99, and premium design or drafting help can change the total cost. Buyers should test the actual roof types they sell: dormers, trees, odd obstructions, flat roofs, batteries, MSP work, setbacks, and AHJ requirements. If the team still needs a full CRM, canvassing app, accounting workflow, or field project management, Aurora may be one part of the stack rather than the whole stack.

Pricing: Basic is $159/user/month or $1,620/year. Premium is $259/user/month or $2,640/year. Both include 1 user and 50 projects/month. Enterprise is custom. On-demand site models start at $9.99. Confirm users, project volume, site models, imagery, plan sets, integrations, support, and renewal terms in writing.

Best for: growing solar contractors that need paid design accuracy, controlled proposals, shade confidence, battery modeling, and a path to larger team workflows.

2. OpenSolar - Best free core platform for small installers

What stands out: OpenSolar is the best free starting point for small solar contractors. The core app remains free for solar professionals who design, sell, and manage work inside the platform. That makes it useful for new installers, small residential teams, and owners who need a real solar design and proposal workflow before they can justify a paid platform.

The important pricing detail is the 2026 external-access change. Starting 16 April 2026, OpenSolar charges for API Access and supported connectors that move data in and out of the platform. Teams using OpenSolar internally may see no software subscription for the core workflow. Teams connecting OpenSolar to a CRM, accounting system, operations platform, analytics tool, or custom pipeline need to set up wallet-based access and understand trial and charge mechanics.

Where it falls short: Free does not mean every future workflow stays free. If the company grows into custom integrations, external data exports, connector-heavy accounting workflows, or deeper sales operations, the real cost and complexity can change. OpenSolar may also be less controlled than a paid platform for teams that need strict proposal templates, advanced permissions, premium support, or a standardized multi-rep sales process. Test branding, proposal approval, equipment libraries, data export, finance handoff, and CRM workflow before assuming it will hold up at scale.

Pricing: Core app is free for teams working inside OpenSolar. API Access and supported connectors use wallet and trial mechanics from 16 April 2026. Confirm connector pricing, wallet rules, data export, CRM handoff, accounting links, support, and any partner service costs before building the full company process around the free core app.

Best for: small and mid-size installers that need no-license-cost design and proposal software and can keep most workflow inside the platform.

3. HelioScope - Best for C&I and utility-scale design teams

What stands out: HelioScope is the C&I design and simulation pick. It is built for commercial PV teams that need accurate layouts, production simulations, rooftop, carport, and ground-mount support, plus reports that can stand up in a larger project conversation. A residential sales team may care first about homeowner proposals. A C&I team often cares first about design limits, production assumptions, and whether the model supports the size and structure of the project.

The current pricing model is straightforward. Basic is $159/license/month or $1,620/year. Pro is $259/license/month or $2,640/year. Both Basic and Pro include 1 user and 10 projects/month on monthly plans, or 120 projects on annual billing. Basic supports foundational C&I design and simulations up to 1.25 MW DC. Pro adds LIDAR-assisted modeling, AI-based obstruction detection, financial modeling, P90/P95/P99 values, and designs up to 5 MW DC. Enterprise is custom per-project pricing and adds unlimited users, direct API access, SSO, export to PVsyst, single-axis trackers, and designs up to 30 MW DC.

Where it falls short: HelioScope is not a complete residential sales operations system. If the company needs canvassing, residential CRM workflow, homeowner-friendly proposal polish, permitting administration, payments, or job management, it will likely need other software around HelioScope. The project limit also matters. A busy design team can hit 10 projects/month per license faster than expected if every alternate layout becomes a project. Ask how projects, designs, users, annual billing, and Enterprise capacity are counted.

Pricing: Basic is $159/license/month or $1,620/year. Pro is $259/license/month or $2,640/year. Enterprise is custom per-project pricing. Confirm license count, project count, annual discount, project size limits, PVsyst export, API access, SSO, support, and renewal terms.

Best for: commercial, industrial, and larger PV design teams that need simulation depth more than residential sales CRM.

4. Solargraf - Best annual proposal, permitting, financing, and CRM workflow

What stands out: Solargraf is useful when the installer wants design, proposals, permitting, financing, and CRM workflow together in an annual package. The public pricing page is more specific than many solar software pages because it lists price, included users, included projects, extra project costs, and API access treatment. That makes Solargraf easier to budget when the company knows annual sales volume and who needs access.

Current pricing starts with Starter at $2,799/year for 2 users and 240 projects. Small Business is $4,799/year for 4 users and 480 projects. Teams is $6,399/year for 6 users and 720 projects. Enterprise is $12,999/year with unlimited users and 1,500 projects. Extra projects cost $11 on Starter, $10 on Small Business, and $9 on Teams or Enterprise. All plans include the core design, proposal, permitting, financing, and CRM capabilities. Public API access is included on Enterprise and available as a $4,000 annual add-on on other plans.

Where it falls short: Solargraf asks the buyer to commit to an annual plan and forecast project volume. That can work well for a steady installer, but it can be a poor fit for a company with seasonal swings, uncertain lead flow, or unclear user access needs. The demo should prove the details: proposal design, permitting output, finance integrations, CRM depth, email workflow, AHJ coverage, project creation rules, extra project billing, and public API needs. If the team already has a strong CRM and mainly needs design, Solargraf may be more bundled than necessary.

Pricing: Starter is $2,799/year for 2 users and 240 projects. Small Business is $4,799/year for 4 users and 480 projects. Teams is $6,399/year for 6 users and 720 projects. Enterprise is $12,999/year with unlimited users and 1,500 projects. Extra projects run $9-$11 each, and public API access is $4,000/year unless included with Enterprise.

Best for: residential solar installers that want annual design, proposal, permitting, financing, and CRM workflow and can forecast project volume.

5. Solo (GoSolo) - Best for high-volume residential proposal production

What stands out: Solo is different because it is built around residential proposal production and sales speed. A solar company can build proposals internally in Solo Studio, use On-Demand for faster generation, or use Concierge and Flex when it wants done-for-you proposal production. That matters for sales organizations where design backlog slows reps down or proposal volume swings during campaigns.

The current pricing page lists annual platform plans at Core $800/month, Pro $1,600/month, and Elite $3,200/month. Solo also offers Concierge Flex as standalone pay-as-you-go proposal production with no platform contract. Flex is $32/proposal for 1-99 monthly proposals, $27/proposal for 100-499, and $24/proposal for 500 or more. Revisions are $10 each. The critical limitation is that Flex does not include Solo Studio or On-Demand access. It is a production option, not the full platform.

Where it falls short: Solo is expensive for a small installer if the team jumps straight to the platform. It also fits residential sales motion better than C&I engineering. Buyers should decide whether the bottleneck is design accuracy, permit quality, proposal production speed, or sales rep workflow. If the bottleneck is C&I simulation, demo HelioScope. If the bottleneck is residential proposals at volume, Solo is more relevant. If the team needs only a few designs per month, OpenSolar or Aurora Basic may be easier to justify.

Pricing: Annual platform plans start at Core $800/month, then Pro $1,600/month and Elite $3,200/month. Concierge Flex is separate pay-as-you-go pricing at $32, $27, or $24/proposal by monthly volume, with revisions at $10. Confirm whether Studio, On-Demand, Concierge, Flex, add-ons, users, onboarding, support, and proposal volume are included.

Best for: high-volume residential sales teams that need proposal production capacity and can justify platform or Flex pricing.

Pricing/Fit Comparison

The table shows starting anchors, not total cost. Solar software budgets often change because of users, project limits, annual billing, site models, imagery, design services, API access, connectors, permitting support, proposal revisions, onboarding, support, and the other systems the company keeps. A contractor using OpenSolar for free may still pay for a CRM and API access. A team buying Aurora may still need a field project management system. A company using Solo Flex may still need a separate design or operations platform.

For every vendor, calculate first-year and renewal cost. Include users, monthly or annual billing, included projects, extra projects, proposal volume, add-ons, site models, design services, permitting support, API access, connectors, CRM, accounting, financing integrations, implementation, training, support, cancellation, renewal caps, and data export. Then compare that number with the cost of rejected permits, delayed proposals, wrong production estimates, and design staff time.

Solar Software Buying Checklist

Use real jobs in the demo. A clean sample roof will not show whether the platform can handle trees, dormers, setbacks, batteries, main panel upgrades, reroofs, utility rate changes, financing assumptions, AHJ details, or a salesperson who needs a revision while sitting with a homeowner. Bring one simple job, one complex roof, one job that needed a permit revision, and one project where finance or production assumptions were questioned.

• Test roof and shade modeling. Model the same real roof with obstructions, trees, setbacks, azimuth changes, tilt, module layout, and shade assumptions.
• Test proposal control. Build a homeowner proposal with equipment, pricing, incentives, financing, batteries, utility rates, production estimates, savings logic, and alternate options.
• Test permitting workflow. Ask how the system supports plan sets, AHJ requirements, electrical details, stamps, revisions, and handoff to internal or outsourced permit staff.
• Test project limits. Create enough projects, design alternatives, and revisions to understand how monthly or annual project counts are consumed.
• Test integrations. Show how leads, designs, proposals, finance data, signed contracts, CRM status, accounting records, and install notes move between systems.
• Test field handoff. Confirm what installers receive, how design revisions are communicated, and how changes are documented after site survey or installation review.
• Test exit risk. Ask how to export customers, projects, designs, proposals, shade reports, plan sets, attachments, CRM history, and API data if you leave.

Also decide who owns standards. Solar software fails when sales, design, permitting, and installation each use different assumptions. Before signing, assign an internal owner for equipment libraries, design rules, setbacks, AHJ notes, proposal templates, finance assumptions, utility rates, pricing logic, revision approvals, and post-sale handoff quality.

Demo Questions

1. Build one of our real projects from lead through roof model, shade analysis, proposal, battery option, finance assumptions, permit package, revision, and installation handoff.
2. Which plan includes the roof modeling, LIDAR tools, shade reports, battery modeling, proposal templates, plan sets, APIs, integrations, users, projects, and data export we need?
3. How are project counts measured when we create alternate designs, revisions, canceled leads, site model requests, and proposal updates?
4. What is the total first-year cost including users, annual billing, site models, imagery, design services, permit services, API access, connectors, onboarding, training, and support?
5. How does the platform handle AHJ rules, setbacks, fire pathways, module and inverter libraries, batteries, utility rates, incentives, and financing assumptions?
6. Can sales reps edit proposals without breaking design rules, margins, approved equipment, or production assumptions?
7. How do CRM, accounting, finance, e-signature, data warehouse, and project management tools connect, and what extra charges apply?
8. What happens when the site survey changes the design after the customer signs?
9. How do we export projects, designs, proposals, reports, images, attachments, and customer records if we cancel?

FAQ

What is the best solar software for most contractors?

Aurora Solar is the best paid first demo for most growing residential and mixed solar installers because it combines design accuracy, sales proposals, shade reports, battery modeling, and a published Basic/Premium pricing path. OpenSolar is better when the company needs a free core platform. HelioScope is better when the work is C&I design and simulation. Solargraf and Solo are more conditional picks for annual proposal-to-permitting workflow and high-volume residential proposal production.

How much should a solar contractor budget for software?

Budget depends on workflow. OpenSolar can be $0 for the core app if the team stays inside the platform. Aurora Solar starts at $159/user/month for Basic. HelioScope starts at $159/license/month for Basic. Solargraf starts at $2,799/year. Solo starts at $800/month for the annual Core platform, while Flex proposal production can be priced per project by volume. Add users, project limits, site models, API access, connectors, and services before comparing totals.

Is OpenSolar really free for installers?

OpenSolar’s core app remains free for solar professionals using the in-platform workflow. The paid change starts when teams use API Access or supported connectors that move data in and out of OpenSolar. If your workflow depends on a CRM integration, accounting connector, reporting pipeline, or custom data movement, confirm wallet setup, trial mechanics, and charges before assuming the total cost is zero.

Should I choose Aurora Solar or OpenSolar?

Choose OpenSolar when the budget is tight, the team is small, and the free core workflow is enough. Choose Aurora Solar when paid design control, support path, shade reports, battery modeling, proposal consistency, or larger team workflow justify the subscription. A common path is to start on OpenSolar and move to Aurora when design confidence or sales consistency becomes more valuable than the license savings.

When does HelioScope make more sense than residential solar software?

HelioScope makes more sense when the work is commercial and industrial PV, larger rooftops, carports, ground mounts, project simulations, P90/P95/P99 values, PVsyst export, or Enterprise C&I design workflow. Residential sales teams may find it too specialized if they mainly need homeowner proposals, CRM workflow, or fast in-home sales support.

Are Solargraf and Solo direct replacements for Aurora Solar?

Not always. Solargraf can replace parts of design, proposal, permitting, financing, and CRM workflow for residential installers that like annual project/user pricing. Solo is mainly a proposal production and sales workflow platform for high-volume residential teams. Aurora Solar remains the stronger paid design and sales platform for many installers that prioritize modeling, shade reports, and battery design workflow.

What is the biggest mistake when buying solar software?

The biggest mistake is demoing a clean sample project instead of a real messy job. The demo should prove roof modeling, shade assumptions, proposal pricing, battery options, finance inputs, permit output, revisions, CRM handoff, project limits, and data export. If the vendor cannot show how your actual job moves from sale to install, the feature list does not matter.

Bottom Line

Aurora Solar is the best paid first demo for growing solar contractors that need design accuracy, sales proposals, shade reports, battery modeling, and a clear path beyond free tools. It is not the cheapest option, but it is the strongest overall fit when the contractor needs more confidence in the sold system and a more controlled design-sales workflow.

OpenSolar remains the best free core platform for small installers and budget-conscious teams. HelioScope is the C&I design and simulation pick. Solargraf is worth a demo when annual project/user pricing and proposal-to-permitting workflow match the company. Solo fits high-volume residential sales teams that need proposal production capacity through platform plans or Flex. The right choice is the one that fixes your current solar handoff, not the longest feature list.