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Scanifly Pricing 2026: Real Costs + Alternative

Scanifly does not publish list pricing, and a volume-based measurement model plus drone operating cost scales with every project you win. Here is how to model the real cost, and the flat-priced satellite-based alternative.

Nirav Dhanani
Nirav Dhanani CEO
June 14, 2026 Updated October 14, 2026 9 min read

Scanifly’s per-project pricing model works at low volume and becomes painful at scale. This guide breaks down the real cost and shows the head-to-head against SurgePV at flat per-seat pricing with AI 3D roof modeling from satellite.

  • SurgePV ships AI 3D from satellite plus the full design stack at $1,299 to $1,899 per user per year flat, unlimited projects.
  • Book a free SurgePV demo and design one of your projects from satellite alone.

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Scanifly Pricing Structure

Scanifly does not publish list pricing, so the software line below is a placeholder for your own quote. The surrounding lines are illustrative estimates of typical buyer-side drone operating cost, not Scanifly figures.

Scanifly cost components and ranges
Cost componentRangeNotes
Scanifly software feeQuote only, not publishedVolume and site dependent
Drone capex amortised$50 to $200 per projectInitial $2,000 to $10,000 drone
Pilot time$50 to $150 per projectTravel + capture time
FAA Part 107 complianceVariableUS-specific
InsuranceVariablePer pilot annual
TravelVariableDistance-dependent

The Scanifly fee is only one line of the total. Whatever the software costs you, the drone operation around it carries its own per-project cost, and it is higher on C&I rooftops than on residential because capture and travel time scale with site size. For crews that still send a pilot onsite, that spend competes with a proper site survey and land feasibility check already budgeted for the project.

Real Volume Math

The structural point is simple, and it does not depend on knowing Scanifly’s rates. A volume-based measurement stack costs more every time you win another project, and that spend lands before any design tool, financial model, or proposal stack. A flat per-seat licence does not move. Our full Scanifly alternative comparison breaks down the feature gap beyond price.

Annual cost by project volume: volume-based measurement stack vs SurgePV 5-User Team
VolumeVolume-based measurement stackSurgePV 5-User Team
50 projects / yrYour quoted rate plus drone ops, times 50$6,495 (full stack)
100 projects / yrTimes 100$6,495 (full stack)
200 projects / yrTimes 200$6,495 (full stack)
500 projects / yrTimes 500$6,495 (full stack)

Put your own quoted rate and your real crew cost into that first column. Past whatever crossover point your numbers produce, the flat per-seat plan wins on cost, and it also includes the entire design-to-proposal workflow that a measurement product is not built to cover.

What You Get for Less With SurgePV

For the accuracy math behind the satellite-only workflow, see our satellite roof measurement guide.

This satellite-first, AI-assisted approach mirrors the direction the wider AI solar design software market is heading in 2026, and the same proposal engine is covered in our solar bid software guide.

Replace per-project drone fees with one flat license

SurgePV starts at $1,299 per user per year for teams of 5, unlimited projects, AI 3D from satellite included.

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Annual billing · Cancel anytime · Includes Clara AI

How to Switch From Scanifly

  1. Book a free SurgePV demo and design one of your projects from satellite.
  2. Start the free trial, rebuild five recent Scanifly projects.
  3. Keep drone ops available for sites that genuinely benefit, import those models.
  4. Drop the per-project Scanifly fees on the rest of the pipeline.

For most installers in 2026, SurgePV is the alternative that wins on volume economics, scope, and team workflow at the same time. See the full field in our ranked guide to the best solar design software.

Ready to design without a drone on most sites?

SurgePV combines AI 3D roof modeling from satellite, 8,760-hour module-level shading, bankable yield, financial modelling, and white-label proposals in one platform at flat per-seat pricing.

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Or see pricing · explore the platform

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Scanifly cost in 2026?
Scanifly does not publish list pricing, and its commercial model is built around project volume, so the figure depends on site size, feature mix, and what you negotiate. Ask Scanifly for a written quote at your annual volume. The part you can cost yourself is the drone operation around it: pilot time, FAA Part 107 compliance, insurance, drone capex, and travel all sit on top of whatever Scanifly quotes.
Is per-project pricing better than per-seat for solar measurement?
At low volume, per-project pricing usually wins. As volume rises, cost scales with every project you win while a flat per-seat plan does not, so the crossover eventually favours per-seat. Where that crossover sits depends on the rate you negotiate, so model it with your own quote. SurgePV's 5-User Team plan at $1,299 per user per year flat covers unlimited projects.
What is the total cost of running Scanifly?
Total cost is whatever Scanifly quotes you plus your own drone operating cost: pilot wages, insurance, FAA compliance, drone capex, and travel. Scanifly does not publish its rates, so build the model from your written quote and your real crew costs, and remember that measurement spend sits before any design tool, financial model, or proposal stack. SurgePV's flat 5-seat plan is $6,495 all-in and covers that whole downstream stack.
Does Scanifly include design and proposal tooling?
Scanifly is positioned as a drone survey and measurement product rather than an end-to-end design and proposal suite, so teams typically run simulation, financial modelling, BOQ, single-line diagrams, AutoCAD export, and proposals in other tools alongside it. Confirm current scope with the vendor, since product scope changes. SurgePV includes all of those in the same license.
Can SurgePV's satellite-based 3D match Scanifly's drone accuracy?
On most residential and small C&I rooftops, SurgePV's AI 3D roof modeling from satellite imagery is accurate enough to design and sell from, which is why many teams stop flying every site. The honest test is your own: run a few of your existing drone-surveyed projects through SurgePV from satellite alone and compare the geometry against the models you already have. For sites with heavy obstructions or unusual geometry, drone-captured models can still be imported.
Is Scanifly worth the price for high-volume installers?
For installers whose differentiator is genuinely drone-based capture and as-built models, yes. For installers who just need accurate 3D site geometry, satellite-driven AI 3D is now sufficient on most rooftops, and volume-based fees plus drone ops often stop penciling out.
How do I switch from Scanifly to SurgePV?
Book a free SurgePV demo and design one of your real Scanifly projects from satellite alone. Keep drone capture available for the sites that genuinely benefit, import those models into SurgePV, and skip the drone everywhere else. The saving depends on how much of your pipeline still needs a flight, which you can size from your own project mix in the first quarter.
Nirav Dhanani
Written by

Nirav Dhanani CEO, Qbits Energy

Co-founder & CEO driving Qbits Energy's product strategy and growth across India.

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