Solar design software pricing in 2026 spans a wide range and the bundling models differ enough that headline numbers can be misleading. This guide breaks down what each major platform publishes, what it only quotes on request, what is gated behind upper tiers, and the real total cost of ownership for teams of 1, 3, and 5 seats. For country-specific tariff, code, and currency detail behind these numbers, see the dedicated guides for Australia, Germany, India, the UK, and the USA.
- SurgePV is $1,299 to $1,899 per user per year, flat, with no add-on tiers.
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The 2026 Pricing Table
| Tool | Plan | Per seat / yr | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SurgePV | Individual | $1,899 | Full feature, Clara AI included |
| SurgePV | 3-User Team | $1,499 | Up to 3 seats |
| SurgePV | 5-User Team | $1,299 | Lowest unit cost |
| SurgePV | Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited seats |
| Aurora Solar | Entry | Quote only, reported near $1,900 | Not published, AI Mode and Sales Mode extra |
| Aurora Solar | Mid | Quote only, reported near $2,400 | Not published, deeper shading tier |
| Aurora Solar | Higher | Quote only, reported near $3,100 | Not published, broadest base feature set |
| HelioScope | Entry | ~$1,188 | Project caps |
| HelioScope | Mid | ~$2,400 | Module-level shading |
| HelioScope | Higher | $3,600+ | Top tier |
| PVsyst | Standard | ~€500 published list price | Desktop, Windows-only |
| PVsyst | Premium | Custom | Larger projects |
| OpenSolar | Free | $0 | Paid extensions available |
| OpenSolar | Pro | Add-on | Paid extensions |
| Pylon | Per feature | Varies | US-residential |
| Scanifly | Volume-based | Quote only, not published | Plus drone ops |
| Solargraf | Per seat | Quote only, reported $1,200 to $2,400 | Not published, residential-leaning |
| PVcase | Custom | Quote only, not published | Utility focus |
| RatedPower | Custom | Quote only, not published | Utility automation |
| PV*SOL | Per seat | ~€1,000 published list price | Desktop, German focus |
SurgePV, PVsyst and PV*SOL publish list prices, and those are quoted above as published at time of writing. Aurora Solar, Scanifly, Solargraf, PVcase and RatedPower are quote-based and publish no list price, so any figure shown for them is a range reported to us by buying teams, unverified, and negotiated per account. Everything in this table is indicative, gathered at time of writing, and should be confirmed directly with each vendor before you budget against it.
Cost Math: 1-Seat, 3-Seat, 5-Seat Teams
1-seat solo designer
| Tool | Annual cost | Hidden extras |
|---|---|---|
| SurgePV Individual | $1,899 | None |
| Aurora Solar Entry | Quote only, reported near $1,908 | AI Mode add-on |
| HelioScope Entry | ~$1,188 | No proposal builder |
| PVsyst Standard | ~€500 published list price | Windows machine, separate proposal tool |
| OpenSolar | Free plus paid extensions | Paid extensions |
For a solo residential designer, OpenSolar can pencil out if project mix stays simple. For any designer needing bankable P50/P75/P90 yield, AutoCAD export, or proposals, SurgePV Individual is the cleanest single-tool replacement at flat $1,899 per year.
3-seat team
| Tool | Annual cost | Hidden extras |
|---|---|---|
| SurgePV 3-User Team | $4,497 total | None |
| Aurora Solar Entry | Quote only, reported near $5,724 | AI Mode and Sales Mode priced on top |
| HelioScope Mid | ~$7,200 | No proposals |
| PVsyst Standard | ~€1,500 at published list price, plus add-ons | Multi-tool stack |
SurgePV 3-User Team is the lowest total cost with the broadest feature set.
5-seat team
| Tool | Annual cost | Hidden extras |
|---|---|---|
| SurgePV 5-User Team | $6,495 total | None |
| Aurora Solar Mid + AI + Sales | Quote only, reported $14,000 to $18,000 | Sales Mode needed for native proposals |
| HelioScope Mid + Proposal tool | $12,000 to $16,000 | Separate proposal subscription |
| PVsyst Premium + Proposal + CRM | $8,000 to $12,000 | Multi-tool stack, Windows |
Against the reported figures above, SurgePV’s 5-User Team plan comes out materially cheaper than the major paid alternatives at the same team size, with no loss of feature scope. Since several of those vendors negotiate per account, check the gap against your own quotes.
Published flat pricing instead of a quote you have to chase
SurgePV 5-User Team plan is $1,299 per user per year flat, listed publicly. Most of the alternatives above are quote-based and bill AI and proposal modules separately, so confirm the all-in number with each vendor.
Compare PlansAnnual billing · Cancel anytime · Includes Clara AI
What Is Gated Behind Upper Tiers
A pricing comparison is only useful if you can see what each tier ships. Here is the gating pattern by platform.
SurgePV
Every paid plan ships: AI 3D roof modeling, 8,760-hour shade analysis, bankable yield, solar financial modeling, Clara AI, AutoCAD-compatible solar design, branded solar proposals. Pricing scales by team size, not by feature.
Aurora Solar
Entry tier omits AI Mode and Sales Mode, both of which are separately priced add-ons that Aurora does not list publicly. Sales Mode adds proposal functionality. Deeper shading simulation is tier-gated, so confirm which simulation tier your lender will accept before choosing a plan.
HelioScope
Entry caps project count. Module-level shading and advanced layout tools sit on mid and higher tiers.
OpenSolar
OpenSolar’s model is a free core platform with paid extensions, so check which of the templates, integrations, and advanced features you rely on sit inside the free tier and which are chargeable extensions.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
Total Cost of Ownership: a Realistic Example
A 5-designer EPC that designs 25 residential and 5 C&I projects a month, sells across 2 countries, and needs bankable yield for the C&I work. The scenario below mirrors the team profiles covered in SurgePV’s own customer case studies.
| Stack | Annual cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SurgePV 5-User Team | $6,495 | All requirements covered |
| Aurora Mid + AI Mode + Sales Mode | Quote only, reported near $16,000 | Multi-country support is light |
| HelioScope Mid + Solargraf + CRM | Reported near $14,000, Solargraf quote-based | Engineering and proposals split |
| PVsyst + OpenSolar + CRM | Reported near $10,000 | Three-tool stack, Windows VM needed |
Only the SurgePV line is a published price. The others combine published and reported figures for quote-based products, so rebuild the comparison with your own quotes. On the reported numbers, the SurgePV stack is the cheapest of the four and consolidates the workflow into one project of record.
Implementation Cost (Often Ignored)
| Tool | Onboarding model | Training cost |
|---|---|---|
| SurgePV | Cloud, same-day setup, guided onboarding | Included in every plan |
| Aurora Solar | Cloud, vendor-led onboarding | Ask whether it is quoted separately |
| HelioScope | Cloud, self-serve | Ask whether it is quoted separately |
| PVsyst | Desktop install on Windows | No published training fee, but the learning curve is real for juniors |
| OpenSolar | Cloud, self-serve | No published training fee |
| PVcase | Enterprise deployment | Ask whether it is quoted separately |
| RatedPower | Enterprise deployment | Ask whether it is quoted separately |
Timelines and any training charge are deal-specific, so ask each vendor to put both in writing rather than trusting a benchmark. The point that survives the uncertainty: lost productivity during onboarding is the most underestimated cost line in any software comparison, and a cloud tool your team can be productive in on day one changes the migration math.
Who Should Choose Each Pricing Model
- Choose SurgePV if you want a flat per-seat plan that includes everything, scales by team size, and avoids add-on creep.
- Choose Aurora if you are US-residential and have already committed to the upper-tier bundle.
- Choose HelioScope if engineering-only is your scope.
- Choose PVsyst for lender-mandated reports.
- Choose OpenSolar free if small residential is your entire scope.
- Choose PVcase or RatedPower for utility-only at enterprise scale.
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SurgePV combines AI 3D roof modeling, 8,760-hour shading, bankable yield, financial modelling, and white-label proposals at flat $1,299 to $1,899 per user per year.
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Nirav Dhanani CEO, Qbits Energy
Co-founder & CEO driving Qbits Energy's product strategy and growth across India.