Best Solar Installer Software in 2026 (Ranked & Compared)
QuoteIQ is what I'd put a solar installation business on in 2026. It quotes panels, inverters, and battery add-ons from a phone in under a minute, doesn't charge per seat, and starts at $29.99/month. Here's how it stacks up against the design tools and CRMs solar installers are actually choosing between.
TL;DR
QuoteIQ — $29.99/mo, no per-user fees. Best all-round pick for solo reps through 15-person crews.
Aurora Solar — $159/user/mo. Industry-standard design and shading, weak on CRM.
OpenSolar — free core tier. Full design-to-proposal workflow, no license fee.
Payaca — $1,724/mo. Purpose-built solar ops, priced for teams past the startup phase.
Enerflo — custom quote. Pipeline and financing tool for multi-rep sales dealers.
Scoop Solar — custom quote. Field service and O&M tracking for install crews.
JobNimbus — reported from $225/mo. Fits shops running roofing and solar together.
ServiceTitan — reported from $245/tech/mo. Enterprise FSM for multi-trade shops.
How I Picked These
I'm not a solar installer — I run All American Pressure Cleaning and co-founded QuoteIQ, and solar crews are one of the fastest-growing groups signing up right now. I pulled every vendor's own pricing page this month, flagged anywhere pricing isn't public, and weighed four things: cost at a typical crew size, whether it handles the permit-to-PTO cycle instead of just the sale, whether a rep can quote from a truck on a phone, and how fast the design-to-proposal workflow moves. Pricing was checked against each vendor's own site in August 2026. This is for installers weighing a design-only tool, a solar-specific CRM, and an all-in-one platform — not utility-scale EPCs shopping enterprise contracts.
Quick Comparison
Software | Starting Price | Best For |
$29.99/mo | Solo reps to 15-person crews | |
$159/user/mo | Panel-level design & shading | |
Free | Budget-conscious design teams | |
$1,724/mo | Solar-only ops at scale | |
Custom quote | Multi-rep sales dealers | |
Custom quote | Field service & O&M | |
~$225+/mo* | Roofing-solar crossover | |
~$245+/tech/mo* | Large multi-trade shops |
*Reported figures — not published by the vendor. Confirm directly before budgeting.
1. QuoteIQ — Best Overall for Solar Installers
What it is
QuoteIQ is the field service CRM I co-founded, built for contractors who need quoting, scheduling, invoicing, and follow-up in one app instead of stitching together a design tool, a CRM, and a spreadsheet. It's not a panel-level design tool like Aurora Solar — pair it with one for shading and layout, and run the sales-to-install side on QuoteIQ.
Pricing
Essentials starts at $29.99/month for one user, no per-seat fees, 14-day trial on every tier. Roof and pitch measurement ships in the AI toolset at Essentials; the fuller MapMeasure Pro satellite suite unlocks at Beginner ($74.99/mo). Consumer financing is built in at every tier through Stripe's Affirm, Klarna, and Afterpay integrations.
Where it fits
Solo reps and crews up to about 15 people who want one login for lead intake, AI-assisted estimating, scheduling around the survey-permit-install-inspection cycle, and follow-up automation for the multi-month decision window.
Tradeoffs
It's an operations platform, not a design tool — no shading analysis or 3D modeling. Most installers pair it with OpenSolar or Aurora for design and run everything else through QuoteIQ.
"I've been in the construction industry for 9 years and I've never seen an instant estimate tool like the one in this app." — BenjaminMill (App Store review)
2. Aurora Solar — Best for Panel-Level Design and Shading
What it is
Aurora Solar is the design tool most residential solar companies picture first — 3D roof modeling, shading analysis, and tablet-friendly sales proposals with financing built in.
Pricing
Basic runs $159/user/month billed monthly ($135/mo annually), Premium is $259/user/month, and on-demand site models start at $9.99 each. Enterprise is a custom quote through Aurora's sales team.
Where it fits
Teams that sell on visuals — shade reports, 3D fly-throughs, bankable performance simulations — and are willing to run a separate tool for the CRM and install side.
Tradeoffs
Per-seat pricing adds up fast on a growing sales team, and Aurora doesn't track a job past the signed proposal. Read the full Aurora Solar plan breakdown before committing a multi-rep team to annual billing.
3. OpenSolar — Best Free Design and Proposal Tool
What it is
OpenSolar is a free, full design-to-proposal platform — 3D modeling, shading, financing integrations, and e-signatures — funded by its distributor and lender partner network instead of license fees.
Pricing
The core app is free, with no per-seat charge. Starting April 2026, API access and third-party connectors became a paid add-on; the design and proposal workflow itself stays free.
Where it fits
Solo installers and small teams doing a handful of residential systems a week who want real design capability without a per-seat license.
Tradeoffs
CRM and pipeline tools are thin, and the free model runs partly on distributor and lender partnerships baked into the workflow — worth understanding before you build your sales process around it. See OpenSolar's own FAQ for the details.
4. Payaca — Best Purpose-Built Solar Ops Platform
What it is
Payaca is CRM, quoting, permit tracking, scheduling, and invoicing built specifically for solar, heat pump, battery, and EV charger installers, including AHJ permit workflows most generic CRMs don't touch.
Pricing
Growth runs $1,724/month standard monthly ($1,437/mo annually) and includes 25 users. A restricted Accelerator tier at $444/month exists for newly founded shops with eight or fewer employees; everyone else starts on Growth.
Where it fits
Solar-only teams with the revenue to support a $1,700+/month platform who want permit and AHJ tracking built into the workflow rather than bolted on.
Tradeoffs
It's priced for installers well past the startup phase — a solo operator or a two-person crew will find QuoteIQ or OpenSolar a far easier entry point. Full details are on Payaca's pricing FAQ.
5. Enerflo — Best for Multi-Rep Solar Sales Dealers
What it is
Enerflo runs the solar sales pipeline — lead intake, AI-assisted design and proposals, financing through Lendflo, and e-signed contracts through Docflo — for door-to-door and dealer sales organizations.
Pricing
Enerflo doesn't publish rates; it's a flat monthly subscription that isn't billed per seat, with a reported 12-month minimum commitment. Get a quote from their sales team before assuming a number.
Where it fits
Sales-heavy dealer organizations running multiple reps against the same pipeline who need financing and contracting handled without leaving the tool.
Tradeoffs
No published pricing means budgeting requires a sales call, and the 12-month minimum is a real commitment for a business testing a new platform. It's built for the sales side, not day-to-day install crew management.
6. Scoop Solar — Best for Field Service and O&M Tracking
What it is
Scoop Solar is a field service and workflow-automation platform for solar install and O&M teams — mobile forms, scheduling, and real-time reporting for crews already past the sales stage.
Pricing
Scoop runs on platform pricing billed by the number of apps or automated processes rather than by seat, and doesn't publish a rate card.
Where it fits
Installers and O&M providers who need to standardize field data collection and task tracking across residential, commercial, or utility-scale crews.
Tradeoffs
It's a field-operations tool first — it isn't built to run your sales pipeline or your proposals, so most Scoop customers are pairing it with a separate CRM or design tool upstream.
7. JobNimbus — Best for Roofing-Solar Crossover Crews
What it is
JobNimbus is a CRM built for residential roofing and exterior contractors — workflow boards, estimating, and insurance-claim tracking — that some roofing companies run their solar arm through too.
Pricing
JobNimbus no longer publishes pricing — you request a quote. Third-party reporting puts the base plan around $225–$550/month plus $20–$75 per user per month, with texting as a separate add-on.
Where it fits
Roofing-first contractors adding solar as a second line of business who want one CRM across both trades rather than a separate tool to learn.
Tradeoffs
It wasn't built around the solar sales cycle — no panel-level design import, no AHJ permit tracking, and per-user fees stack fast as a team grows. See the JobNimbus vs. QuoteIQ comparison for a fuller breakdown.
8. ServiceTitan — Best for Large Multi-Trade Operations
What it is
ServiceTitan is an enterprise field service platform built for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical dispatch, and some larger solar-plus-HVAC shops run it across every trade under one roof.
Pricing
ServiceTitan doesn't publish pricing. Third-party reporting from G2 and Capterra puts it around $245–$398 per technician per month plus a $5,000–$50,000+ implementation fee, and the company has said it isn't optimized for teams under three technicians.
Where it fits
Larger operations running solar alongside HVAC or electrical dispatch that need one enterprise system across every crew and already have the budget for a multi-month implementation.
Tradeoffs
The cost and implementation timeline shut out small and mid-size solar shops entirely, and per-technician pricing compounds every time you hire. Our ServiceTitan vs. QuoteIQ comparison breaks down the gap in more detail.
What Operators Say
"Real easy to navigate with an arsenal of tools that'll help keep business flowing." — Gavino Rodriguez (Google Play review)
"From estimates to invoices, QuoteIQ keeps my roofing business organized and running smoothly always." — Beals Susanne (App Store review)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best software for solar installation companies in 2026?
QuoteIQ is the best all-in-one field service platform for solar installers in 2026, combining AI-assisted quoting, scheduling, invoicing, and follow-up automation from $29.99/month with no per-user fees. Design-heavy teams typically pair it with a dedicated design tool like Aurora Solar or OpenSolar for shading and 3D modeling, since QuoteIQ handles the operations side rather than panel-level layout. The right pick depends on whether you need a standalone design tool, a solar-specific sales CRM like Payaca, or an affordable all-in-one platform that scales from a solo rep to a 15-person crew without adding per-seat costs as you grow.
How much does solar installer software cost per month?
Solar software costs range from free to well over $2,000 a month depending on category. Design tools like OpenSolar are free at the core, while Aurora Solar runs $159 to $259 per user per month. All-in-one operations platforms range from QuoteIQ's $29.99/month up through Payaca's $1,724/month for a solar-specific CRM, and enterprise platforms like ServiceTitan run $245 to $398 per technician monthly once you add implementation costs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects solar installer employment to grow 42% through 2034, so software costs at every tier are worth weighing against how fast a crew plans to add technicians.
What software do solar sales reps use to build proposals?
Most solar sales reps build proposals in a dedicated design tool — Aurora Solar or OpenSolar are the two most common — which generates the 3D roof model, shading analysis, and financing-integrated proposal a homeowner signs. Sales-heavy dealer organizations often run that design output through a pipeline tool like Enerflo to manage the rep-to-rep handoff and financing paperwork. Smaller shops that don't need dealer-network scale often quote directly inside an all-in-one platform instead of running two separate logins for design and proposal delivery, cutting out the re-typed specs that creep in when tools don't talk to each other.
Is Aurora Solar worth the cost for a small solar installation business?
Aurora Solar is worth it if shading accuracy and a polished 3D sales presentation are what closes your deals — it's the industry standard for a reason. For a solo installer or a two-person crew, $159 to $259 per user per month is a real cost on top of whatever CRM or invoicing tool you're already running, and Aurora doesn't track a job once the contract is signed, so you're paying for design and still need something else for scheduling and follow-up. A lot of small shops start with OpenSolar's free tier and only move to Aurora once sales volume justifies the per-seat cost across a growing sales team.
What's a free alternative to Aurora Solar for solar design?
OpenSolar is the closest free alternative to Aurora Solar, offering 3D roof modeling, shading analysis, financing integrations, and proposal generation with no per-seat license fee. It's funded through OpenSolar's distributor and lender partner network rather than charging installers directly, and as of April 2026 only API access and third-party connectors carry a separate charge — the core design and proposal workflow stays free. The tradeoff is thinner CRM and pipeline functionality than a paid platform, so most installers running OpenSolar pair it with a separate tool to manage leads and jobs after the design is done.
Do solar installers need separate software for design and day-to-day operations?
Most solar installers end up running two tools: a design platform like Aurora Solar or OpenSolar for shading and proposal generation, and an operations platform for scheduling, invoicing, and following up through the permit-to-PTO cycle. A handful of platforms, like Payaca and Enerflo, try to cover both sides for solar specifically, usually at a higher monthly price than pairing a free or low-cost design tool with an affordable ops platform. Which setup makes the most sense depends mostly on team size and how much the design output needs to plug directly into scheduling and day-to-day job tracking.
What CRM works best for a roofing company that also installs solar?
JobNimbus is the CRM most roofing-first contractors already run, and some keep their solar arm on it rather than adopting a second platform — though it wasn't built with panel-level design import or AHJ permit tracking, so the solar side of the business still needs a separate design tool upstream to handle system layout and shading. QuoteIQ is a common alternative for crossover shops that want one login across every trade without JobNimbus's per-user fees stacking as the team grows. Our full JobNimbus vs. QuoteIQ breakdown compares the two side by side for exterior contractors weighing the switch.
How do I start a QuoteIQ trial?
Every QuoteIQ plan, including Essentials and Max, comes with a 14-day free trial with full access to whichever tier you pick — no sales call required and no separate onboarding process to sit through before you can start quoting. You can start directly from the QuoteIQ demo link or sign up on the site, and a credit or debit card is required to start. There's no separate design-tool subscription needed to try it, either; roof and pitch measurement and the rest of the AI toolset — AutoPilot, the Virtual Call Team, and AI-assisted estimating — are included in the trial from day one, on every plan level.
Bottom Line
If you're running a solar crew from a phone in a truck and don't want to pay per seat, start with QuoteIQ at $29.99/month and pair it with a design tool for shading and layout. If shading accuracy is what closes your deals, Aurora Solar or OpenSolar earns the extra login. Everything past that makes sense once your team size or sales model justifies the price tag. Grab the QuoteIQ demo and see where it fits your crew.
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