Solar installation software 2026 — design, CRM, proposal tools compared

Solar installation isn't quite electrical contracting and isn't quite roofing — it borrows from both. The software stack reflects that: design tools (solar-specific), CRMs (general contractor or solar-flavored), and proposal tools (often combined with design). Here's what actually ships solar work in 2026.

The three-part stack

Every solar installer runs three categories of tool:

Design + proposal — Aurora Solar, OpenSolar, SalesRabbit
CRM / pipeline — Sunbase, Builder Prime, Leap, Jobber/Housecall Pro (less commonly)
Project management — often built into the CRM; occasionally separate

Some vendors try to do all three. Most installers end up with specific best-of-breed picks that integrate.

Design + proposal tools (the solar-specific layer)

Aurora Solar

The market leader for residential solar design.

Pricing (verified April 2026): $156–$289/user/month depending on tier.

Features:

Cloud-based 3D design from satellite imagery
Automated shading analysis (LiDAR data where available)
Financial modeling + proposal generation
Integration with major sales + CRM tools
Built-in permit drawing generation (AHJ-compliant in most US jurisdictions)
NEC compliance checking

Best for: mid-to-large residential solar operations. Used by 10,000+ installers.

Trade-offs: expensive per user. Overkill for solo installers. The AHJ permit drawings feature saves hours per job — that alone often justifies the cost at scale.

OpenSolar

Full-featured free alternative.

Pricing: Free. Revenue model: optional paid integrations + their finance marketplace.

Features:

3D modeling, shading analysis, proposal generation
Built-in CRM
Financial modeling + financing partner integrations
Solar panel + inverter database

Best for: newer installers, smaller operations, anyone who wants full-featured design without per-user subscription fees. Surprisingly robust for the price.

Trade-offs: less polished UI than Aurora; fewer native integrations with enterprise CRMs.

SalesRabbit / Sighten / Enphase Enlighten Design

Secondary players. SalesRabbit is door-to-door-focused; Sighten (acquired by Palmetto) is more utility/sales focused; Enphase has design tooling for inverters they manufacture.

Relevant mostly for specific contractor profiles or when your manufacturer requires their tools for rebates.

CRM / pipeline tools

Sunbase Solar

Solar-specific CRM.

Pricing: $59–$249/user/month (verified April 2026).

Features:

Lead management + pipeline
Proposal generation (basic; typically paired with Aurora or OpenSolar)
Installation tracking
Integration with major design tools + financing partners
Commission tracking for sales reps

Best for: residential solar operations 5–50 users. Built specifically for solar workflows.

Builder Prime

CRM positioned for contractors; has solar specialization.

Pricing: $99–$299/user/month.

Features:

CRM with configurable pipelines
Quote builder
Scheduling + install coordination
Integrates with solar design tools

Best for: mid-size operations that want a contractor-focused CRM with solar support rather than pure solar software.

Leap

Roofing + remodeling CRM that also serves solar installers (especially roofing contractors expanding into solar). Native GreenSky financing integration makes it attractive for financing-heavy solar sales.

See our Leap coverage in the roofing sales and estimating tools guide.

General FSM tools — when they work

Some solar installers run Housecall Pro or Jobber for the operational side. This works for smaller installers doing $500k–$2M annual revenue on residential-only work. At scale, the solar-specific tools pay for themselves through better workflow automation.

The design-to-install workflow

A typical solar sale in 2026:

Lead arrives (phone, web form, canvasser) → logged in CRM
Virtual site survey (homeowner uploads photos via mobile app → CRM ticket)
Design in Aurora/OpenSolar (satellite + shading + panel layout)
Proposal generated (financing options, savings estimate, system specs)
Sale closed (contract signed digitally via DocuSign or built-in e-sign)
Permit drawings generated (Aurora auto-generates; OpenSolar requires more manual work)
Permit submitted to AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction — local building dept)
Utility interconnection app submitted (separate from permit; 30–90 day approval)
Installation scheduled
Install complete → inspection → PTO (Permission to Operate) from utility

The steps between sale and install take 4–12 weeks depending on AHJ and utility. Software that tracks permit + utility status is critical — customers who lose visibility during that window churn.

Lead generation landscape (verified April 2026)

Solar lead costs vary wildly by quality. Current operator-reported ranges:

Channel	Cost per lead	Close rate	Cost per install
EnergySage	$18–$45	15–25%	$90–$300
Exclusive leads (from lead-gen companies like Invention Solar)	$80–$250	25–40%	$250–$700
Shared leads (Modernize, HomeAdvisor)	$25–$75	5–10%	$500–$1,200
Door-to-door canvassing	$50–$150 effective cost	3–8% from knock	$800–$2,500
Google LSA (where available for solar)	$30–$65	25–40%	$125–$260
Referrals from existing installs	$0–$100	40–60%	$0–$250
Organic SEO	$0–$20 amortized	20–40%	Minimal

See our lead generation cost per booked job guide for the deeper analysis across trades.

The solar-specific insight: close rates on shared leads are lower than HVAC because customers compare 3–5 installers on every solar inquiry. Exclusive leads or referrals are the only economics that consistently work at scale.

Financing integration — the sales differentiator

Most solar sales are financed. The financing options:

Loans — GoodLeap (formerly Loanpal), Sunlight Financial, Service Finance
PPA / Lease — Sunnova, Sunrun, Enphase (via partners)
Cash — smaller share, higher-net-worth customers

Your software stack needs to present financing options at the quote. Tools that integrate with GoodLeap + Sunlight natively have an edge. Manual financing handoff (tech gives customer a phone number to call) closes worse than in-app application.

The "is it profitable" question

Solar installation margin economics in 2026:

System size	Gross revenue	Installer cost	Gross margin
Small residential (5 kW)	$12,000–$18,000	$9,000–$13,000	20–30%
Medium residential (8 kW)	$18,000–$28,000	$13,500–$20,000	25–35%
Large residential (12 kW)	$28,000–$42,000	$20,000–$30,000	30–40%
Small commercial (50 kW)	$80,000–$140,000	$55,000–$95,000	30–40%

Ranges verified April 2026 via solar industry benchmarks + SEIA market reports.

The profitability challenge: CAC (customer acquisition cost) eats margin. A solar installer paying $250/lead with 25% close at $10,000/sale has $1,000 in sales+marketing per install. That's 10% of revenue gone before cost-of-goods.

Low-CAC channels (referrals, organic SEO, repeat customers) are what separate profitable operators from unprofitable ones.

What to do if you're starting a solar installation business

Month 1–3:

Use OpenSolar (free) for design + proposals
Use Jobber or similar FSM for operations ($59–$189/mo)
Budget aggressively for lead-gen: $5k–$15k/month trialing channels
Apply for manufacturer installer networks (Enphase, Tesla, Panasonic)

Month 4–12:

If you're doing 10+ installs/month, upgrade to Aurora Solar
Add a financing partner (GoodLeap or Sunlight)
Transition to a solar-specific CRM (Sunbase) if FSM is limiting workflows
Start organic SEO for local solar queries

Year 2+:

Expand to commercial solar if residential is stable
Add battery storage as a natural upsell
Consider EV charging installation (adjacent business with overlap in installer skill)

Solar has meaningful tailwinds through 2030 (state policy, utility rate increases, tech cost improvements). The operators who survive do it on ruthless attention to CAC and install quality.