Solar installation is one of the fastest-growing trades in the country — and one of the most documentation-intensive. A single residential install generates a lead, a site survey, a shading analysis, a custom proposal with financing options, a permit application, a utility interconnection agreement, a signed contract, a monitoring setup record, and a final inspection checklist. Miss any step and the job stalls, the permit gets rejected, or the utility won't turn on interconnection.

The right solar software compresses that process so your sales team can close faster, your install crews can move without paperwork delays, and your office doesn't drown in permit revisions.

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What Solar Software Needs to Do
Solar isn't like HVAC or plumbing. The business model, sales cycle, and regulatory complexity are different. Here's what actually matters: Satellite roof analysis and shading — Accurate proposals require knowing roof pitch, azimuth, and shading from trees or adjacent structures. Manual site visits for every lead are expensive. Software that integrates with aerial imagery (LIDAR, satellite) lets you generate preliminary designs before the first site visit. System sizing and production modeling — A 7.5 kW system on a south-facing 20° pitch in Phoenix produces very different output than the same system in Seattle. Proposals need location-specific production estimates (kWh/year), not generic "save up to 80%" claims. Utilities and lenders increasingly require NREL PVWatts or similar modeling to back up production estimates. Proposal with financing options — Solar sales are financing sales. Most homeowners don't pay $25K cash. Your proposal software needs to auto-calculate monthly payments for solar loans, show lease vs. purchase comparisons, and integrate with Green Sky, GoodLeap, Mosaic, or other solar lenders. A manual financing calculation that requires a spreadsheet loses deals to competitors with instant proposals. Permit package generation — Permitting is the longest lead-time item in most solar jobs. Generating a permit package (single-line diagram, equipment specs, roof plan, structural letter, utility application) takes 4–8 hours manually. Software that auto-generates permit packages from the proposal data cuts this to under an hour. Interconnection tracking — Utility interconnection applications have their own status tracking: submitted → utility review → conditional approval → final approval → PTO (Permission to Operate). Missing a utility follow-up delays PTO by weeks. Solar software should track every interconnection application and prompt follow-ups. Monitoring integration — After install, homeowners expect to see their system producing. Integrations with Enphase, SolarEdge, or Fronius monitoring let you proactively flag underperforming systems before homeowners call.
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The Major Solar Contractor Platforms

Aurora Solar
Aurora is the industry standard for solar design and proposal generation. It's used by everyone from small residential installers to utilities. Strengths:
LIDAR-based roof modeling with automatic shading analysis
PVWatts-backed production estimates, utility rate modeling, and savings calculations
Auto-generates proposals with multiple financing options
Integrated with major financing partners (GoodLeap, Mosaic, Dividend)
CRM-lite functionality for tracking leads through the sales cycle Weaknesses:
Expensive ($400–$1,000+/month depending on volume) — cost-prohibitive for small installers doing fewer than 5–10 jobs/month
Limited project management after the deal closes — Aurora is primarily a sales tool, not an operations tool
No permit package generation — you still need to create single-line diagrams in separate software Best for: Mid-size to large solar installers who need professional proposals and can justify the cost with volume.
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Solargraf (Enphase)
Solargraf is a European-origin solar design platform now owned by Enphase. It's particularly strong for installers using Enphase microinverters. Strengths:
Satellite-based design with shading analysis
Automatically generates proposals with Enphase system configurations
Stronger permit package tools than Aurora
More affordable than Aurora for smaller operations
Integrated monitoring setup for Enphase systems Weaknesses:
Less polished UI than Aurora
Financing integrations are more limited in the US market
Heavier Enphase ecosystem lock-in Best for: Installers committed to the Enphase ecosystem who want tighter proposal-to-monitoring integration.
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Jobber (for Solar)
Jobber is a general field service management platform that some solar installers use, particularly smaller shops doing fewer than 20 installs/month. Strengths:
Excellent job scheduling, crew dispatching, and field operations
Good client communication tools (automated reminders, approval workflows)
Affordable at $49–$299/month
Strong invoicing and payment collection Weaknesses:
No solar-specific design or proposal tools — you still need Aurora or similar for proposals
No permit package generation
No financing integrations
No production modeling Best for: Small solar installers who already use Aurora for proposals and need a separate tool to manage jobs and invoicing.
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SalesForce + Industry Overlays
Larger solar companies (50+ installs/month) often run on Salesforce with solar-specific CRM configurations or overlays like Sunbase or SolarSuccess. Strengths:
Full CRM power for managing large sales pipelines
Extensive reporting and forecasting
Integration with every major business system Weaknesses:
Extremely expensive ($150–$500+/user/month)
Complex implementation — typically 3–6 months to fully deploy
No solar-specific design capabilities built in
Requires dedicated admin or consultant to maintain Best for: National solar companies with dedicated IT staff and large sales teams.
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Ontrakt (AI-Powered Solar Estimating)
Ontrakt is built for contractors across all trades and has strong solar estimating capability. Unlike Aurora or Solargraf, Ontrakt is designed as an all-in-one operations platform — not just a proposal tool. Strengths:
AI estimate generator from photos: upload site photos or drone images, AI extracts system size, shading conditions, and roof details, then generates a line-item estimate
Full job management: from signed contract through permit tracking, install scheduling, inspection, and final invoice
Built-in CRM with client portal (clients can view their proposal, sign contracts, and pay invoices online without calling you)
Crew scheduling and time tracking for install teams
Document management: upload permits, utility applications, and manufacturer specs, then collect e-signatures from homeowners
Significantly cheaper than Aurora or Salesforce ($49/month Starter, $149/month Pro) Weaknesses:
No LIDAR-based satellite design — photo-based AI works well for estimates but doesn't replace full roof modeling for precision proposals
No native lender integrations for solar financing — you'll need to pull financing numbers from your lender portal and enter them manually or include a link Best for: Small to mid-size solar installers who want a single platform to run sales, operations, and billing instead of stitching together Aurora + Jobber + separate invoicing software. Particularly effective for installers doing 2–20 jobs/month who can't justify Aurora's cost.
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How to Choose
The right stack depends on your volume and sales model:
| Business Type | Recommended Stack |
|---|---|
| Under 5 jobs/month | Ontrakt (all-in-one, lowest cost) |
| 5–25 jobs/month | Aurora (proposals) + Ontrakt (ops + invoicing) |
| 25–100 jobs/month | Aurora + Salesforce solar overlay or Ontrakt Pro |
| 100+ jobs/month | Enterprise Salesforce + Aurora + dedicated permit software |
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The Real Problem: Permit Delays
The biggest bottleneck in most solar operations isn't proposals or invoicing — it's permit delays. The average residential solar permit takes 2–6 weeks in most markets. The installs that move fastest are the ones where the permit package is submitted within 72 hours of contract signing, and the installer follows up with the AHJ and utility weekly.
Most general CRM and field service software doesn't track permit status. If you're doing more than 5 jobs/month, you need a system that:
1. Generates the permit package automatically from proposal data
2. Tracks permit submission dates, AHJ responses, and revision requests
3. Alerts the office when a permit is overdue or when a response comes in
4. Tracks interconnection application status separately from the building permit
Aurora handles item 1 (permit package generation is in their premium tiers). Most platforms require a manual spreadsheet for items 2–4. Ontrakt's document and job tracking system handles 2–4 natively — you can attach the permit application to the job, set status steps (submitted → approved → expired), and have the system remind you at configured intervals.
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What AI Is Changing for Solar
The next wave of solar software is shifting from "design tool" to "AI estimating from photos." The traditional solar workflow requires a trained designer to model the roof in Aurora (30–60 minutes per job). AI tools are beginning to generate competitive proposals from photos alone:
Photo-to-estimate: Upload 4–6 photos of the property — roof, electrical panel, utility meter — and AI generates a system size recommendation, estimated production, and line-item proposal in under 2 minutes.
Drone survey automation: Some platforms now accept drone footage and auto-extract roof measurements without a separate LIDAR dataset.
Instant financing pre-qualification: Some lenders are integrating directly with CRM tools so homeowners can get pre-qualified while still on the sales call.
For installers focused on speed, the combination of AI photo estimating (Ontrakt) + a solar lender API integration is faster than the traditional Aurora workflow for standard residential installs.
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Key Takeaways
1. Solar-specific design tools (Aurora, Solargraf) are essential if you're selling on production guarantees — generic contractor software can't model shading and production. For straightforward standard installs, AI photo-based estimating is fast enough.
2. Permit management is the biggest operational gap — most solar software doesn't track AHJ + utility status in one place. Build a process for this even if your software doesn't support it natively.
3. All-in-one vs. best-of-breed: Larger installers often run Aurora + CRM + ops tool. Small installers doing under 20 jobs/month usually lose money on the overhead of managing three systems — one platform handles more.
4. Client portal is a competitive differentiator — clients who can see their proposal, sign contracts, and track installation status online call your office 50–70% less.
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Start for Free Ontrakt offers a free 14-day trial with full access to AI photo estimating, job management, crew scheduling, and the client portal. No credit card required.

Best Solar Contractor Software in 2026 — Proposals, Permits & Project Tracking

The Major Solar Contractor Platforms

Start for Free Ontrakt offers a free 14-day trial with full access to AI photo estimating, job management, crew scheduling, and the client portal. No credit card required.

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