OpenSolar

Overview

OpenSolar is a solar-industry platform for installers, sales teams, and energy professionals who want design, customer sales, and project work in one place. Its strongest fit is a team that needs to carry a solar project from system design through proposals and payment milestones; teams seeking API connections should weigh the separate, project-based charge.

Ada AI can produce multiple system designs to match preferences in seconds, while proposals and payment tools connect the design process to customer transactions. The trade-off is that the core free offer and the API add-on have different economics: Pro is free, but API Access incurs a geo-specific fee when a project is created.

Key features

Design and sales

Ada AI generates several system designs from design preferences, giving solar professionals alternatives to take into project planning and sales. Customizable, business-branded proposals support flexible payments and real-time updates, which helps keep the customer-facing handoff tied to the evolving project.

Payments and project work

Branded invoices, payment milestones, automated reminders, online payments, and e-signatures cover key steps between proposal and payment. Equipment ordering within the design workflow and bill-of-materials generation from a hardware catalogue bring purchasing preparation closer to system design. Site survey forms, design handoff, crew scheduling, and service visit tracking extend the platform into field and follow-up work.

Connections and operations

The API can connect OpenSolar with CRM, accounting, operations, and incentive tools, and supports project, design, pricing, hardware, and contact data. That breadth is useful for organizations linking solar project records to other systems, but it is a paid add-on rather than part of the free Pro plan.

Security and availability

OpenSolar says it encrypts stored data and data in transit using TLS/SSL, and offers role-based access controls. It sets a 99.95% service availability target and says it monitors systems around the clock. Hosting is on AWS, with production systems in Sydney and a global content delivery network. Free accounts include dedicated 24/7 support, along with live support, ticket help, training, webinars, and a Help Center.

Pricing

The pricing model is freemium, with a 30-day trial. The API trial does not make integrations a permanently free feature: teams should budget for project-triggered charges after it ends. No seat quota or cap is stated for Pro, so no team-size limit can be inferred.

Platforms

OpenSolar supports Android, iOS, macOS, and web, as well as API access. That range suits teams mixing mobile field work with desktop design and connected business systems.

Who it's for

Solar installers and sales teams that want design, branded proposals, payment administration, equipment preparation, and project management together are the clearest fit. Service teams can also use site surveys, crew scheduling, design handoff, and service visit tracking. Businesses that do not need a solar-specific design and sales workflow, or that want integrations without project-based fees, should consider other tools.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Free Pro includes solar design, sales, and project management, making the core workflow accessible without a subscription charge.
• Pro: Design, customer proposals, payment handling, equipment ordering, and field coordination span multiple project stages rather than stopping at system design.
• Pro: The API supports several categories of business data, which can connect solar operations with CRM, accounting, and incentive systems.
• Con: API Access is billed per project after a 30-day trial, so integration costs can rise with project creation and vary by geography.
• Con: No seat or usage caps are stated for the free plan, so teams needing confirmed capacity limits should establish those before relying on it at scale.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, see Solar Installation Software. Consider FieldExecutives if a low-cost, explicitly seat-limited entry tier is preferable: its free plan supports up to two users, and its Starter plan is ₹1,999 a month.

SunrAI Project Management may suit teams focused on install lifecycle, dispatch, and permit tracking; its Starter plan is $29 a month, billed at $29/user/month, with planned launch pricing and free access during beta. InstalTrack is another freemium option for readers comparing solar project software.

Solar ERP is a freemium web-based alternative. SolarEdge Go is a free iOS option. MightyFields Solar is worth considering if a per-user subscription with a 15-user minimum suits the team. Sitetracker is a paid web and mobile alternative. Scoop Solar uses custom subscription pricing based on modules, workflows, and installation or service volume, with unlimited users, storage, and devices.

Verdict

OpenSolar is a strong choice for solar installers and sales teams that want a free, connected path from AI-assisted design to customer proposals, payments, and project coordination. Its central advantage is the breadth of that workflow in the free Pro plan. Look elsewhere if your decision depends on predictable API costs: the add-on is geo-specific and charged per project after its trial.