10 Best Archelios Alternatives for Solar Designers

Archelios alternatives are solar design tools you can use instead of Archelios PRO, 3D design, yield (how much power the system will make) and finance software from Trace Software, a French firm. Aurora Solar ranks first at 82.7/100. PV*SOL premium ranks second at 80.3/100.

Archelios PRO is a sound tool for French home and C&I (commercial and industrial) jobs. But its paid plans are capped by project size. Silver stops at 100 kWp (peak kilowatts of panels) per project and Gold at 1 MWp. Only Platinum, at EUR 1,990 a year, has no limit.

The tool is also built around France, and the pages we checked are in French. Designers outside France, or those who keep hitting the kWp caps, start to look for the best Archelios alternatives.

Why do designers look for Archelios PRO alternatives?

• Size caps on every paid plan. Silver (EUR 990 a year) and Gold (EUR 1,490) are capped per project, so bigger jobs need Platinum. All prices exclude VAT.
• Key extras sit on higher tiers. P75 and P90 yield values (cautious yield figures), DXF export and full export to archelios CALC start on Gold. The Revit plug-in needs Platinum.
• Electrical design costs extra. PRO exports a simple SLD (single-line diagram, a simple drawing of how the wires connect) for grid connection. Full electrical design is in archelios CALC, a separate purchase.
• Built for France. Load profiles come from Enedis and Linky (or German BDEW), and the shop and product pages we used are in French.
• No user reviews. G2 lists Archelios with 0 reviews, and we found no Capterra page or forum threads. You cannot check what other users think.

What you would give up: a free version for small jobs, the Revit plug-in and Enedis load data for French clients.

Archelios PRO at a glance

Source: Trace Software shop, checked October 2026.

Quick picks

✓ Verified on the company’s own pricing page. ◐ Published by the company outside its pricing page (help centre, store or press release). ? We could not read the company’s pricing page, so the figure is not confirmed. Prices checked October 2026.

Quote only means the company shows no public price. You ask it for a quote.

How did the 10 tools score?

• Use-case fit 35%
• User reviews 20%
• Pricing 15%
• Ease of use 10%
• Support 10%
• Momentum 10%

Each bar shows the weighted score out of 100.

Sub-scores at a glance (0-10)

A 5.0 on reviews, ease, support or momentum is our neutral score. We use it when public evidence is thin. It is not a judgement.

How did we choose and score these Archelios alternatives?

How the score is weighted

• Use-case fit 35%
• User reviews 20%
• Pricing 15%
• Ease of use 10%
• Support 10%
• Momentum 10%

We scored 13 alternatives from 22 to 25 October 2026, using company pages, pricing and user reviews. This was desk research. We did not test any tool hands-on. All 13 passed our minimum fit score, so we rank the top 10 and list three under Also considered. Archelios PRO is not ranked on its own page.

• Use-case fit (35%): How well a tool does Archelios’s job. That means 3D layout, shading and yield, plus self-consumption (using the solar power you make on site) and finance.
• User reviews (20%): Ratings on G2 and Capterra. Under eight reviews gets a middle score.
• Pricing (15%): Published prices and free entry points beat quote-only.
• Ease of use, support and momentum (10% each): Review sub-scores and dated releases.

Read the full method.

1. Aurora Solar: best for US home and light-commercial design and sales

Best for: US installers who design and sell home and light-commercial systems. Score: 82.7/100.

vs Archelios PRO: Aurora tiers by features and users, not by kWp, and it is built in English for the US.

What it is: Aurora Solar is a cloud design, shading and proposal platform from Aurora Solar Inc. Its pricing page is written for North America in US dollars.

Why we picked it: It scored highest on this page, with strong fit and 121 G2 reviews. Its plans are set by users and features, not project kWp.

Key features:

• Cloud 3D design with LIDAR (laser height data) assisted modelling.
• Shade analysis and bankable (lender-accepted) shade reports (Premium).
• Battery modelling for backup, self-consumption and arbitrage (storing cheap power to use or sell when prices are high).
• Sales proposals with financing options.

Pricing: Basic is USD 159 per user per month, or USD 135 billed annually, for one user and 50 projects a month. Premium is USD 259 (USD 220 billed annually). Enterprise is custom, priced per project. Checked October 2026 on the Aurora Solar pricing page.

Pros (from user reviews):

• Shade reports and output estimates are accurate, and LiDAR shows what blocks the sun (Capterra).
• Customer service is strong (G2 review).
• Training videos and help articles shorten the learning time (Capterra).

Cons (from reviews and our research):

• Some reviewers say the proposal and finance tools are thin for the cost (Capterra).
• It links poorly with other software (G2 review).
• You pay per user, so the bill grows with every designer you add.

Reviews: G2 4.7/5 (121 reviews) and Capterra 4.1/5 (7 reviews), checked October 2026.

Read our full Aurora Solar review or see our Aurora Solar alternatives.

aurorasolar.com

2. PV*SOL premium: best for European self-consumption design on desktop

Best for: European installers and planners who model batteries, heat pumps and EV charging. Score: 80.3/100.

vs Archelios PRO: One licence price (EUR 845 a year) with no kWp tiers. Like Archelios, it is a desktop tool with deep load and tariff modelling.

What it is: PV*SOL premium is 3D design and simulation software from Valentin Software in Germany.

Why we picked it: It scored top on fit, because it does the same European self-use job as Archelios on a desktop. One public price covers any project size.

Key features:

• 3D design with detailed shading.
• Yield simulation on Meteonorm 9 data.
• AC- and DC-coupled batteries.
• Heat pump and EV loads, each with its own tariff.

Pricing: EUR 845 per year per named user plus VAT, or EUR 285 for three months. The 2D PV*SOL costs EUR 585 a year. Checked October 2026 in the Valentin shop. There is a 30-day trial.

Pros (from reviews and our research):

• A EUR 285 three-month licence lets you test it on live jobs before a full year.
• G2 users give it 8.2/10 for ease of use (10 reviews).
• Valentin keeps it current, with the 2026 edition out on 24 November 2025.

Cons (from our research):

• It is installed software, so there is no browser version to use on a client visit.
• Each named user needs a licence.
• We found no Revit plug-in to match Archelios Platinum.

Reviews: G2 4.2/5 (12 reviews), checked October 2026.

What we could not confirm: Stringing (how panels wire into inverters), cable and SLD depth.

Read our full PV*SOL premium review or see our PV*SOL alternatives.

valentin-software.com

3. PVsyst: best for lender-grade yield reports

Best for: Engineers, EPCs (firms that design and build solar projects) and consultants who must hand yield reports to banks. Score: 75.6/100.

vs Archelios PRO: P50/P90 reports that lenders know, at CHF 700 a year. Archelios offers P75/P90 only from Gold up.

What it is: PVsyst is Windows simulation software from PVsyst SA in Switzerland. It is widely used for yield reports that banks ask for.

Why we picked it: It is widely used when a bank asks for yield, and its one public price is not tiered by kWp.

Key features:

• Near-shade scenes in 3D, with the mismatch losses they cause.
• Bifacial modules (panels that catch light on both sides) and single- or dual-axis trackers (mounts that follow the sun).
• Loss diagram and P50/P90 yield reports (the expected and the cautious yield figure).
• Weather import from Meteonorm 9, PVGIS, Solargis and others.

Pricing: PVsyst 8 Professional is CHF 700 a year per seat. Multi-seat discounts are 5% for 2-4 licences, 15% for 5-9 and 20% for 10 or more. Checked October 2026 in the PVsyst shop. There is a 30-day evaluation mode.

Pros (from user reviews):

• Detailed, accurate modelling and yield simulation (G2 themes).
• A full loss analysis you can show to a lender (G2 themes).
• SketchUp links help build 3D shade scenes (G2 themes).

Cons (from user reviews):

• The interface is dated and complex.
• It takes a long time to learn (G2 ease of use 6.7/10 from 14 reviews).
• Managing 3D scenes takes time.

Reviews: G2 4.5/5 (22 reviews), checked October 2026.

Read our full PVsyst review or see our PVsyst alternatives.

pvsyst.com

4. RatedPower: best for utility-scale plant engineering

Best for: Developers and EPCs who design large ground-mount plants and storage. Score: 73.3/100.

vs Archelios PRO: Built for the large plants that need Archelios Platinum, and it includes MV/LV electrical design that Archelios sells in CALC. It is quote only.

What it is: Enverus owns RatedPower, whose pvDesign platform plans large solar and storage plants online, from site screening to electrical drawings.

Why we picked it: It takes over at the plant sizes that need Archelios Platinum, with electrical design included. It has 305 G2 reviews.

Key features:

• Rule-based plant layout with setbacks, roads, slope and cut-and-fill.
• Medium and low voltage design, SLDs and substations.
• BESS (battery energy storage systems) and hybrid design with dispatch simulation.
• CAPEX (build cost), LCOE (lifetime cost per kWh) and 400+ editable documents.

Pricing: Quote only. There are three tiers (Basic, Advanced and Enterprise), all through sales. Checked October 2026 on the RatedPower pricing page. Demo only.

Pros (from user reviews):

• 22 G2 reviewers name ease of use as a plus.
• It saves time on early layouts, and automated electrical diagrams help (G2).
• Support is a common strength on G2.

Cons (from user reviews):

• Layout issues are the top complaint (14 mentions), such as land and constraint handling.
• Some features are missing, such as certain BESS and PCS pairings (G2).
• Drawing and design options are limited, and you need some engineering knowledge (G2).

Reviews: G2 4.4/5 (305 reviews), checked October 2026.

Read our full RatedPower review or see our RatedPower alternatives.

ratedpower.com

5. HelioScope: best for C&I design in a browser

Best for: C&I EPCs who design rooftops, carports and small ground mounts. Score: 73.1/100.

vs Archelios PRO: It runs in a browser, in English. Its size tiers are much higher: 1.25 MW DC on Basic, 5 MW on Pro and 30 MW on Enterprise.

What it is: HelioScope is a web design and yield tool for commercial projects. Aurora Solar Inc. owns it, but it is a separate product with its own login.

Why we picked it: It scored high on fit for C&I design and has a public price. Its size limits run far above Archelios’s 100 kWp and 1 MWp caps.

Key features:

• Rooftop, carport and ground-mount layout.
• Output estimates the company says are within 1% of PVsyst.
• Shading and wiring-loss modelling.
• P90/P95/P99 values on Pro, which show the risk of making less power than forecast.

Pricing: Basic is USD 159 a month, or USD 1,620 a year if billed yearly (one user, 10 projects a month, up to 1.25 MW DC). Pro is USD 259 a month or USD 2,640 a year (up to 5 MW DC). Enterprise is custom, per project, up to 30 MW DC. Checked October 2026 on the HelioScope pricing page. A free trial is offered.

Pros (from user reviews):

• Easy to learn, with a simple interface (G2).
• Reviewers say layouts and loss sums are quick and correct.
• Reports and SLDs come out quickly.

Cons (from user reviews):

• It is costly if you only design a few large jobs a year.
• Project limits bite on large systems.
• Reviewers outside the US find US units set as the default.

Reviews: G2 4.5/5 (19 reviews), with ease of use 8.8/10, checked October 2026.

Read our full HelioScope review or see our HelioScope alternatives.

helioscope.aurorasolar.com

6. PVcase Roof Mount: best for C&I rooftop electrical design in AutoCAD

Best for: C&I EPCs and engineering firms who draw roofs in AutoCAD. Score: 72.2/100.

vs Archelios PRO: Stringing, cable sizing and SLD export sit in one tool, where Archelios sends full electrical work to CALC. It is quote only.

What it is: PVcase Roof Mount is a rooftop design tool that runs inside AutoCAD. It comes from PVcase in Lithuania and is aimed at C&I teams, not homes.

Why we picked it: It keeps stringing, cables and SLDs in one tool, where Archelios sends them to CALC. Reviewers rate its support and ease of use very highly.

Key features:

• Roof layout with setbacks, parapets and obstacles.
• Stringing, MPPT setup, cable trays and voltage drop.
• SLD and BOM (bill of materials) export.
• Ballast reports with PanelClaw racking in Eurocode countries.

Pricing: Quote only. One Professional plan, price on request. Checked October 2026 on the PVcase Roof Mount pricing page. Demo only.

Pros (from reviews and our research):

• Users say it saves time (G2 theme).
• Staff who know AutoCAD can start fast (G2 ease of use 9.1/10 from 16 reviews).
• Support scores very well (G2 quality of support 9.8/10).

Cons (from our research):

• There is no public price, so you need a sales call.
• It is not aimed at home installers.
• Ballast reports cover Eurocode countries only.

Reviews: G2 4.6/5 (17 reviews), checked October 2026.

What we could not confirm: whether you need your own AutoCAD licence. The pricing page does not say.

pvcase.com/roof-mount

7. Arka 360: best for unlimited projects in India and the US

Best for: Indian installers, and US home and commercial installers with high job volume. Score: 70.1/100.

vs Archelios PRO: The Basic plan covers unlimited home and commercial projects with no kWp tier. It is a cloud tool with proposals, where Archelios is not.

What it is: Arka 360, from the Bengaluru firm once called The Solar Labs, is an online tool for design, proposals and simple lead tracking.

Why we picked it: The Basic plan has no project cap, and 137 G2 reviews give a clear picture of it.

Key features:

• Roof and ground-mount layouts in 3D, with shading.
• Stringing (how panels wire into inverters) for micro-inverters and optimisers.
• Proposals and generation reports.
• SLD export and 3D export to SketchUp and PVsyst on Premium.

Pricing: The international-list Basic is USD 159 a month or USD 1,699 a year. Premium is USD 199 a month or USD 1,999 a year. Enterprise is USD 999 a month. India starts from INR 46,000 a year plus 18% GST, though the page showed two conflicting INR price sets. Checked October 2026 on the Arka 360 pricing page. Demo only.

Pros (from user reviews):

• Ease of use is praised in 14 G2 reviews.
• Reviewers trust its shade results and output figures for quotes.
• Customers respond well to the 3D views, and support gets warm praise.

Cons (from user reviews):

• Reviewers report slowdowns once a project passes 3 MWp.
• Choosing the mounting structure confuses some users, and some tools are missing.
• Larger teams run into limits on shared use.

Reviews: G2 4.3/5 (137 reviews), with support 9.2/10, checked October 2026.

What we could not confirm: which INR price set is current, and whether the INR 10,000 onboarding fee applies to US plans.

Read our full Arka 360 review or see our Arka 360 alternatives.

arka360.com

8. Scanifly: best for drone site models in the US

Best for: US home and commercial installers who survey roofs with drones. Score: 68.4/100.

vs Archelios PRO: Archelios builds the 3D scene from map data. Scanifly builds it from your own drone flights, and adds a field app.

What it is: Scanifly is a US design and field platform. It mixes remote design, drone 3D models, a survey app and paid plan-set services.

Why we picked it: It scored high on fit for 3D site capture, and it ships updates often.

Key features:

• DroneDesign 3D models, ready in under 30 minutes after upload.
• Remote PrelimDesign from satellite, Nearmap and LiDAR.
• On-site shading (Viewshed).
• iOS and Android field app with checklists.

Pricing: Quote only. Design work runs on credits, and drone surveys and design services cost extra. Checked October 2026 on the Scanifly site. Demo only.

Pros (from our research):

• Drone models give you a site-true 3D scene, not only map data.
• Crews and designers share one mobile app.
• Dated product posts run through October 2026.

Cons (from our research):

• No public price, so you must book a demo.
• It is US focused, with no stated non-US coverage.
• Plan sets are a human service, not software.

Reviews: G2 4.7/5 (3 reviews), checked October 2026.

Read our full Scanifly review or see our Scanifly alternatives.

scanifly.com

9. Solargis Evaluate: best for yield studies on satellite data

Best for: Developers, IPPs (independent power producers) and consultants who run C&I and utility yield studies. Score: 64.9/100.

vs Archelios PRO: Archelios can use Solargis weather data. Evaluate goes to the source, with Solargis data and a 3D designer in one web app, but it costs far more.

What it is: Evaluate is a browser app from Solargis, a firm best known for satellite solar data.

Why we picked it: It joins Solargis weather data with a 3D designer and yield engine in a browser. Its starting price is public, and it updates often.

Key features:

• Over 30 years of weather history, in 15-minute steps or as a typical year.
• A 3D designer with more than 150 settings that follows the terrain.
• Ray tracing that counts terrain, ground reflection, soiling and snow.
• Automated resource, loss and yield reports.

Pricing: From EUR 12,000 a year, covering 60 early-stage projects with unlimited P50 TMY (typical year of weather) simulations. Larger packages come through sales. Checked October 2026 on the Solargis pricing page. Demo only.

Pros (from our research):

• It runs in a browser, so it works on Windows and Mac.
• You can invite as many people as you like to each project.
• Version 2.9.0 came out on 7 September 2026.

Cons (from our research):

• It costs far more than any Archelios plan.
• It is a yield tool, with no proposals or self-consumption sales reports.
• With no user reviews, you must rely on a demo.

Reviews: No user reviews found as of October 2026 (G2 lists Solargis with 0 reviews).

Read our full Solargis Evaluate review.

solargis.com/products/evaluate

10. DNV SolarFarmer: best for independent-engineer yield on large plants

Best for: Utility developers, owners and consultants who want yield estimates from an independent engineer’s tool. Score: 64.5/100.

vs Archelios PRO: Built by DNV for large-plant yield, with terrain shading and an API. It is quote only, with no self-consumption tools.

What it is: SolarFarmer is Windows desktop and cloud software from DNV for large-plant energy yield.

Why we picked it: DNV built it for large-plant yield and says it was used on US financing due-diligence work. It is updated often.

Key features:

• Shade modelling in 2D or 3D, including on uneven ground.
• Full electrical mismatch calculation.
• Tracker and backtracking modelling.
• Cloud yield API (a way for other software to connect to it) with Python workflows.

Pricing: Quote only. The company page links to DNV’s Veracity store for purchase and a free trial. Licences can move between team members up to 4 times a year. Checked October 2026 on the DNV SolarFarmer page.

Pros (from our research):

• DNV says six US financing due-diligence projects (1,195 MW) used it in 2024.
• A team can share licences, moving them up to 4 times a year.
• Version 1.7.1 came out on 4 March 2026.

Cons (from our research):

• The desktop app is Windows only, with no Mac version.
• No public price on the company page.
• It is not built for small rooftop installers.

Reviews: No user reviews found as of October 2026.

What we could not confirm: The store price and trial length, and any named lender’s view of its reports beyond DNV’s own claims.

Read our full DNV SolarFarmer review.

dnv.com/software/services/solarfarmer

How do the 10 Archelios alternatives compare?

Also considered

• Solargraf: Scored 64.1/100. Enphase’s US and Canadian design-to-permit platform, from USD 2,799 a year. Its Capterra rating is 3.2/5 (15 reviews). See our Solargraf alternatives.
• SolarPlus: Scored 61.4/100. An Australian tool whose plans are also capped by quoted kW volume.
• Solarius PV: Scored 52.3/100. ACCA’s Italian desktop tool has SLDs and BIM links, but we could not reach the company’s page to check its price or current version.

How do you choose an Archelios alternative?

• If you left Archelios because you work in the US, pick Aurora Solar for homes and light commercial.
• If you want the same kind of European self-consumption tool with no kWp tiers, pick PV*SOL premium.
• If banks need your yield report, pick PVsyst. For large plants, DNV SolarFarmer is a second opinion.
• If you design plants above 1 MWp, pick RatedPower for ground mounts or HelioScope for C&I up to 30 MW DC.
• If you paid for archelios CALC to get SLDs and cable sizing, look at PVcase Roof Mount.
• If you are in India, or you run many projects a month, pick Arka 360.
• If you fly drones for site surveys in the US, pick Scanifly.

For wider lists, see our best solar design software ranking, the design and simulation category and our Sunny Design, Arka 360 and Scanifly alternatives.

How do you switch from Archelios PRO?

• Export what you can before your licence ends. Save DXF site plans (Gold and up), SLDs and PDF reports for every live project.
• Note each site’s weather source and loss settings. Rebuild one recent project and compare the P50 yield with Archelios.
• Rebuild your report templates. We found no documented import of Archelios files in the tools above.
• Run new and old tools side by side on one or two jobs before you let the licence lapse.

Archelios alternatives FAQs

Sources

All read 22 to 25 October 2026.

• Archelios PRO: shop, product page, G2
• Aurora Solar: pricing, G2, Capterra, G2 review
• PV*SOL premium: shop, 2026 release, G2
• PVsyst: shop, G2, G2 comparison
• RatedPower: pricing, G2, G2 pros and cons
• HelioScope: pricing, G2
• PVcase Roof Mount: pricing, G2 comparison
• Arka 360: pricing, G2
• Scanifly: site, G2
• Solargis Evaluate: pricing, product page
• DNV SolarFarmer: product page, DNV news (2024)
• Solargraf: pricing, Capterra
• SolarPlus: pricing

Last updated 28 October 2026. Next scheduled review: 23 January 2027.