7 Best HelioScope Alternatives for Commercial Solar Design

HelioScope alternatives are design and yield tools you can use instead of HelioScope, a browser tool for commercial and industrial (C&I) solar design. Yield means how much power a system will make. Pylon ranks first at 82.0/100. PV*SOL premium ranks second at 76.4/100.

This guide ranks the 7 best HelioScope alternatives for commercial solar design. Leaving Aurora’s home solar tool instead? See our Aurora Solar alternatives.

For a ranked list across every segment, see our best solar design software ranking.

Why do designers look for HelioScope alternatives?

HelioScope is a browser tool for C&I design and yield. Aurora Solar has owned it since buying Folsom Labs in 2019. Reviewers like that it is fast and simple. Its pricing page and G2 reviews show why designers still look elsewhere:

• Project and size caps per tier. Basic (USD 159 a month) allows 10 projects a month or 120 a year, up to 1.25 MW DC (megawatts of direct-current panel power). Pro (USD 259) goes to 5 MW DC. Enterprise is priced per project and stops at 30 MW DC.
• Key engineering tools on Enterprise only. Single-axis trackers (mounts that follow the sun), PVsyst export and the API (a way to connect other software) are not on Basic or Pro. P90/P95/P99 values (cautious yield estimates) and proposals need Pro.
• Cost for part-time users. G2 reviewers call the plan expensive. They say the tiers don’t suit people who only use it now and then. Yearly project limits also bite on large systems.
• US defaults. Reviewers in India and Mexico note US-default units and pricing.
• Few signs of new work. We found no dated HelioScope release notes. G2 rates its support 7.9/10 (11 reviews), below several tools here.

HelioScope at a glance

Source: HelioScope pricing, checked October 2026. Read our full HelioScope review.

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 the 7 tools scored

• 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 value where public evidence is thin, not a judgement.

How did we choose and score these HelioScope 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 tools from 22 to 24 October 2026 and ranked the top 7. This was desk research. We used company docs, pricing pages, release notes and user reviews. We did not test the tools hands-on. SAM fell below our minimum match score (4 out of 10). Five more scored below the top 7. All 6 sit under Also considered, and HelioScope itself is not ranked.

• Use-case fit (35%): How well a tool does this page’s job, which is HelioScope’s job. That means C&I layout, shading, stringing (how panels wire into inverters), SLDs (single-line diagrams), yield and P-values. Tools built mainly for other work, such as utility-scale plants, scored lower on fit.
• User reviews (20%): G2 and Capterra ratings. Ratings from only a few reviews count for less. Under eight reviews gets a middle score of 5 out of 10.
• Pricing (15%): Free and published prices score higher than quote-only.
• Ease of use, support and momentum (10% each): Review sub-scores and dated releases. Each gets a middle score of 5 out of 10 with no proof. If we could check core facts only on third-party sites, the tool loses 2 points on momentum.

Scores are specific to each page. We weigh the job this page covers, so the same tool can score differently on another page. PVcase has two entries, Roof Mount and Ground Mount, as separate products for separate jobs. Third-party ratings are for context only. SurgePV is not part of this ranking. Read the full method.

1. Pylon: best for small commercial jobs priced per project

Best for: UK, Irish and Australian installers who do some commercial roofs as well as home work. Score: 82.0/100.

vs HelioScope: Pylon charges GBP 10 per commercial project with no monthly cap. HelioScope Basic costs USD 159 a month for up to 10 projects.

What it is: Pylon is a design and proposal tool made by Pylon in Sydney. You pay per project, with unlimited users and no monthly minimum. It sells in the UK, Australia and Ireland.

Why we picked it: It has published prices, no monthly fee and 25 Capterra reviews at 4.6/5. With Pro covering commercial sizes, a few C&I jobs a year cost little.

Key features:

• Solar and battery design on aerial imagery.
• Editable single-line diagrams, added in July 2026.
• Financial projections with custom load profiles (Pro).
• Web and PDF proposals with eSignature.
• API with webhooks.

Pricing: Standard is GBP 4 per project, up to 30 kW DC. Pro is GBP 10 per project. It adds custom load profiles and commercial sizes from 99 kW. Enterprise is quote only, with SSO and API support. The CRM add-on starts at GBP 49 per user per month. You get five free Standard credits. Checked October 2026 on the Pylon UK pricing page. The Irish page shows the same plans at EUR 4 and EUR 10 per project.

Pros (from user reviews): From Capterra and G2 reviews.

• You only pay when you design, so a few commercial jobs a year stay cheap.
• Most reviewers find it easy to start, with a clear manual, though one says the interface takes time to learn.
• Proposals are detailed enough to send to commercial clients.

Cons (from reviews and our research): The first two come from Capterra reviews.

• Aerial imagery quality varies by location.
• Modelling a client’s usage is awkward.
• We found no P90 values, trackers or PVsyst export in its docs.

Reviews: Capterra 4.6/5 from 25 reviews, with customer service at 4.9/5. G2 4.3/5 from 2 reviews. Both checked October 2026.

What we could not confirm: US-dollar or Australian-dollar prices, and which plan covers systems from 30 to 99 kW.

Read our full Pylon review or our Pylon alternatives.

getpylon.com

2. PV*SOL premium: best for European C&I with storage and load profiles

Best for: European planners who model self-use with batteries, heat pumps and EV loads on commercial roofs. Score: 76.4/100.

vs HelioScope: EUR 845 a year per named user against USD 1,620 for HelioScope Basic. It models self-use better but scores lower on G2 ease of use (8.2 vs 8.8).

What it is: PV*SOL premium is desktop software for 3D design and simulation. Valentin Software in Germany makes it. It has detailed shading and load models, and it is built for European home and C&I design.

Why we picked it: It scored highest of all 13 tools for fit with HelioScope’s job. Its prices are public, including a 3-month licence.

Key features:

• 3D design with detailed shading.
• Yield simulation on Meteonorm 9 data.
• AC- and DC-coupled batteries.
• A library of load profiles.
• Per-consumer tariffs, including heat pumps and EVs.

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. There is a 30-day trial. Checked October 2026 in the Valentin shop.

Pros (from our research):

• You can buy three months to cover a busy season instead of a full year.
• A new version comes out every year. The 2026 version came out on 24 November 2025.
• You can send clients a PDF or DOCX presentation and pass project data to your CRM as JSON.

Cons (from our research):

• It is desktop software, so you cannot work on designs in a browser.
• Each named user needs a paid seat, plus VAT.
• Only 12 G2 reviews, too few to judge it on.

Reviews: G2 4.2/5 from 12 reviews, with support at 7.5/10 (checked October 2026).

What we could not confirm: Mac support, how deep its stringing and SLD tools go, and whether lenders accept its reports.

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

valentin-software.com

3. PVcase Roof Mount: best for C&I rooftop engineering in AutoCAD

Best for: Teams that make build-ready rooftop drawings. Score: 75.4/100.

vs HelioScope: Deeper electrical and mechanical design. PVsyst export comes in its single plan, not just on Enterprise. But it is quote only and tied to AutoCAD.

What it is: PVcase Roof Mount is a rooftop tool from PVcase that runs in AutoCAD. It covers layout, mounting and ballast (weights that hold panels on a flat roof), stringing, cabling, SLD export, shading and energy simulation. It is aimed at C&I EPCs (firms that design and build solar plants) and engineering firms.

Why we picked it: It covers the full C&I rooftop chain in one plan, from layout and ballast to SLD and BOM.

Key features:

• Layout with setbacks and obstructions.
• DWG/DXF (CAD drawing file) and drone-image import.
• Mounting calculator, with PanelClaw ballast reports in Eurocode countries.
• Stringing, MPPT, cable trays, cable sizing and voltage drop.
• SLD, BOM (bill of materials) and PVsyst export.

Pricing: Quote only. There is a single Professional plan, priced on request. Checked October 2026 on the PVcase Roof Mount pricing page.

Pros (from reviews and our research): The first comes from G2 review themes.

• Reviewers say it saves time and fits into the AutoCAD work they already do.
• It turns DWG/DXF files and drone images into roof geometry, so you do not redraw the roof.
• One tool takes you from layout and ballast to SLD and BOM, ready for build drawings.

Cons (from our research):

• No published price, so you must talk to sales first.
• It runs inside AutoCAD, so your team needs AutoCAD skills.
• Ballast reports only cover Eurocode countries, not the US.

Reviews: G2 4.6/5 from 17 reviews, with ease of use at 9.1/10 and support at 9.8/10 from 16 (checked October 2026). These are the highest G2 ease-of-use and support scores on this page.

What we could not confirm: whether you need your own AutoCAD licence, and when each release came out.

See our PVcase alternatives.

pvcase.com/roof-mount

4. Aurora Solar: best for light-commercial roofs sold alongside residential

Best for: US installers whose commercial work is small roofs, sold by the same team that sells home systems. Score: 74.5/100.

vs HelioScope: The same company and the same USD 159 a month, charged per user (HelioScope Basic is one licence for one user). Aurora allows 50 projects a month and adds finance proposals, but we found no P90 values or trackers in its docs.

What it is: Aurora Solar is HelioScope’s sister product. It is a cloud tool for design, shading and proposals, made by Aurora Solar Inc. for US home and light-commercial installers. The company sends large C&I and utility jobs to HelioScope, so Aurora only replaces it on small commercial roofs.

Why we picked it: It lets one team sell home and small commercial roofs in the same tool, at public prices.

Key features:

• Cloud 3D design with LIDAR (laser height data) modelling on Premium.
• Shade analysis and production simulation.
• Battery modelling for backup, self-consumption and arbitrage.
• Proposals with finance options.
• Plan sets and API on Enterprise.

Pricing: Basic is USD 159 per user per month, or USD 135 billed annually. Premium is USD 259, or USD 220 annually. It adds LIDAR-assisted models, bankable (lender-accepted) shade reports and battery models. Enterprise is a custom price per project. Checked October 2026 on the Aurora pricing page. There is no free plan, and we could not confirm a trial.

Pros (from user reviews):

• Accurate shade reports, with LiDAR showing obstructions (Capterra).
• Accurate design and strong customer service (G2).
• Easy to learn from videos and a knowledge base (Capterra).

Cons (from user reviews):

• Proposal and finance tools are thin for the cost (Capterra).
• Few links to other software (G2).
• Heavy memory use on weaker machines (Capterra, 2019 reviews).

Reviews: G2 4.7/5 from 121 reviews, with ease of use and support both at 8.9/10. Capterra 4.1/5 from 7 reviews. Both checked October 2026.

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

aurorasolar.com

5. Arka 360: best for unlimited commercial projects on a flat fee

Best for: US and Indian installers who run many home and commercial designs a month. Score: 73.3/100.

vs HelioScope: The same USD 159 a month as Basic, but unlimited projects instead of 10 a month, plus PVsyst 3D export on Premium.

What it is: Arka 360, once called The Solar Labs, is a cloud tool for design and proposals. The firm is based in Bengaluru and Allen, Texas. Most of its customers are in India, and it sells in the US too.

Why we picked it: A flat monthly fee with unlimited projects removes HelioScope’s project caps. Its 137 G2 reviewers rate support 9.2/10.

Key features:

• 3D rooftop and ground-mount design with shading.
• Stringing for micro-inverters and optimisers.
• SLD export and PVsyst 3D export (Premium).
• Proposals and generation reports.

Pricing: The international-list Basic is USD 159/month or USD 1,699/year. Premium is USD 199/month or USD 1,999/year. It adds SLD export, optimiser design, manual stringing, SketchUp and PVsyst 3D export, and an API. Enterprise is USD 999/month. India starts from INR 46,000 a year plus 18% GST. Checked October 2026 on the Arka 360 pricing page. Demo only.

Pros (from user reviews): From G2 reviews.

• New designers find it very easy to use.
• Shadow analysis and estimates are good enough to quote from.
• Support staff are caring and helpful.

Cons (from user reviews): From G2 reviews.

• It lags on projects of 3 MWp and above.
• Some features and flexibility are missing.
• Teams with several users hit limits.

Reviews: G2 4.3/5 from 137 reviews, with ease of use at 8.5/10 and support at 9.2/10 (checked October 2026).

What we could not confirm: which INR prices are current, since the page showed two sets that do not match.

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

arka360.com

6. PVsyst: best for bankable P50/P90 yield reports

Best for: Teams whose yield report goes to a lender or IE (independent engineer). Score: 70.5/100.

vs HelioScope: The standard itself, at CHF 700 a year. HelioScope’s maker says its estimates are within 1% of PVsyst. But PVsyst is harder to learn (G2 ease 6.7 vs 8.8).

What it is: PVsyst is Windows desktop simulation software from PVsyst SA in Switzerland. It is the tool lenders treat as the standard, not a layout-to-proposal tool. Engineers, EPCs, consultants and lenders’ advisers all rely on it.

Why we picked it: It is the yield tool lenders’ advisers expect, at a published CHF 700 a year. It also models trackers, which HelioScope keeps for Enterprise.

Key features:

• 3D near-shading scene with electrical mismatch losses.
• Bifacial modules (panels that catch light on both sides) and trackers with backtracking.
• Loss diagram and P50/P90 yield reports.
• Meteo import from Meteonorm, PVGIS, NSRDB, Solargis and others.

Pricing: PVsyst 8 Professional costs CHF 700 per year per licence. Multi-seat discounts are 5% for 2-4 licences, 15% for 5-9 and 20% for 10+. Student and Classroom licences cost CHF 25 a year. A fresh install runs a 30-day trial with watermarked reports. Checked October 2026 in the PVsyst shop.

Pros (from user reviews): From G2 review themes.

• Detailed, accurate yield models that lenders’ advisers trust.
• A thorough loss analysis shows where energy goes.
• You can build 3D shading scenes from SketchUp.

Cons (from user reviews): From G2 review themes.

• The interface is dated and complex.
• New users face a steep learning curve.
• Setting up a 3D scene is slow.

Reviews: G2 4.5/5 from 22 reviews, with ease of use at 6.7/10 and support at 7.7/10 (checked October 2026). The latest patch, 8.1.5, is dated 10 August 2026.

Read our full PVsyst review or our PVsyst alternatives.

pvsyst.com

7. PVcase Ground Mount: best for utility-scale ground mount in AutoCAD

Best for: Teams laying out utility-scale fixed-tilt and tracker plants on real terrain. Score: 68.0/100.

vs HelioScope: Layouts that follow the terrain, plus grading and piling, for plants past 30 MW DC. But it is quote only, and yield comes from QuickYield or PVsyst export.

What it is: PVcase Ground Mount is a CAD tool from PVcase for utility-scale layout, civil and electrical design. It sells to developers, EPCs and engineering firms.

Why we picked it: It takes over once projects pass HelioScope’s 30 MW DC limit. It also has the largest G2 review base on this page.

Key features:

• Auto layout that follows the terrain, for fixed-tilt and trackers.
• Civil design with slope, grading heatmaps, cross-sections and piling.
• Stringing, cable sizing and SLDs.
• BESS (battery storage) layout.
• Export to PVcase Yield and PVsyst.

Pricing: Quote only, on a single Professional plan. Checked October 2026 on the PVcase Ground Mount pricing page.

Pros (from user reviews): From G2 reviews.

• Automation saves a lot of layout time.
• CAD users already know the AutoCAD setting, and shade scenes export to PVsyst.
• It handles terrain well, and support often replies within a day.

Cons (from user reviews): From G2 reviews.

• Electrical and SLD tools lag behind the layout tools.
• Small and mid-sized firms find it expensive.
• New users need training to get going.

Reviews: G2 4.7/5, checked October 2026. G2 search results show about 415 reviews and the company cites 479, so treat the count as approximate.

Read our full PVcase Ground Mount review or our PVcase alternatives.

pvcase.com/ground-mount

How do the 7 HelioScope alternatives compare?

This table compares scale, P-values, platform and price.

Also considered

• RatedPower, scored 65.8/100: Strong for utility-scale feasibility, BESS and hybrid plants, with 305 G2 reviews. It misses the top 7 because it is built for utility scale, not rooftop and carport work, and is quote only.
• Archelios Pro, scored 59.9/100: Free up to 9 kWp, with P75/P90 on Gold (EUR 1,490 a year). It has no user reviews, is France-centric and needs a second product for electrical design.
• PVComplete / PVCAD, scored 57.2/100: Builds permit plan sets and SLDs in AutoCAD, and PVCAD Mega covers trackers and piers. We could not reach the company, there is no company price and it has only 2 G2 reviews.
• Solarius PV, scored 52.3/100: An Italian BIM tool with cable sizing and SLDs. We could not confirm its core facts with the company, and it has no price or user reviews.
• Enact (Design & Proposals), scored 49.5/100: Owns PVComplete and adds proposals and fleet monitoring. We could not reach its site, and it has no confirmed price or user reviews.
• SAM (below the minimum score): free, open-source yield and project-finance models from the US national lab once called NREL. It is simulation only, with no layout or SLD. See our free solar design software ranking.

How do you choose a HelioScope alternative?

• Hitting HelioScope’s project caps on small commercial jobs? Pick Pylon (UK, Australia, Ireland) or Arka 360 (US, India).
• For build drawings on C&I roofs, pick PVcase Roof Mount. For permit plan sets in AutoCAD, look at PVCAD (also considered).
• If the report goes to a lender, keep or add PVsyst.
• When projects outgrow 30 MW DC, pick PVcase Ground Mount for detailed layout. For feasibility and BESS, RatedPower (also considered) fits.
• For European C&I with storage and heat pumps, pick PV*SOL premium. In France, Archelios Pro (also considered) is a low-cost option.
• If your commercial jobs are small roofs sold with home systems, consider Aurora Solar.

For broader shortlists, see our commercial solar design software and utility-scale design software rankings. You can also browse the design and simulation category.

Want more choices? Browse every tool we checked in our design and simulation category.

HelioScope alternatives FAQs

Sources

All read 22 to 24 October 2026.

• HelioScope: pricing, G2, G2 comparison
• Pylon: UK pricing, Capterra, G2
• PV*SOL premium: shop, 2026 release, G2
• PVcase Roof Mount: pricing, G2 comparison, release notes
• Aurora Solar: pricing, G2, Capterra
• Arka 360: pricing, G2
• PVsyst: shop, product page, G2 comparison, patch history
• PVcase Ground Mount: pricing, G2
• RatedPower: pricing, G2
• Archelios Pro: shop, G2
• PVComplete / PVCAD: G2 reviews, G2 pricing, Solar Power World (January 2026)
• Solarius PV: ACCA brochure
• Enact: G2
• SAM: README

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