Solar software in India is the set of design, proposal, CRM (customer tracking) and project tools that rooftop installers and EPCs (engineering, procurement and construction firms) use to win and run jobs. OpenSolar ranks first at 64.2/100. Arka 360 ranks second at 62.3/100.
This is a short list on purpose. We scored 14 tools, and only 3 solar tools reach our minimum match score (4 out of 10). We add Zoho CRM, the best-scoring general tool, and label it as general. Nothing else qualifies, so we rank 4, not 5.
What makes software buying different in India?
Three things shape an Indian EPC’s software budget.
First, most specialist tools are priced in USD, EUR or CHF. Annual costs move with the exchange rate. Ask how GST (goods and services tax) will be handled on a foreign supplier’s invoice.
Second, very few solar companies have an Indian base. Of the 13 solar tools we scored, only three do. They are Arka 360 (Bengaluru office), Solar Ladder (Mumbai) and Prescinto (India-founded, now part of IBM).
Third, the paperwork that slows a rooftop job runs through government portals. That includes DISCOM (state power distributor) net-metering applications and PM Surya Ghar (national rooftop subsidy) claims. You cannot buy those portals as software, and none of the ranked tools documents filing on them.
So we scored every product on breadth across the jobs an Indian installer runs. Global tools with no named India presence scored lower, because local support and billing matter here.
Single-job specialists such as PVsyst still matter. The next section gives the top pick for each job. It links to the India page that ranks it in full. For the global view, see our best solar software hub.
Which software is the top pick for each job in India?
Job | Top pick for Indian installers | Why | Full ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
Rooftop design | Indian company, INR plans, SLD export | ||
Proposals | Free web proposals with e-signature and payment collection | ||
CRM | Free lead tools. Zoho has INR per-user pricing and a 3-user free plan | ||
Bankable yield (C&I and utility) | The yield reference engineers and lenders’ advisers expect | ||
Utility-scale plant design | Cloud layout, MV/LV (medium and low voltage) electrical and substation design | ||
Projects and procurement | Only India-built tool here with project tracking and a component marketplace | ||
Portfolio monitoring | Prescinto (not ranked here) | India-founded asset performance platform, now sold through IBM |
Which tool is best for design and simulation?
Our India design ranking puts Aurora Solar first on review volume and published prices. But it sells in USD with no named India presence. For most rooftop EPCs, Arka 360 is the practical pick.
PVsyst costs CHF 700 per seat per year (checked October 2026). It is still the yield file (the report of how much power a plant will make) for C&I (commercial and industrial) and utility projects. PV*SOL premium (EUR 845 per year) suits desktop rooftop and storage modelling.
Inverter makers also give installers design tools: Huawei SmartDesign 2.0, Sungrow iSolarDesign, SMA Sunny Design and SolarEdge Designer. All four design around their own brand’s kit. Only SMA states on its own page that the core tool is free. Every design tool we cover sits in our design and simulation category.
Which tool is best for proposals and sales?
OpenSolar ranks first in our India proposal ranking. The core platform is free and handles e-signature and payment collection. Arka 360 is the pick there for INR billing and a Bengaluru office.
Neither documents GST-compliant tax invoices in our research. If your proposal doubles as a quotation, check that in a demo.
Which tool is best for CRM and lead management?
In our India CRM ranking, OpenSolar leads the solar-specific tools. Fuzen’s Solar CRM Pro template is the only option we found. It documents GST quotations and a PM Surya Ghar subsidy tracker.
Some installers use a general CRM such as Zoho CRM instead and set up solar stages themselves. It ranks third below, labelled as a general tool.
Which tool is best for projects, operations and monitoring?
Solar Ladder is the only ranked tool built around Indian EPC operations. It covers project tasks, site surveys, BOM-based cost tracking, O&M (operation and maintenance) alerts and component buying. For a global view of project tools, see solar project management software.
For fleet and plant monitoring, inverter brands supply their own portals. Utility portfolio owners can look at Prescinto, an Indian asset performance platform that IBM agreed to buy in October 2024. See solar monitoring software for the wider field.
Quick picks: best solar software in India
Rank | Product | Best for | Starting price (company page, checked October 2026) | Pricing model | Free plan / trial | India presence | Score /100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Zero-budget design, proposals and lead capture | ✓ Free (API and accounting connectors paid, rates not published) | Free core. Paid add-ons | Free plan | India named among company’s markets | 64.2 | |
2 | Indian EPCs wanting a local company and INR billing | ✓ INR 7,500 or 8,500 per month plus 18% GST (page shows two price sets) | Subscription, monthly or yearly | Demo only | Indian company (Bengaluru) | 62.3 | |
3 | A free or low-cost INR sales pipeline you set up yourself | ✓ Free for up to 3 users. Standard INR 800 per user per month, billed annually | Per user, monthly or annual | Free plan | Global company with India plans | 48.2 | |
4 | EPCs wanting CRM, projects and procurement in one India-built tool | Quote only | Not published | Unknown (2023 press: free sales module) | Indian company (Mumbai) | 47.2 |
✓ 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 4 tools score?
- Use-case fit 35%
- User reviews 20%
- Pricing 15%
- Ease of use 10%
- Support 10%
- Momentum 10%
Tool | Score chart | Score |
|---|---|---|
64.2 out of 100 | 64.2 | |
62.3 out of 100 | 62.3 | |
48.2 out of 100 | 48.2 | |
47.2 out of 100 | 47.2 |
Each bar shows the weighted score out of 100. Tools marked (general) are general tools that are not solar-specific.
Sub-scores at a glance (0-10)
Product | Use-case fit | User reviews | Pricing | Ease of use | Support | Momentum | Total /100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5.2 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 7.5 | 5.0 | 10.0 | 64.2 | |
5.2 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 7.5 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 62.3 | |
2.2 | 6.2 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 48.2 | |
5.2 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 47.2 |
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 rank these tools?
How the score is weighted
- Use-case fit 35%
- User reviews 20%
- Pricing 15%
- Ease of use 10%
- Support 10%
- Momentum 10%
We scored 14 products from 22 to 25 October 2026. We used company docs, pricing pages and public user reviews. This was desk research. We did not run projects in any tool. We score each product on six criteria:
- Use-case fit (35%): How well it does this page’s job. Here that means breadth across design, proposals, CRM and operations. Single-job specialists score low. Global tools with no named India presence in our research score lower.
- User reviews (20%): G2 and Capterra ratings. A rating based on only a few reviews counts for less. With fewer than 8 reviews, a product gets a middle score of 5 out of 10.
- Pricing (15%): Free and published pricing score higher than quote-only.
- Ease of use, support and momentum (10% each): Review sub-scores and dated release notes. Each gets a middle score without evidence. Tools whose core facts we could not confirm with the company lose 2 points on momentum.
14 scored: 4 ranked (3 solar-specific and 1 general tool), 10 also considered. To rank, a solar tool needs our minimum match score (4 out of 10). Only 3 qualify. Our rule for short lists adds scored general tools in score order, so Zoho CRM ranks third. No other tool qualifies, so the list has 4 entries, not 5.
Scores are specific to each page. We weigh the job this page covers, so the same tool can score differently elsewhere.
SurgePV is not part of this ranking. Full method: how we score software.
1. OpenSolar: best for zero-budget design, proposals and lead capture
Best for: Small and mid-sized rooftop installers who want design to signed proposal without a subscription. Score: 64.2/100.
What it is: A free design, proposal and sales platform from OpenSolar Inc., funded by hardware, finance and imagery partners. Its news page lists India partnerships in October 2026. The company cites 160+ countries for its OS 3.0 release.
Why we picked it: It scored highest on breadth. Design, proposals and lead capture sit in one tool, and the core costs nothing.
Key features:
- 3D and 2D rooftop design with shading, plus AI design in OS 3.0.
- Interactive web proposals with e-signature and payment collection.
- AI lead generation and lead capture (June 2026).
- Hardware shop with distributors.
- Built-in finance options.
Pricing: The core platform is free, and the company says it "will always be free". From 16 April 2026, two add-ons cost extra at rates the company does not publish. One is API access (a link for other software), billed by usage with a 30-day free trial. The other is the Xero or QuickBooks connectors, a monthly fee per company. Premium imagery is an optional partner add-on. Checked October 2026 on OpenSolar’s pricing announcement.
Pros (from reviews and our research):
- Adding, removing and changing panels is very easy, say G2 reviewers.
- The interactive app gives your team information in the field.
- You pay no per-seat or per-project fee for core design and proposals.
Cons (from reviews and our research):
- Panel design lacks automatic customisation, so an engineer still needs to review it.
- Reviewers say it is "not completely free": API access and accounting connectors cost extra at rates the company does not publish.
- The interface feels dated, though it works.
Reviews: G2 4.8/5 (3 reviews), checked October 2026. That is too few to rely on, and we found no Capterra listing.
Read our full OpenSolar review or our OpenSolar alternatives.
Want to see OpenSolar working? Book a demo with the SolarSoftwares team.
Book a demoYour request goes by email to the SolarSoftwares team. A time is set only after we reply. It does not change any score or ranking.
2. Arka 360: best for Indian EPCs wanting a local company and INR billing
Best for: Home and C&I rooftop EPCs who want design, proposals and light CRM from a Bengaluru-based company. Score: 62.3/100.
What it is: A cloud design and proposal platform with a lead management add-on, formerly called The Solar Labs. The company has offices in Bengaluru and Allen, Texas, and prices its India plans in INR. Most customers are home and commercial installers in India.
Why we picked it: It is the strongest tool here from a company with an Indian office and INR plans. It also has the most reviews of the ranked solar tools, with 137 on G2.
Key features:
- 3D rooftop and ground-mount design with shading analysis.
- Stringing (how panels wire to inverters), including micro-inverter and optimiser design.
- SLD export and 3D export to SketchUp and PVsyst.
- Sales proposals and generation reports.
- Lead management CRM add-on.
Pricing: India plans are Lite, Basic and Premium, plus 18% GST and an INR 10,000 onboarding fee. In October 2026 the page showed two price sets:
- Lite: INR 7,500 a month or INR 46,000 a year in one set, and INR 8,500 or INR 56,000 in the other.
- Basic: INR 11,500 a month or INR 70,000 a year in one set, and INR 12,500 or INR 80,000 in the other.
- Premium: INR 16,500 a month or INR 1,00,000 a year in one set, and INR 17,500 or INR 1,10,000 in the other.
Confirm which applies before you sign. Checked October 2026 on the Arka 360 India pricing page.
Pros (from user reviews): From G2 reviewers.
- Easy and smooth to use, with many useful tools (14 mentions).
- Shadow analysis and project estimates help you price jobs.
- 3D views help close deals, and users call the support staff caring.
Cons (from user reviews):
- It can lag or hang on projects of 3 MWp (megawatts peak) and above.
- New users face a steep start, and multi-user setups have limits.
- Some features are missing, and parts of the structure confuse users.
Reviews: G2 4.3/5 (137 reviews), checked October 2026. G2 sub-scores are 9.2/10 for support and 8.5/10 for ease of use. We found no Capterra listing.
Read our full Arka 360 review or our Arka 360 alternatives.
Want to see Arka 360 working? Book a demo with the SolarSoftwares team.
Book a demoYour request goes by email to the SolarSoftwares team. A time is set only after we reply. It does not change any score or ranking.
3. Zoho CRM (general CRM, not solar-specific): best for a free or low-cost INR sales pipeline
Best for: Indian installers who want a cheap, flexible pipeline and have someone to set up solar stages. Score: 48.2/100.
What it is: A general CRM from Zoho Corporation, with a strong presence in India and INR pricing. Nothing solar comes out of the box, so installers adapt it with custom stages or partner-built add-ons. Aurora publishes an API tutorial for pushing projects into it.
Why we picked it: It is the best-scoring general tool, with a free plan for 3 users and INR prices. Its ratings rest on thousands of reviews.
Key features:
- Leads, contacts, deals and pipelines.
- Workflow automation and blueprints (set process steps).
- Custom dashboards and modules.
- Links to other Zoho apps such as Books, Desk, Sign and Analytics.
- Aurora Solar API tutorial for creating projects.
Pricing: Free for up to 3 users. Billed annually, Standard is INR 800, Professional INR 1,400, Enterprise INR 2,400 and Ultimate INR 2,600 per user per month. Billed monthly, they are INR 1,300, 2,100, 3,000 and 3,200. A free trial is offered, but its length is not stated. Checked October 2026 on Zoho’s edition comparison.
Pros (from user reviews): From Capterra reviewers.
- Easy to use, with a simple layout.
- You can shape dashboards, workflows and automation to your solar stages.
- Good value for money next to rivals.
Cons (from user reviews):
- A big learning curve, and setup may need outside help.
- Screens can feel cluttered.
- Support can be slow.
Reviews: G2 4.1/5 (2,947 reviews) and Capterra 4.3/5 (7,005 reviews), checked October 2026.
Want to see Zoho CRM (general CRM, not solar-specific) working? Book a demo with the SolarSoftwares team.
Book a demoYour request goes by email to the SolarSoftwares team. A time is set only after we reply. It does not change any score or ranking.
4. Solar Ladder: best for EPCs wanting CRM, projects and procurement in one India-built tool
Best for: Small and mid-sized Indian rooftop EPCs who want sales, project tracking and component buying in one place. Score: 47.2/100.
What it is: An operations platform for Indian rooftop EPCs, made by Abhimanhan Energy Pvt Ltd in Mumbai. It covers sales, projects and component buying. Note: we could not open Solar Ladder’s website in October 2026. Its features and pricing model are unconfirmed and come from its G2 and App Store listings and 2023 trade press.
Why we picked it: It is the only ranked tool built in India around EPC operations. It covers projects and component buying as well as sales. Its score already carries our 2-point deduction for unconfirmed facts.
Key features:
- Solar CRM and sales pipeline with branded proposals.
- Basic 3D design with shading and remote site assessment.
- Project management, tasks, site surveys and forms.
- BOM (bill of materials) cost tracking and O&M alerts.
- Component procurement marketplace and working-capital loans.
Pricing: Quote only, so request pricing on Solar Ladder’s website. G2 lists no company pricing. A 2023 Inc42 report said the sales module was free with paid premium modules. We could not confirm this is still the model. Checked October 2026 on the G2 pricing listing.
Pros (from our research):
- A Mumbai company built it for Indian rooftop EPCs, so you deal with a local company.
- Its listings cover buying kit and working-capital loans, not just sales.
- Field crews get an iOS app, updated to version 3.1.
Cons (from our research):
- Pricing is quote only, so you cannot compare costs before a demo.
- With no user reviews, you have no outside view of how well it works.
- It is built for India, so it does not suit firms working in other markets.
Reviews: No user reviews on G2 or the App Store as of October 2026.
What we could not confirm: its feature depth, whether the 2023 free sales module still exists, and any dated changelog.
Read our full Solar Ladder review.
Want to see Solar Ladder working? Book a demo with the SolarSoftwares team.
Book a demoYour request goes by email to the SolarSoftwares team. A time is set only after we reply. It does not change any score or ranking.
SurgePV (unscored): for readers comparing the design-to-proposal part of an installer workflow. It is not a built-in CRM or fleet-monitoring platform. Check local outputs. The numbered scores above do not include it.
Sources checked 27 October 2026: SurgePV product information · SolarSoftwares SurgePV review
Book a demo of SurgePV with the SolarSoftwares team.
Book a demoYour request goes by email to the SolarSoftwares team. A time is set only after we reply. It does not change any score or ranking.
How do the 4 ranked tools compare?
Product | Design | Proposals | CRM | Projects and procurement | Currency | Indian company |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3D/2D rooftop, AI design | Web, e-signature, payments | Lead capture | Hardware shop | Free core | No (India named as market) | |
3D rooftop and ground, stringing, SLD export | Yes | Add-on | Not documented | INR (India), USD (US) | Yes, Bengaluru | |
No | No | Yes, configurable | Not built in | INR | Global company with India plans | |
Basic 3D with shading | Branded proposals | Yes | Projects, BOM costs, marketplace | Not published | Yes, Mumbai |
Also considered
These tools are useful for one job. They fell below the minimum score on a page that scores breadth across jobs. Most have no named India presence in our research.
- PV*SOL premium (52.5/100): Desktop design and simulation with storage and heat pumps. It is design only, from a German company with EUR pricing.
- PVsyst (50.8): The yield reference, but a simulation tool only. See our simulation ranking.
- RatedPower (50.2): Utility-scale only, with quote-only pricing.
- PVcase Ground Mount (48.1): Utility layout in AutoCAD, quote only.
- HelioScope (46.2): C&I design up to 30 MW DC, priced in USD. Reviewers in India note US-default units.
- Huawei SmartDesign 2.0 (39.7): Used through a Huawei FusionSolar installer account, for Huawei kit only. Huawei publishes no price, and we found no user reviews.
- SolarEdge Designer (39.2): Free at launch per SolarEdge’s 2018 press release, for SolarEdge kit only. We found only 2018-2020 coverage, not a current company page.
- Sungrow iSolarDesign (38.1): Reported free by pv Europe and built around Sungrow devices. Free status is not confirmed on a Sungrow page.
- SMA Sunny Design (37.6): Free core tool around SMA inverters, with PRO at EUR 600 per year.
- Prescinto (31.6): India-founded utility portfolio monitoring, now part of IBM Maximo. It is not an installer tool, and we could only document it from trade press.
How do you choose solar software in India?
- Zero software budget? Start with OpenSolar for design and proposals. Add Zoho CRM’s free plan if you need a separate pipeline for up to three users.
- For an Indian company with INR plans and a Bengaluru office, pick Arka 360. Ask which INR price set applies.
- If procurement, project tracking and installer finance are your bottleneck, book a Solar Ladder demo. Ask for written pricing and references first.
- Installing mostly one inverter brand? Use that brand’s free tool for stringing, and pair it with OpenSolar or Arka 360 for proposals.
- Will lenders or C&I clients read your yield numbers? Budget for a PVsyst seat at CHF 700 a year on top of your sales tool.
- If you build utility plants, skip this page and use our utility-scale design ranking.
- Working in other markets too? Compare our UK, Australia and South Africa guides.
Solar software in India FAQs
What is the best solar software in India?
OpenSolar (64.2/100) is the best all-round pick on our October 2026 scores, because its design, proposal and lead tools are free. Arka 360 (62.3/100) suits EPCs that want an Indian company with a Bengaluru office and INR plans. For yield reports that lenders trust, add PVsyst.
Is there free solar software for Indian installers?
Yes. OpenSolar’s core platform is free, but API access and accounting connectors have cost extra since 16 April 2026. Zoho CRM is free for up to three users. Inverter-brand tools are free or reported free, but fit only their own brand. See our free solar software guide.
Do Indian lenders still require PVsyst reports?
We found no India-specific lender policy in our October 2026 research, so ask your lender directly. PVsyst is still the yield file for C&I and utility projects. A Professional seat costs CHF 700 a year, and PVsyst publishes no INR price.
How much does solar software cost in India per year?
It ranges from nothing to six figures in INR. OpenSolar’s core is free. Arka 360’s India Lite plan was listed at INR 46,000 or INR 56,000 a year plus 18% GST in October 2026, from two conflicting price sets. Zoho CRM Standard is INR 800 per user per month.
Which solar software handles DISCOM net metering rules?
None of the 14 tools we scored for this page documents DISCOM net-metering applications, as of October 2026. Those are filed on DISCOM and national portals. For subsidy tracking, our India CRM ranking found one template, Fuzen’s Solar CRM Pro, with a PM Surya Ghar subsidy and loan tracker.
Should an Indian EPC buy one platform or a stack?
Most rooftop EPCs need a stack. No single tool we scored covers design, GST quotations, subsidy tracking and project management well. A common low-cost pairing is OpenSolar or Arka 360 for design and proposals, plus a CRM. Add PVsyst only for C&I or lender-facing yield reports.
Sources
All checked 22 to 25 October 2026.
- OpenSolar: pricing announcement, features, news, G2
- Arka 360: India pricing, G2, G2 comparison sub-scores
- Zoho CRM: edition comparison, Capterra, G2
- Solar Ladder: G2 pricing, G2 listing, App Store
- PVsyst: shop. PV*SOL premium: shop. RatedPower: pricing. PVcase Ground Mount: pricing. HelioScope: pricing
- Huawei SmartDesign 2.0: product page. SolarEdge Designer: press release. iSolarDesign: pv Europe. Sunny Design: product page
- Prescinto: ESG Today
Last updated 28 October 2026. Next scheduled review: 23 January 2027.