Top 10 Best Commercial Solar Design Software of 2026

Aurora Solar is a leading cloud-based platform specializing in solar PV system design, engineering, and sales optimization for both residential and commercial projects. It leverages advanced 3D modeling, LIDAR integration, and a proprietary modeling engine validated against over 1,000 real-world systems to deliver precise energy production forecasts (P50/P90) and financial analysis. For commercial solar design, it excels in handling complex rooftops, shading analysis, structural load calculations, and seamless proposal generation with stakeholder collaboration tools.

Helioscope is a cloud-based solar design and engineering platform optimized for commercial and utility-scale PV projects, enabling rapid automated layout generation and optimization. It provides advanced shading analysis, hourly production modeling, and integrated financial pro formas to streamline design-to-build workflows. The software supports detailed site surveys, terrain modeling, and collaboration tools for engineering teams.

OpenSolar is a cloud-based platform designed for solar sales and design, offering automated 3D modeling, financial proposals, and customer presentations for both residential and commercial projects. It streamlines the process from site analysis using satellite imagery to generating bankable proposals with shading, production forecasts, and rebate calculations. Ideal for sales teams, it excels in speed and integration with CRM tools, though it's better suited for mid-sized commercial roofs rather than utility-scale.

PVsyst is an industry-standard software for the detailed simulation, sizing, and performance analysis of photovoltaic (PV) systems, particularly suited for commercial and utility-scale projects. It provides precise energy yield predictions by integrating high-resolution meteorological data, extensive databases of PV modules and inverters, and advanced modeling of shading and system losses. Users can simulate grid-connected, off-grid, and water-pumping systems with detailed reports for feasibility studies and bankability.

Pylon (pylon.solar) is a cloud-based solar design platform that streamlines the creation of professional 3D proposals for solar installations, supporting both residential and commercial projects. It features drag-and-drop modeling, accurate shading analysis, and interactive client presentations to accelerate sales cycles. While strong in visualization and speed, it caters more to mid-sized commercial roofs rather than massive utility-scale designs.

PV*SOL from Valentin Software is a professional PV design and simulation tool tailored for detailed planning of grid-connected and off-grid photovoltaic systems, with strong capabilities for commercial-scale projects. It features advanced 3D modeling of rooftops and surroundings, precise shading analysis via ray-tracing and fish-eye photo integration, and comprehensive yield simulations based on real weather data. The software supports economic evaluations, string optimization, and automated reporting, making it suitable for engineers seeking high-accuracy designs.

EasySolar is a cloud-based PV design software that specializes in rapid 3D modeling of solar installations using satellite imagery, CAD files, or LiDAR data for both residential and commercial rooftops. It automates module placement, string optimization, shading analysis, and energy yield simulations, while generating customizable sales proposals with financial breakdowns. Ideal for sales teams and installers, it streamlines the design-to-proposal workflow but focuses more on visualization than in-depth engineering.

EnergyToolbase is a cloud-based platform tailored for commercial and industrial (C&I) solar project development, offering tools for site assessment, PV system sizing, performance modeling, and financial analysis. It excels in generating professional proposals with embedded economics, incentives, and cash flow projections to streamline sales cycles. The software supports end-to-end workflows from lead management to contract signing, with integrations for CRM and monitoring systems.

SAM (System Advisor Model) from NREL is a free, performance and financial modeling tool for renewable energy systems, including commercial-scale solar PV, CSP, wind, and more. It enables users to input detailed system parameters like module specifications, array configurations, weather data, and financing details to simulate annual energy production, levelized cost of energy (LCOE), and cash flow projections. Primarily used for feasibility studies and optimization rather than layout design, it's a staple for techno-economic analysis in the solar industry.

SolarEdge Designer is a free, web-based solar design tool optimized for creating detailed PV system layouts for residential, commercial, and utility-scale projects using SolarEdge hardware. It offers 3D modeling, automated stringing and shading analysis, energy production forecasting, and professional proposal generation including single-line diagrams. The platform integrates directly with SolarEdge's monitoring system for seamless post-installation performance tracking.