If you design Indian rooftop projects and file with a DISCOM (the power distribution company that serves your area), here is what the vendors publish. SolarERP 3D states DISCOM coverage, flat RCC (reinforced concrete) roof handling and a PM Surya Ghar subsidy line on its own site. iSolar publishes a rupee price of Rs 25,000 per tenant per year. Reslink documents a single line diagram (SLD, a simple drawing of how the system is wired), layout drawings and a bill of materials (BOM, a parts list) from a phone-based design. OpenSolar’s core app is free, with flat RCC roof handling and an India single line diagram template. API Access (a way for other software to connect) and connectors are charged from 16 April 2026. Pick by the situation below, because the pages we read leave different gaps for each tool.
This is a desk comparison of what each vendor publishes, checked October 2026. We have not run side-by-side tests. Local rules below come from Indian government documents. Tool facts come from each vendor’s own site. For the wider rules, see our India solar compliance guide. This page covers design tools for rooftop and small commercial work. Yield-report tools such as PVsyst are on our India software list.
Criteria used: DISCOM coverage, SLD and bill of materials from the design, flat RCC roof design, PM Surya Ghar subsidy line, rupee price.
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Best-For Picks for India
- DISCOM checks and the subsidy line on the proposal: SolarERP 3D. Its site says it covers 73 DISCOMs in 36 states and union territories. It designs flat RCC roofs with parapets (low walls at the roof edge), tanks and stair cabins, and works out the PM Surya Ghar subsidy on residential designs. Its own price for 3D is not published, because it is an add-on to SolarERP.
- A published rupee price for the whole workflow: iSolar. Its pricing page lists Rs 25,000 per tenant per year after a free 7-day trial. Its home page lists SLD and bill-of-materials generation.
- SLD, layout drawings and bill of materials from a phone: Reslink. Its site lists all three from one 3D design, with pricing banded by project size.
- Flat RCC roofs and an India SLD template on a small software budget: OpenSolar. Its India page documents elevated structures on RCC roofs. Its help centre documents an India single line diagram template. The core app is free of charge. API Access and connectors are charged from 16 April 2026.
- Roof model to bill of materials and proposal in one product, priced per user: SurgePV. It documents roof modeling, shading, yield, financial modeling, bill of materials and proposals. Ask for the India outputs in a demo. Its pricing page and published scope do not state a DISCOM drawing format or a subsidy calculation.
Comparison Table
Listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking; pick by the situation above. Prices checked October 2026 on each vendor’s own page.
| Tool | Best for | Price | Free or paid | Decisive scope fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arka360 | Published rupee plan list | ₹46,000 / ₹70,000 / ₹1,00,000 per year plus 18% GST (goods and services tax) | Paid | SLD export is listed for Premium and Enterprise only |
| iSolar | Low published rupee price, design plus CRM | ₹25,000 per tenant per year after a 7-day free trial | Paid, free trial | Lists SLD and BOM generation; DISCOM-aware workflow, no DISCOM list |
| OpenSolar | Flat RCC roofs, small budget | Core app free; API Access and connectors charged from 16 April 2026 | Free core app, paid API and connectors | India SLD template (DCDB, ACDB, two meters); batteries not drawn on it |
| Reslink | SLD, BOM and proposal from a phone | From $2,000 per year (plan cards); page description says from ₹4,000 per month | Paid | Plans are banded by project size, up to 100 MW |
| SolarERP 3D | DISCOM-aware design with subsidy line | Not published (add-on to SolarERP plans from ₹3,500 per month + GST) | Paid add-on; start free | States 73 DISCOMs in 36 states and union territories |
| SurgePV | Roof model to BOM and proposal, priced per user | $1,899 per user per year (1 user); India visitors see rupee amounts; this page quotes USD | Paid, guided demo | BOM and proposal generation in scope; no DISCOM drawing format stated |
India Design Criteria Matrix
Each cell is Documented, Partial or Not stated, based on the vendor pages listed under Sources and Dates, read in October 2026. Documented means the vendor’s page says it. Partial means the page says part of it, explained in the cell. Not stated means we did not find it on those pages, which is not proof the feature is absent. There are no scores or weights.
| Tool | DISCOM coverage | SLD and BOM from the design | Flat RCC roof design | PM Surya Ghar subsidy line | Rupee price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arka360 | Not stated (India listed among 27 countries) | Documented (SLD export on Premium and Enterprise; BOM automatically generated) | Documented (help article on designing an RCC site; elevated structures) | Not stated | Documented |
| iSolar | Partial (state and DISCOM-aware workflows, no list) | Documented | Not stated | Not stated | Documented |
| OpenSolar | Not stated | Documented (India SLD template; Auto BOM) | Documented | Partial (help article: incentive set up by hand, not automatic) | Partial (core app free; API Access and connectors charged from 16 April 2026; no rupee price) |
| Reslink | Partial (a blog post mentions a DISCOM tariff library for major state utilities; no DISCOM list on product or pricing pages) | Documented | Partial (all roof types, elevated and tin-shed design stated; RCC not named) | Partial (blog posts say the subsidy is auto-calculated; not on product or pricing pages) | Partial (USD cards; ₹ in page description) |
| SolarERP 3D | Documented (73 DISCOMs) | Documented | Documented | Documented | Partial (3D price not stated; ERP plans in ₹) |
| SurgePV | Not stated | Partial (BOM in scope; SLD not stated) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated (USD listed) |
Two things stand out. A DISCOM count is stated only on the SolarERP 3D pages. A subsidy line is stated on SolarERP 3D’s product pages and, in Reslink’s case, only in blog posts. OpenSolar has a help article on setting the incentive up by hand. We did not find a subsidy line on the product or pricing pages of the other vendors we read. SolarERP 3D has no published price for the design module. And the tools differ most on DISCOM coverage and flat-roof design. That is where an Indian EPC (engineering, procurement and construction firm) should ask questions first.
Tool Entries
Arka360
Best for: installers who want to see a rupee price list before calling a vendor, and prefer one with an office in Bengaluru.
Not the right choice if: you need SLD export on a lower plan (the pricing page lists it under Premium and Enterprise only). It is also not right if you need documented DISCOM coverage (not stated on the pages we read).
What the vendor documents: a shading report, 3D visualisation, a CAD export of the PV layout, a sales proposal and a generation report. The longer feature list also names an electric single line diagram and a Banking Simulation feature. It names a utility rate finder and a payback and ROI report (ROI means return on investment). It also names financing options for cash, loan, lease and PPA (power purchase agreement). Its installers page says the bill of materials is generated automatically. Its help centre has articles on designing an RCC site and on elevated mounting structures. India is one of the 27 countries on its home page.
Price (checked October 2026): the pricing page lists three rupee plans, each plus 18% GST. Lite is ₹46,000 a year (₹7,500 a month), Basic is ₹70,000 (₹11,500) and Premium is ₹1,00,000 (₹16,500). It also shows US dollar plans: Basic $199 per month for 1 user, Premium $358 per month for 2 users and Enterprise talk to sales. It does not say which set applies to you.
Limitations: a webinar banner dated 9 January 2025 is still on the pricing page, so ask whether the rates are current. Lite stops at 360 residential projects. Arka360’s separate India pricing page shows the same plan names at ₹56,000, ₹80,000 and ₹1,10,000 a year plus 18% GST. It also has a plan comparison with Lite capped at 25 kW per design. Confirm which set applies. No PM Surya Ghar calculation appears on the pages we read.
Vendor link: arka360.com.
iSolar
Best for: Indian EPCs that want design, proposal, SLD, bill of materials and CRM under one published annual price.
Not the right choice if: you need a named DISCOM list, flat RCC roof design or a PM Surya Ghar subsidy line stated before you sign up. The pages we read do not state them. The home page says only that it supports state and DISCOM-aware workflows.
What the vendor documents: on its home page, a design studio with auto roof detection, shading analysis, layout and simulation. It also lists a rule-based engine with validations for solar, electricals and DISCOM requirements. It lists branded proposals with ROI, payback, SLD, BOM and roof layout, and a CRM (software for customer and sales records). Its FAQ says SLD and BOM outputs are generated from the saved design and equipment selections.
Price (checked October 2026): the pricing page lists a free trial for 7 days and then “₹25,000 / year”. That is for tenant-wide annual access to design and simulation, proposals, BOM and SLD, CRM and reporting. It says annual payments are non-refundable once processed. The page does not say whether tax is extra.
Limitations: the home page carries customer counts and survey figures from the vendor’s own analytics, dated May 2025, and we have not used them. The footer and the latest-updates note on that page are dated 2025, so confirm the product is current.
Vendor link: isolar.co.in.
OpenSolar
Best for: small installers who design on flat RCC roofs and want an India diagram template without paying for the software.
Not the right choice if: your project has a battery or more than two inverters or eight strings. The help article says batteries are not drawn on the India sheet. It says larger systems need the remainder added by hand. It is also not the right choice if you need a DISCOM list stated in the tool (not stated on the pages we read) or an automatic subsidy calculation. The vendor’s help article describes setting the PM Surya Ghar incentive up by hand.
What the vendor documents: on its India page, elevated structures for flat RCC rooftops with legs, rafters and purlins. The page also lists rooftop elements such as water tanks, AC units, ladders and handrails. It lists one-click proposal sharing over WhatsApp, an interactive 3D view in the online proposal, and an India team. A help article describes an India single line diagram template. The template names the DCDB and ACDB (DC and AC distribution boxes), shows a generation meter and a net meter, and adds IS and CEA references. The article says DISCOM requirements vary by state and the drawing should be checked against your utility. Its Auto BOM page describes a hardware list built from the design.
Price (checked October 2026): the core app is free of charge for solar professionals, per the vendor (free page). From 16 April 2026 the vendor charges for API Access (a per-project fee) and supported connectors (a monthly fee per organization). The per-project API fee is on OpenSolar’s API page. The 16 February 2026 post says accounting connectors are billed as a monthly fee per organization. Optional paid Enterprise Services: Support US$500 per month, Customize US$1,350 per month, Enterprise custom. Premium imagery is pay per image (price shown in the app).
Limitations: the pages we read state no DISCOM list. The PM Surya Ghar incentive is set up by hand, not calculated automatically (Rs 30,000 for the first 2 kW, Rs 18,000 for the second kW, cap Rs 78,000). The India SLD help article says the equipment layout, earthing layout and key plan are not produced yet.
Vendor link: opensolar.com.
Reslink
Best for: Indian EPCs whose sales staff design on a phone and want drawings, a bill of materials and a proposal to come from that one design.
Not the right choice if: you need a stated DISCOM list (none appears on the pages we read). It is also not right if you want the PM Surya Ghar calculation described on a product or pricing page (it appears only in Reslink blog posts). Or you need RCC roofs named in the design options.
What the vendor documents: 3D design from satellite imagery, shadow simulation, auto stringing and ground-mount and tin-shed design. It lists structural and electrical bills of material, and SLD and layout drawings. It also lists OPEX (running cost), CAPEX (up-front cost) and time-based tariff proposals. Its home page describes SLDs and PV layouts as “bank-ready”. The company page gives a Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh address. Its scorecard blog post says Reslink offers PM Surya Ghar auto-calculation from the sanctioned system size, an ALMM check at equipment selection and a DISCOM tariff library spanning the major state utilities. Its blog post on Indian design software says its SLDs and layout drawings meet DISCOM and bank submission standards. These are the vendor’s own blog claims; we have not checked them and they are not on its product pages.
Price (checked October 2026): on the pricing page the yearly cards are in US dollars and exclude taxes. Starter, for projects up to 100 kW, is $2,000. Scaler (up to 500 kW) is $3,000, Builder (up to 5 MW) is $5,000 and Developer (up to 100 MW) is $10,000. The page description separately says “Starting at ₹4,000/month” and nothing links the two. Get a rupee quote in writing.
Limitations: each plan caps project size. Its product and pricing pages say nothing about a DISCOM drawing format; the blog claim above is unchecked.
Vendor link: reslink.org.
SolarERP 3D
Best for: Indian installers who want DISCOM selection, a subsidy line and a customer-facing 3D proposal link from the same design. It also suits installers who may already use or plan to use SolarERP’s CRM.
Not the right choice if: you need a published price for the design module. SolarERP says 3D is an add-on per company, and the pages we read give no figure. It is also not right if you need a long record of use. The solarerp.in page marks 3D as new. So there is little public track record.
What the vendor documents: on its 3D site, a ten-step flow from roof tracing on aerial imagery to a shareable proposal. It lists string voltages checked for the coldest morning, an SLD drawn from the design, and a bill of materials. It lists sun-path shading, and flat RCC roofs with parapets, tanks and stair cabins. It lists NASA POWER climate data for the site, and a list of 73 DISCOMs across 36 states and union territories. It says residential designs get the PM Surya Ghar subsidy worked out. The amounts are Rs 30,000 per kW up to 2 kW and Rs 18,000 for the third kW, capped at Rs 78,000. It says you can override it.
Price (checked October 2026): the SolarERP site prices its ERP and CRM plans per company per month, from Rs 3,500 plus GST on its Leads plan to Rs 2,00,000 plus GST on Enterprise. It says SolarERP 3D is an add-on per company. The 3D site says “Start designing free” with no card. We found no price for the add-on.
Limitations: the subsidy amounts it shows match the MNRE annexure below, but we have not checked its calculation. DISCOM names are the vendor’s list, not a regulator’s.
Vendor link: 3d.solarerp.in.
SurgePV
SurgePV is our product.
Best for: teams that want one product, priced per user, for roof modeling, shading, yield, financial modeling, bill of materials and proposals. Check the India-specific outputs in a demo.
Not the right choice if: you want a self-serve trial. SurgePV offers a guided demo. It is also not right if you need a rupee price in writing before talking to sales. Ask for a written quote: this page quotes US dollars only, and the pricing page shows rupee amounts to visitors in India. Or you need documented elevated-structure design for flat RCC roofs (OpenSolar, Arka360 and SolarERP 3D document it). Or you need a DISCOM list or subsidy line stated on the vendor’s page (SolarERP 3D states them). Outputs support design and documentation but do not replace approval by the responsible engineer, authority, lender or utility. SurgePV’s published product scope does not list a CRM. It is not a monitoring or ERP product.
What the vendor documents: the published scope is 3D roof modeling, array layout and shading analysis. It also covers energy-yield modeling, financial modeling and electrical workflow support. It covers bill-of-materials output and proposal generation. The solar design software page describes the product.
Price (checked October 2026): the pricing page states $1,899 per user per year for 1 user. It states $1,499 per user for 3 seats and $1,299 per user for 5 seats, in US dollars. Visitors in India see rupee amounts on that page. Get the rupee price and any GST confirmed in a written quote.
Limitations: results depend on source data, assumptions and equipment models. Neither the pricing page nor the published scope mentions a DISCOM drawing format, a PM Surya Ghar calculation or a module-origin check.
Vendor link: surgepv.com.
India Rules That Shape a Design Tool Choice
Which DISCOM, and which file. Rules for new rooftop connections changed in February 2024. The Ministry of Power’s amendment exempted systems up to 10 kW from the technical feasibility study. It cut the study time for larger systems from 20 to 15 days. It cut the time to commission rooftop systems from 30 to 15 days. It also made the DISCOM pay for any network strengthening that systems up to 5 kW need (PIB release, 23 February 2024). The PM Surya Ghar process runs through a national portal. The portal has API links to more than 80 DISCOMs and a digital net metering agreement (PIB release, 4 August 2026). Net metering counts power you send to the grid against power you take. So a design tool matters most for the single line diagram and datasheets your DISCOM or portal asks for. Our DISCOM grid connection guide lists those documents. Its feasibility-study and timeline passages differ from the PIB figures above. Follow PIB.
Modules for subsidised systems. PIB says the scheme mandates the use of solar modules and cells produced in India (PIB factsheet, March 2025). None of the six vendors’ product or pricing pages we read states a filter for these modules (Reslink’s blog posts mention an ALMM check at equipment selection). Check the equipment list in your design against the scheme’s current approved list before you quote.
The subsidy line. Central assistance for residential systems is Rs 30,000 per kWp (kilowatt peak, the rated panel power) for the first 2 kWp and Rs 18,000 per kWp for the next 1 kWp, with none beyond 3 kWp. Special category states get Rs 33,000 and Rs 19,800 (MNRE annexure hosted by PIB, file dated 7 August 2024). A 2 kWp system gets 2 × Rs 30,000 = Rs 60,000. A 5 kWp system is capped at 2 × Rs 30,000 + 1 × Rs 18,000 = Rs 78,000. In a special category state, a 3 kWp system gets 2 × Rs 33,000 + 1 × Rs 19,800 = Rs 85,800. SolarERP 3D states this calculation on its product pages. Reslink’s blog posts say it auto-calculates the subsidy. Check any tool’s figure yourself. Our PM Surya Ghar guide explains the portal steps.
Regulator pointer. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (mnre.gov.in) is the national body behind the rooftop scheme. State orders set net metering limits and export rates, so read yours before you price exports.
What to Check in a Demo
Ask each vendor to design one flat RCC roof from your last quotation. Look for four things. They are the DISCOM name in your state, the single line diagram you would attach to the application, a bill of materials with the module you actually plan to supply, and the subsidy line. Where a vendor does not publish a feature on the pages we read, the matrix says Not stated. A demo is the place to confirm it.
How We Ordered These Tools
SurgePV publishes this page and is a vendor on this list. Its entry uses the same vendor-page sources and template as every other tool here.
We did not rank these tools. They are listed alphabetically, and the best-for picks come from the matrix above.
- DISCOM coverage: the DISCOM decides which drawings and forms it accepts. A tool that knows your DISCOM saves rework. We did not assess whether any tool’s output is accepted by a specific DISCOM.
- SLD and bill of materials from the design: the SLD goes with the application and the bill of materials drives procurement. We did not assess output quality.
- Flat RCC roof design: most Indian residential and small commercial roofs are flat with parapets, tanks and stair cabins. We did not assess how accurate any tool’s structure model is.
- PM Surya Ghar subsidy line: buyers compare quotes after subsidy. We did not assess whether any calculation is correct.
- Rupee price: a rupee price shows what an Indian buyer will pay. A tax line shows how the vendor bills. We did not assess discounts or negotiated quotes.
Sources and Dates
Vendor pages were read in October 2026. They are: Arka360 (pricing), iSolar (pricing, home page), OpenSolar (India, elevated structures, Auto BOM, India SLD help article), Reslink (pricing, home page), SolarERP 3D (3D site, SolarERP site) and SurgePV (pricing). Government sources: the PIB releases and the MNRE annexure above. The PM Surya Ghar portal (pmsuryaghar.gov.in) blocked our automated requests, so we did not read it directly. The SolarERP 3D and iSolar sites load their content with scripts. The OpenSolar help centre blocked our command-line tool with a 403 error. We read all three in a browser.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best solar design software in India?
It depends on the job. From what the vendors publish, SolarERP 3D states DISCOM coverage, flat RCC roofs and a PM Surya Ghar subsidy line. Reslink documents SLD, layout drawings and a bill of materials from a phone-based design. iSolar publishes a rupee price of Rs 25,000 per tenant per year. OpenSolar’s core app is free and documents elevated structures on flat RCC roofs. API Access and connectors are charged from 16 April 2026. SurgePV documents roof modeling, shading, yield, financial modeling, bill of materials and proposals in one product, priced per user.
Which solar design software supports DISCOM requirements in India?
SolarERP 3D says it is ready for 73 DISCOMs in 36 states and union territories. iSolar says it supports state and DISCOM-aware workflows without listing DISCOMs. We did not find a DISCOM list on the Arka360, OpenSolar, Reslink or SurgePV pages we read. Whatever tool you use, check the drawing and document format with your DISCOM.
What is Reslink Energy and who is it for?
Reslink makes 3D design and proposal software for Indian EPCs. Its site lists phone-based 3D design, shadow simulation, auto stringing, bills of material, single line diagrams and proposals. It also gives a Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh address. Yearly plans on its pricing page start at $2,000. The page description says plans start at Rs 4,000 per month.
How much does solar design software cost in India?
Prices are published in different currencies. OpenSolar’s core app is free of charge, but the vendor charges for API Access and supported connectors from 16 April 2026. iSolar lists Rs 25,000 per tenant per year. Arka360 lists Rs 46,000, Rs 70,000 and Rs 1,00,000 per year plus 18% GST on one page. It lists Rs 56,000, Rs 80,000 and Rs 1,10,000 on its India pricing page. Reslink shows yearly plans in US dollars from $2,000 to $10,000 excluding taxes. SolarERP prices its ERP and CRM plans from Rs 3,500 per month plus GST. It says SolarERP 3D is an add-on whose price we did not find. SurgePV lists $1,899 per user per year for one user.
Is there free solar rooftop design software in India?
OpenSolar says its core app is free for solar professionals. It has an India page covering elevated structures for flat RCC roofs. It also has an India single line diagram template. iSolar offers a free 7-day trial. SolarERP 3D says you can start designing free with no card. The price after the trial or start is not stated for SolarERP 3D. The vendor charges for OpenSolar’s API Access and supported connectors from 16 April 2026.
Which design software suits commercial rooftop projects in India?
Reslink’s pricing bands run up to 100 MW, and Arka360 lists unlimited commercial projects on its Basic and Premium plans. None of the vendor pages we read states acceptance by an Indian lender. For lender-facing yield reports, see PVsyst on our India software list.
