Pros
Cons
Quick answer
Aurora Solar is software for designing and selling residential solar. Its North America page lists Basic at $159 per user per month billed monthly and Premium at $259, with lower annual rates. The shade report starts on Premium, and the API is Enterprise only. Choose Aurora if you want design and sales in one tool. Checked October 2026.
Comparing Aurora Solar with SurgePV?
Book a guided demo to see SurgePV’s design, shading and proposal tools on your own project, next to what Aurora lists.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
SurgePV publishes this page and is a vendor in this category. This page covers Aurora Solar, which SurgePV competes with. The facts here come from the vendors’ public pages, checked October 2026.
What Aurora Solar does
Aurora groups its tools into Design Mode, Sales Mode, Aurora AI and paid services. Each row below links to the Aurora page that states the fact. PV means photovoltaic, or solar.
| Area | What Aurora says | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Design Mode | Design Mode is “a specialized CAD environment”. The feature list names automated panel placement, automated stringing and automated fire pathway placement. NEC validation reports check the electrical setup against the NEC, the US National Electrical Code. | Design Mode, pricing |
| Roof models | The feature list names 3D roof modeling and trees, and roof measurements. Aurora AI makes 3D roof models “in under 15 seconds” on the pricing page. The Aurora AI page headline says “under 10 seconds”. | Aurora AI, pricing |
| Imagery | Google HD and Vexcel imagery are included. Nearmap is an add-on. Aurora’s team builds on-demand site models, from $9.99. A standard model takes “3 hours or less”. | Pricing |
| Shading | Irradiance analysis (how much sun reaches each roof area) is in the feature list. LIDAR-assisted modeling and bankable shade reports are on Premium and Enterprise. LIDAR is laser height data of the site. Aurora uses it to count shade from trees and nearby buildings. | Pricing, LIDAR shading, shade reports |
| Energy estimate | Solar production figures are P50 values, the median expected output in a typical year. Aurora “does not natively output P90 for solar energy production”. Weather data sets include NREL PSM3, TMY3, Solcast, IWEC2, CWEC and RMY. | P-value help |
| Wiring drawings | The single-line diagram (SLD) editor makes an SLD, a simple drawing of how the system is wired. The help article says the editor is “only available in Europe”. Aurora also exports designs as DXF files, “a standard CAD format compatible with AutoCAD and other design tools”. | SLD editor, DXF export |
| Plan sets | Instant Plan Sets are “built for pitched roof, grid-tied, residential-scale PV systems within the United States”. The Plan Sets Service page says “AHJ-ready plan sets in 24-48 hours”. AHJ means the authority having jurisdiction, the local office that approves permits. Engineering stamps are an add-on. | Instant Plan Sets, Plan Sets Service, pricing |
| Proposals | Customizable proposal templates, web and PDF proposals, adders, discounts and incentives, financing and energy bill comparisons, and proposal activity tracking. The utility rate database is “Custom and integrated”. | Pricing, Sales Mode |
| Money figures | The financial analysis shows payback period, NPV (net present value), IRR (internal rate of return), LCOE (levelized cost of energy) and lifetime savings. Commercial projects add depreciation (MACRS, straight-line or none) and O&M costs. | Financial analysis help |
| Financing | Named lender integrations: LightReach, GoodLeap, Mosaic, Dividend, Sungage Financial and EnFin. You can also “create custom financiers” for lenders Aurora does not integrate. Aurora’s page covers loan and TPO (third-party ownership, such as leases and power purchase agreements) providers. | Financing integrations |
| Batteries | Battery storage modeling covers backup, self-consumption and arbitrage. It is on Premium and Enterprise. | Pricing |
| Contracts | Contract Manager has document templates and e-signature through “a direct Docusign integration”. It is on Enterprise only. | Contract Manager, pricing |
| API and CRM | The API, Sync API, webhooks, partner apps and single sign-on are listed under Enterprise capabilities. The help center has tutorials to create an Aurora project from HubSpot and from Zoho CRM. The HubSpot tutorial lists “Aurora Enterprise plan with API Access” as a requirement. A CRM is software that tracks leads and customers. | Pricing, HubSpot tutorial, API articles |
Price and plans
These are the prices on Aurora’s North America pricing page, checked October 2026. The page shows “$” and does not name the currency. Aurora also has pages for Europe and other regions. This page quotes North America only.
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually | Users | Projects per month | Added by this plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $159 per user per month | $135 per user per month ($1,620 billed annually) | 1 | 50 | Sales Mode, Design Mode, HD imagery, on-demand site models |
| Premium | $259 per user per month | $220 per user per month ($2,640 billed annually) | 1 | 50 | All Basic features, plus LIDAR-assisted modeling, bankable shade reports, battery modeling |
| Enterprise | Custom per project | Custom per project | Unlimited | Custom | All Premium features, plus AI-assisted site models (Aurora AI), drone mapping, API and integrations, advanced user permissions, dealer and team configurations, Contract Manager, access to premium services |
The pricing page also states these terms:
- “There is no minimum commitment for our monthly Basic and Premium plans.”
- “There is a one year commitment for our annual Basic and Premium plans.”
- You can buy more licenses in the Aurora app, or contact sales about Enterprise.
- Basic and Premium can be paid by credit card. Enterprise can be paid by invoice or credit card.
Add-ons are listed without prices, except one. On-demand site models start at $9.99. Expedited site models, plan sets, engineering stamps, premium support, a launch and training plan, technical consultation, proposal template customization, Nearmap imagery and the Design API are add-ons. Their prices are not stated on the pricing page.
The pricing page does not state a free trial or its length (read October 2026). Basic and Premium each have a “Get started” button, and Aurora also offers a demo.
- Aurora Basic$135
- Aurora Premium$220
- SurgePV Individual$158.25 $1,899 per year, divided by 12
- SurgePV 5 seats$108.25 $1,299 per user per year, divided by 12
Source: Aurora North America pricing page; SurgePV pricing page, checked October 2026.
Weighing Aurora’s plan tiers?
Shade reports and battery modeling sit above Basic. See what SurgePV covers in one guided demo.
Book a Free DemoWho it suits and who should look elsewhere
It suits:
- Residential design and sales teams. Aurora describes Basic as having “all the essential tools for residential design and sales”.
- US installers who want plan sets from the same project. Instant Plan Sets cover pitched-roof, grid-tied, residential-scale systems in the United States.
- Sales teams that quote lender financing. Aurora names six lender integrations and supports custom financiers.
- Larger teams with developers. The API and the HubSpot and Zoho CRM tutorials need an Enterprise plan with API access.
Look elsewhere, or ask Aurora first, if:
- You need the shade report on the lowest plan. The help article says it is not available for Basic.
- You need P90 energy figures from the tool. Aurora says you must apply an outside P50-to-P90 factor, for example from an energy assessment or your weather data provider.
- You need an SLD editor outside Europe. The help article, read October 2026, calls it “only available in Europe”.
- You need several users on one low-cost plan. Basic and Premium include 1 user each, and you buy more licenses.
- You need an Enterprise price before a sales call. Aurora publishes none.
- You design large commercial systems. Aurora’s site menu lists HelioScope, a separate Aurora product, under Commercial. Read HelioScope’s own pages for that scope.
Compared with SurgePV
SurgePV competes with Aurora Solar. The SurgePV column below uses only SurgePV’s pricing page and its public product scope.
| Topic | Aurora Solar | SurgePV |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | The list in the first table above, from Aurora’s pages | 3D roof modeling, solar array layout, shading analysis, energy-yield modeling, financial modeling, electrical workflow support, bill-of-materials output and proposal generation |
| Price | Basic $159 and Premium $259 per user per month billed monthly. Lower annual rates. Enterprise custom. | In US dollars: Individual $1,899 per user per year (1 user), 3 seats $1,499 per user per year, 5 seats $1,299 per user per year |
| Price units | Per user per month | Per user per year |
| How you try it | “Get started” button on Basic and Premium, and a demo | Guided demo. No self-serve trial. |
| Limits SurgePV states | See “Look elsewhere” above | Results depend on source data, assumptions, equipment models, configuration and review. Outputs support design and documentation work. They do not replace approval by the responsible engineer, authority, lender, insurer or utility. |
For a longer side-by-side, read Aurora Solar vs SurgePV. To see SurgePV on your own project, Book a Free Demo.
Bottom line
Aurora suits residential teams that want design, proposals, lender integrations and plan sets from one vendor, and that can work within one user and 50 projects per month on each Basic or Premium licence. If you need the shade report on a low plan, P90 output or an SLD editor outside Europe, ask Aurora first. See how SurgePV compares on your own site in a guided demo, or check SurgePV pricing.
Other options
- Best solar design software: a desk comparison of design tools and what each vendor publishes.
- Best solar software for residential installers: tools compared for home solar work.
- Aurora Solar vs SurgePV: a side-by-side of the two products.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Aurora Solar cost?
On its North America pricing page, Aurora lists Basic at $159 per user per month billed monthly, or $135 per user per month billed annually. Premium is $259 per user per month billed monthly, or $220 per user per month billed annually. Enterprise is custom per project. The page shows “$” and does not name the currency. Checked October 2026.
What is the Aurora shade report?
Aurora calls it a “bankable” Shade Report. You run Irradiance and LIDAR for the design first, then choose Shade Report under Downloads. The help article says the feature is not available for Basic licenses. The pricing page lists bankable shade reports on Premium and Enterprise. The report shows values such as annual TOF (tilt and orientation factor), solar access and TSRF (total solar resource fraction).
What does Aurora shade analysis cover?
Aurora’s shading help names irradiance maps and a shade simulator. LIDAR shading uses laser height data of the site to count shade from trees and nearby buildings. The pricing page lists irradiance analysis in the feature list and LIDAR-assisted modeling on Premium and Enterprise.
Does Aurora Solar sell solar panels?
Aurora’s pages describe software plans and services. The component database lets you pick modules, inverters and batteries for a design. Panel sales are not stated on aurorasolar.com/pricing, read October 2026.
Does Aurora Solar offer design help and plan sets?
Yes, as paid services. Aurora’s expert designers build on-demand 3D site models, which start at $9.99 for a standard model. The Plan Sets Service page says it returns plan sets in 24-48 hours. Engineering stamps are an add-on with no price on the pricing page. Instant Plan Sets are built for pitched-roof, grid-tied, residential-scale systems in the United States.
What are the alternatives to Aurora Solar?
The best-list and comparison pages linked under Other options compare design tools on what each vendor publishes. SurgePV competes with Aurora, appears on those pages and publishes this page. Check each vendor’s own pages for price, scope and limits.
Sources
All pages were read on 28 October 2026.
- Aurora pricing: aurorasolar.com/pricing
- Product pages: Design Mode, Aurora AI, Sales Mode, Contract Manager, Plan Sets Service, Financing integrations
- Help center: P-values, Financial analysis, Single-Line Diagram Editor, Instant Plan Sets, DXF export, Shade reports, LIDAR shading, HubSpot tutorial, API articles
- SurgePV: pricing page
About the Contributors
CEO & Co-Founder · SurgePV
Keyur Rakholiya is identified by SurgePV as its CEO and a company co-founder. His SurgePV author page lists only role information that can be tied to the public profile below; credentials, project totals, testing claims, media appearances, and speaking engagements are not asserted without retained evidence.
Editorial contributor · SurgePV
Rainer Neumann is credited as an editorial contributor on SurgePV content. This profile does not assert engineering credentials, project totals, software-testing experience, education, speaking engagements, or media citations because independent verification evidence is not retained in the publication record.
