Pros
Cons
Quick answer
Lyra Solar is a web tool for US and Puerto Rico home solar installers that makes a permit package from a finished design in one click. Packages cost as low as $49, with a minimum commitment of 20 packages a year. Lyra's pages do not list proposals or financial modeling. Choose it for permit drawings, not for selling. Checked October 2026.
Need design and proposals, not only permits?
Book a guided demo and see SurgePV roof modeling, shading, yield, financial modeling and proposals.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
SurgePV publishes this page and is a vendor in this category. SurgePV competes with Lyra Solar. The facts here come from Lyra’s public pages and SurgePV’s pricing page, checked October 2026 (last read 28 October 2026).
What Lyra Solar does
Lyra’s page footer names Verdiseno, Inc. as the company. Its About page says it is a privately owned, distributed team based in Santa Cruz, California. The product was called SolarDesignTool before, and Lyra has a page that says SolarDesignTool is now Lyra.
Design tool
Facts below come from Lyra’s design page, read in October 2026.
- You trace roof faces over aerial pictures. You can also import a 3D roof plan from EagleView or RoofOrders “for an additional fee”.
- You can add site equipment, streets and other property features to a site plan.
- Lyra makes a default panel layout. You can then move and turn single panels.
- Lyra makes “fire code-compliant ventilation setbacks and fire access pathways”. These are gaps and walkways on the roof. You can change them.
- You can string panels with string inverters, microinverters or inverters that need optimizers.
- For energy estimates, Lyra says it uses “the latest version of PV Watts”. You can change the loss settings.
- You can add an energy storage system, such as a battery.
- To go from concept to permit-ready, you add racking, disconnects, combiners, conduit and conductors.
- Lyra lists these outputs: a concept design plan, system datasheets, a design validation report and a bill of materials (BOM), which is a parts list.
The design page also lists the codes Lyra supports. NEC is the US National Electrical Code. The page does not spell out the other short names.
| Type | Codes listed |
|---|---|
| Electrical | NEC 2011, 2014, 2017, 2020, 2023; CEC 2019, 2022 |
| Fire | IFC 2015, 2018, 2021; NFPA 1 2015, 2018, 2021; CFC 2019, 2022 |
| Structural | ASCE 7-10, 7-16, 7-22 |
Permit packages
Facts below come from Lyra’s permit packages page.
- Lyra makes the package with one click, “if your design uses supported equipment”. It says you can go from design to package “in as little as 15 minutes”.
- The package lists these pages: project summary, site plan, single-line and/or three-line diagram, PV safety labels and placards, attachment plans, attachment details for supported mounting systems, fire safety plan, equipment datasheets and certifications. A single-line diagram is a simple drawing of how the system is wired.
- The attachment plans show anchor points, wind zones and dead load calculations.
- You can add your own images and PDFs.
Lyra’s pricing page lists “unlimited permit package revisions for free” and a “100% money-back AHJ acceptance guarantee”. An AHJ (authority having jurisdiction) is the local office that approves your permit. We did not find the terms of the guarantee on the pages we read. Lyra’s March 2022 launch post says you can preview a permit package before paying. The current pricing page does not repeat this.
Lyra says it is built to work with other software. The pricing page says Lyra is a “web app or API”, and the launch post says it is built to fit with “sales, proposal, AI-generated design, and project management tools”.
Who owns Lyra
The sources disagree, so we show both.
- Aurora Solar’s news page, dated July 15, 2024, says Aurora “acquired Lyra”. It names the company as “Verdiseno, Inc. dba Lyra”.
- Lyra’s About page says: “We’re committed to remaining a privately-owned company.”
- No page on lyrasolar.com that we read mentions Aurora.
If you plan to buy, ask Lyra which company you would sign with and who gives support.
Price and plans
Quotes are from Lyra’s own pages, checked October 2026. Lyra shows a dollar sign only and does not name a currency.
| Item | What Lyra says | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Permit package | “Permit packages for as low as $49” | Home page |
| Volume | “The more permit packages you generate over a 30 day period - the lower your overall cost.” | Pricing |
| Tiers | “Flexible subscription tiers based on active volume”; “Per permit prices are reduced as volume tier increases” | Pricing |
| Minimum | “Minimum commitment of 20 packages per year” | Pricing |
| Price promise | “Lowest overall price guarantee” (terms not shown) | Pricing |
| Design | “It’s free to create solar concept designs using Google Maps” | SolarDesignTool is now Lyra |
| Revisions | “unlimited permit package revisions for free” | Pricing |
| 3D roof plans | From EagleView or RoofOrders “for an additional fee”; no price shown | Design |
| Tier prices | Not published on the pages we read | Pricing |
“As low as $49” is the lowest price Lyra shows. The pages do not say which volume gets that price. The pricing page also has a cost estimator, which we did not use.
Key facts above come from the Lyra home, pricing and get started pages, checked October 2026.
Who it suits and who should look elsewhere
Lyra may suit you if:
- You install home solar in the US or Puerto Rico. Lyra says it is “built for both national contractors and local installers in the US and Puerto Rico”.
- You want to make permit packages yourself, not order them from a service.
- You file at least 20 permit packages a year.
- You already have tools for proposals and sales. Lyra says it is built to fit with them.
Look elsewhere if:
- You work outside the US and Puerto Rico. Lyra’s get started page says Lyra “is only available for companies operating in the US and Puerto Rico”.
- You file fewer than 20 packages a year. The get started page lists the same minimum commitment of 20 permit packages per year.
- You design commercial, carport or tracker systems. The pricing page calls Lyra “Residential PV system focused”. We found no page about commercial, carport or tracker design on lyrasolar.com.
- You need customer proposals, a CRM or financial modeling in the same tool. We found no page about them in the 54 English pages in Lyra’s sitemap.
- You need an engineer’s stamp. We found no page about stamps on lyrasolar.com, and Lyra’s help center could not be read, so it may cover this. Ask Lyra and your permit office what you need.
Lyra’s help center (help.lyrasolar.com) showed a “Page not found” error when we read it on October 28, 2026. We did not check help articles.
Compared with SurgePV
SurgePV competes with Lyra. SurgePV facts below come from SurgePV’s pricing page and its published product scope.
| Topic | Lyra Solar | SurgePV |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Residential PV design and permit packages, US and Puerto Rico | 3D roof modeling, solar array layout, shading analysis, energy-yield modeling, financial modeling, electrical workflow support, bill-of-materials output and proposal generation |
| Permit packages | One-click package from a finished design | Not in SurgePV’s published scope. Outputs support design and documentation work. They do not replace approval by the responsible engineer, authority, lender, insurer or utility |
| Price | “As low as $49” per permit package; 20-package yearly minimum | $1,899 per user per year (1 user); $1,499 per user per year (3 seats); $1,299 per user per year (5 seats) |
| Getting started | Concept designs are free to create, says Lyra; the site sends you to book a demo | Guided demo; no self-serve trial |
| Proposals and financial modeling | Not listed on the pages we read | Both are in SurgePV’s published scope |
The prices use different units, so you cannot compare them directly. One is per permit package. The other is per user per year. See SurgePV’s design tools and proposal tools for what SurgePV covers.
Permit packages are one step of the job
See where SurgePV fits in design, yield and proposals in a guided demo on your own project.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
Bottom line: who should pick Lyra Solar?
Lyra fits a US or Puerto Rico home installer who files at least 20 permit packages a year and wants to make them in house. Look elsewhere if you file fewer, work outside those places, design commercial, carport or tracker systems, or need proposals and financial modeling in the same tool.
Compare permit routes in solar permit design software and services and solar permitting software. To see SurgePV on a real project, book a demo or check pricing.
Other options
- Solar permit design software and services lists Lyra beside services that draw the plan set for you.
- Solar permitting software compares tools by fees and the routes to your AHJ.
- Solar software for small installers compares tools by cost and scope.
For background, read about an AHJ, permit package generation and a bill of materials.
Frequently asked questions
What is Lyra Solar?
Lyra Solar is a web tool for US home solar installers. You draw a roof design, then make a permit package with one click. The package is the set of drawings your local permit office reviews. Lyra was called SolarDesignTool before, and its maker is Verdiseno, Inc.
How much does Lyra Solar cost?
Lyra’s home page says ‘Permit packages for as low as $49’. The pricing page says the price per package falls as you make more packages in 30 days, and it lists a minimum commitment of 20 packages per year. Per-tier prices are not published on the pages we read, so ask Lyra. Checked October 2026.
Is Lyra Solar free?
Lyra says it is free to create solar concept designs. Permit packages are paid. To get started, Lyra’s site sends you to book a demo. SurgePV offers a guided demo and no self-serve trial.
Is Lyra Solar owned by Aurora Solar?
Aurora Solar’s news page, dated July 15, 2024, says Aurora acquired Lyra. Lyra’s own About page says the team is committed to remaining a privately-owned company, and no Lyra page we read mentions Aurora. Ask Lyra which company you would sign with.
Can Lyra Solar do commercial solar projects?
Lyra’s pricing page calls it ‘Residential PV system focused’. The pages we read do not list commercial, carport or tracker design. If you design commercial projects, check with Lyra first.
How is Lyra Solar different from SurgePV?
Lyra is built around permit packages for US home solar. SurgePV’s published scope is 3D roof modeling, solar array layout, shading analysis, energy-yield modeling, financial modeling, electrical workflow support, bill-of-materials output and proposal generation. A permit package is not in SurgePV’s published scope.
Sources
All pages were read in October 2026 (Lyra pages and the Aurora page on October 28, 2026).
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.
