Pros
Cons
Quick answer
Photonik is a solar design and proposal tool whose pricing page says it is currently free of charge for all users, per its site, checked October 2026. The deciding factor is scope: its own comparison page says it has no 3D modelling and no automated shading, and the Pro plan mentions paying for solar leads on demand.
Comparing Photonik with SurgePV?
Photonik is free but says it has no 3D modelling or automated shading. See what a paid design workflow adds.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
SurgePV publishes this page and is a vendor in this category, so it competes with Photonik. The facts here come from the vendors’ public pages, checked October 2026. Last checked: October 2026.
Photonik is a solar design and proposal tool from the team behind Clean Energy Reviews, a solar review site based in Australia. It comes in two versions. Photonik Lite is for homeowners. Photonik Pro is for installers and DIY users. The pricing page says Photonik “is currently free of charge for all users.”
It suits homeowners and small installers who want to lay out panels and send a proposal. The main limit is scope. Photonik’s own site says it has no 3D modelling and no automated shading, and it lists some tools, such as the wiring diagram editor, as beta (a test version).
What Photonik does
Everything below comes from Photonik’s own pages, read in October 2026.
Photonik Lite, for homeowners
The home page lists these Lite tools:
- Energy profile (bill, tariffs and usage)
- Solar sizing and panel placement
- Battery sizing
- Savings and payback for one design
- Rebates, with the Australian small-scale technology certificate (STC) rebate built in
- Electrification planning
Photonik Pro, for installers and DIY
The design tool page lists these Pro features:
- Panel design on satellite imagery, with more than one roof area
- Branded PDF proposals with savings analysis and charts
- String sizing. This checks that the voltage of a string of panels fits the range the inverter accepts.
- Site plans with DC cable routing
- AI product upload: you upload a datasheet and the tool reads the specs
- Side-by-side comparison of several designs
- Proposals in 10 languages
- Battery product selection and off-grid design
The design tool page says proposals come in 10 languages. The comparison page says “8 in the app, 15 in proposals” and lists online customer acceptance, without a legally binding e-signature. Ask Photonik which language count is right.
Calculators and product directory
Photonik also runs free calculators, such as a string voltage calculator and an off-grid load table. Its product directory lists 1,414 panel series, 179 inverter series and 78 battery series. The page says specifications “may be incomplete” and tells you to confirm them with the manufacturer before you buy.
What Photonik says it does not do
Photonik publishes its own comparison of design tools (last updated 6 October 2026). For Photonik Pro it lists these limits:
- No 3D modelling or automated shading. Shade is applied as a manual derating, which means you reduce the output by hand.
- No permit plan sets and no legally binding e-signatures.
- No smart-meter or interval data upload yet.
- Light project tracking rather than a full CRM (a tool for managing customers and sales).
The same page lists the wiring (single-line) diagram editor as beta. It also lists string voltage checks and material lists as beta. The home page FAQ names “shading analysis” among the Pro tools, so ask what that covers.
Price and plans
Photonik’s pricing page says: “Photonik is currently free of charge for all users.” It adds: “We plan to always keep Photonik very affordable”.
| Plan | Who it is for | Price in Photonik’s words | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Homeowners | “$0 (No signup)” | Design tool page |
| Pro | Solar professionals and DIY | “$0 (FREE designs - pay for solar leads on demand)” | Design tool page |
Prices checked October 2026. The pages read do not name a currency. They do not say what a lead costs. The comparison page calls Pro “Completely free” and says “no per-user or per-project fees”. The home page says Pro “is also free for solar professionals with an active business.”
Key facts above come from the Photonik pricing, design tool and home pages, checked October 2026.
Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere
Photonik may suit you if you:
- are a homeowner who wants a quick plan with no signup
- are a small installer who wants free branded PDF proposals
- sell in Australia and want the STC rebate calculator
- are learning design. Photonik offers a free design guide.
Look at other tools if you need:
- 3D modelling or automated shading, which Photonik says it does not have
- permit plan sets or legally binding e-signatures, which Photonik says it does not have
- a full CRM, because Photonik lists light project tracking only
- a wiring diagram editor that is out of beta
The pages read do not say how many people can share one account. They also do not say whether Photonik has an API (a way to connect it to other software). Ask Photonik about both.
Compared with SurgePV
SurgePV competes with Photonik. These rows use only what each vendor publishes.
| Topic | Photonik | SurgePV |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 on its pricing page; Pro mentions paying for leads | USD per user per year: $1,899 (1 user), $1,499 per user (3 seats), $1,299 per user (5 seats) |
| How you start | “Start Design (Free)” button | Guided demo; no self-serve trial |
| 3D and shading | Says no 3D modelling or automated shading | Product scope lists 3D roof modeling and shading analysis |
| Electrical | Wiring (single-line) diagram editor, beta | Product scope lists electrical workflow support |
| Outputs | Branded PDF proposals | Product scope lists proposal generation and bill-of-materials output |
SurgePV outputs support design work. They do not replace approval by the responsible engineer, authority, lender, insurer or utility. See SurgePV solar design software or Book a Free Demo.
Need 3D roofs and shading, not a derating by hand?
SurgePV lists 3D roof modeling and shading analysis next to proposals. Book a demo and bring a tricky roof.
Book a Free DemoBottom line
Photonik suits homeowners and small installers who want a free tool for panel layouts and simple proposals. If you need 3D modelling or automated shading, compare the free solar design software list, SurgePV pricing, or book a demo.
Other options
- Free solar design software: 8 tools and their limits compares other tools that cost nothing to start.
- Free vs paid solar design software looks at what a paid tool adds.
- Residential solar tools lists tools for home projects.
Sources
All read on 28 October 2026.
- Photonik home page
- Photonik design tool page
- Photonik pricing page
- Photonik design tool comparison
- Photonik product directory
- Photonik marketplace page
- Photonik about page
- SurgePV pricing
Frequently asked questions
What is Photonik?
Photonik is a solar design and proposal tool from the team behind Clean Energy Reviews. Photonik Lite is for homeowners. Photonik Pro is for solar installers and DIY users. Its own site says both are free to start.
Is Photonik free?
Photonik’s pricing page says it is “currently free of charge for all users.” Its plans list shows Lite at $0 with no signup and Pro at $0 with the note “pay for solar leads on demand”. The pages read do not state what leads cost.
Does Photonik have a free trial?
The pages read do not describe a trial. They show free plans instead. The design page has a “Start Design (Free)” button, and Lite needs no signup.
What can Photonik not do?
Photonik’s own comparison page says it has no 3D modelling and no automated shading, so shade is applied by hand as a derating. It also says it has no permit plan sets and no legally binding e-signatures. It lists the wiring diagram editor as beta.
Does Photonik work outside Australia?
Photonik says it supports solar planning in more than 190 countries. Its STC rebate calculator is for Australia. Its homeowner marketplace is live only in the Philippines, according to its marketplace page.
How does Photonik compare with SurgePV?
Photonik lists a $0 price, and its Pro plan mentions paying for leads. SurgePV is paid software, priced per user per year, and starts with a guided demo. SurgePV’s listed scope includes 3D roof modeling and shading analysis, which Photonik says it does not have.
About the Contributors
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.
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.
