PV*SOL Review: Price, Plans, Features and Limits

SurgePV publishes this page and is a vendor in this category. SurgePV competes with PV*SOL and is compared in the table below. The facts here come from Valentin Software’s public pages and SurgePV’s pricing, checked October 2026. Last checked: October 2026.

What does PV*SOL do?

PV*SOL is Windows software from Valentin Software for designing and simulating PV systems. Valentin Software sells PV*SOL premium and PV*SOL. We call the plain PV*SOL product “standard” to tell the two apart. The vendor also links a free tool called PV*SOL online. This table shows what the vendor’s pages say about the two paid products.

Sources: the vendor’s PV*SOL page and PV*SOL premium page, read 28 October 2026. A circuit diagram is a drawing of how the system parts are wired.

More facts from the vendor:

• Climate data. The premium page lists Meteonorm 9 (data from 2001 to 2020), PVGIS, Solcast and SolarAnywhere. You can also import your own measured data.
• Yield values. The help page Bankability (P50, P90) says P50 is the default for the profit calculation. You can choose P90 or your own P value. P90 is a yield expected to be met or exceeded in 90% of years (P50: 50%). The page says this applies only to full feed-in.
• Plans and exports. The help page Plans and parts list says the circuit diagram exports as PDF, PNG or SVG. The dimensioning plan and string diagram export as PDF, PNG or DXF. The parts list exports as CSV.
• Customer documents. The premium page lists project reports as Word or PDF with your logo. It also lists “A visually appealing customer presentation for quotations and customer consultations”.
• Database. The vendor’s pages give different counts. The standard page says over 21,000 PV modules. The premium page says over 30,000. Check the live database before you decide.
• Trial. The vendor says you can try PV*SOL premium free for 30 days with all features, except report printing and saving (PV*SOL trial page).
• PV*SOL online. The vendor’s online tool is described as “a free tool for the calculation of PV systems”. It asks for location, load profile, module data and inverter maker. It shows yearly PV energy, performance ratio, own consumption and solar fraction.

What your computer needs, per the premium page: Windows 10 (64 bit, latest service pack) or Windows 11 (64 bit), a processor of Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 or higher, 4 GB of RAM, 2 GB of disk space, a screen of at least 1,280 x 768, and a DirectX graphics card with 2 GB and OpenGL. It also needs Microsoft .Net Framework 4.8 and an internet connection. The help page System requirements says “Currently PV*SOL requires Microsoft Windows 10 or Windows 11 running on 64 bit.”

How the licence works: you get one user licence that you can use on any number of devices, but not at the same time (licence FAQ). You must sign in and be online. The help page Operating mode describes an online licence session of 15 minutes that renews while the program is open. It also describes an offline mode for a limited time that you choose.

How much does PV*SOL cost?

PV*SOL premium costs 845,00 EUR plus VAT for one year, and standard PV*SOL costs 585,00 EUR plus VAT, in euros per named user.

Sources: the vendor’s shop, the licence FAQ and the student page. Checked October 2026. The euro prices are the vendor’s, and VAT is extra.

Volume discount, per the licence FAQ: if you buy or renew at least two licences of the same program in one order, you get 5% off for 2 to 4 licences, 10% for 5 to 9, 15% for 10 to 14, and 20% for 15 or more. It does not apply to resellers.

Perpetual licences: the vendor introduced the user-licence model on 19 November 2024. Customers who bought a perpetual licence before then can keep using it. The FAQ says maintenance renewals ended on 1 October 2024, so those customers get no new updates unless they switch.

Support: the technical support page lists help by phone and e-mail in German and English. Phone support is only for customers with an active user licence. Office hours are Monday to Thursday 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 15:00, and Friday 09:00 to 12:00. The page gives no time zone.

Who should choose PV*SOL?

It suits you if:

• You design on a Windows computer and want 3D shading from 3D objects (premium).
• You model a PV system together with a battery, electric cars or a heat pump.
• You want to pick a P value for the profit calculation.
• You want a published price and a licence you can buy for one year or three months.

Check first, or look elsewhere, if:

• You use a Mac or only a browser. The vendor says it requires Windows 10 or 11. We searched the vendor’s product pages and its help site (124 pages) and found no Mac version named. The help FAQ lists the Mac question and says “See Forum.” Ask the vendor.
• You want to buy a perpetual licence. The shop and the licence FAQ describe one-year and three-month user licences, and they do not list a perpetual licence for sale.
• You need to work offline for long periods. Offline mode is for a limited time.
• Your 3D project has more than 7,500 mounted modules or 10,000 roof-parallel modules. These are the vendor’s 3D limits.
• You do not need 3D design. The standard version is cheaper at 585,00 EUR plus VAT a year.

PV*SOL vs SurgePV: price, trial and limits

SurgePV competes with PV*SOL. These rows use Valentin’s pages and SurgePV’s own pricing page.

The prices use different currencies and bases (EUR plus VAT, USD per user), so compare them on your own seat count. Taxes and renewal terms for SurgePV are set in your quote.

Bottom line

Choose PV*SOL premium if you plan on Windows and need 3D shading, batteries, electric vehicles and heat pumps in one simulation. Choose standard PV*SOL if you do not need 3D. Choose SurgePV if you want a web workflow that ends in a proposal. Book a Free Demo or see the SurgePV pricing page.

Other options

• Best solar simulation software, a list of simulation tools and what each vendor says they do.
• PV*SOL vs PVsyst, a side-by-side page for the two Windows tools.
• Our PVsyst review.
• PV*SOL vs SurgePV, the direct comparison.

Frequently asked questions

How much does PV*SOL cost?

Valentin Software’s shop lists PV*SOL premium 2026 at 845,00 EUR plus VAT for a one-year named-user licence and 285,00 EUR plus VAT for 3 months. PV*SOL 2026 (standard) is 585,00 EUR plus VAT for one year and 195,00 EUR plus VAT for 3 months. Buying two or more licences of one program in one order earns a volume discount. Checked October 2026.

What is the difference between PV*SOL and PV*SOL premium?

The vendor describes PV*SOL as a simulation program without 3D visualization, with a graphic 2D planning tool. PV*SOL premium adds 3D design and shading from 3D objects, with up to 7,500 mounted or 10,000 roof-parallel modules. The premium page also lists thermal systems and interfaces to K2 Base and Renusol.

Is there a PV*SOL free trial?

Yes, for premium. The vendor says you can try PV*SOL premium free for 30 days with all features, except report printing and saving. There is also a student version for 90,00 EUR plus VAT, which runs for 180 days and is for scientific, non-commercial use.

Does PV*SOL work on Mac?

The vendor’s help says PV*SOL currently requires Microsoft Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64 bit. Its FAQ lists the question about Mac computers and refers you to the vendor forum. We found no Mac version named on the vendor pages we read in October 2026. Ask the vendor before you buy.

Is there a PV*SOL online version?

Yes. The vendor links a separate tool called PV*SOL online and describes it as a free tool for the calculation of PV systems. You enter a location, a load profile, module data and an inverter maker. The results include yearly PV energy, performance ratio, own consumption and solar fraction.

Can PV*SOL work offline?

For a limited time. The vendor’s help describes an offline mode that you start for a period you choose. During that time the licence is tied to one device. When the period ends, you need to be online again to keep working. The vendor also says the software needs an internet connection and a sign-in.

Is PV*SOL better than SurgePV?

It depends on the job. PV*SOL premium is a Windows simulation program with 3D shading and thermal modeling at 845,00 EUR plus VAT a year, while SurgePV is a web design and proposal tool priced per user in US dollars. Sources: Valentin Software’s shop and the SurgePV pricing page, checked October 2026.

Sources

All pages were read on 28 October 2026.

• PV*SOL premium product page: features, system requirements, price, release notes
• PV*SOL product page: standard version
• PV*SOL trial and overview page: 30-day trial
• Valentin Software shop: one-year licence prices
• FAQ: New license model: three-month prices, discounts, perpetual licences
• Students page
• Technical support page
• PV*SOL help: System requirements
• PV*SOL help: Operating mode (online / offline)
• PV*SOL help: Bankability (P50, P90)
• PV*SOL help: Plans and parts list
• PV*SOL help: FAQ
• PV*SOL online
• SurgePV pricing