Expert Verified — Written by Keyur Rakholiya, SurgePV Editorial. 9 tools tested for proposal tracking. Pricing verified July 2026. Based on 1+ GW of delivered projects and thousands of proposals reviewed across 50+ countries.
Sending a proposal is not the finish line. It is the start of the part where most deals die. Homeowners compare 3 to 6 solar quotes before they sign. The installer who follows up at the right moment usually wins, and the right moment is when the customer is actually reading your proposal.
That is what proposal tracking software tells you. Who opened it. When they opened it. Which page they lingered on. Whether they signed or stalled. Without it, your follow-up is guesswork.
We tested 9 tools against a simple question: after you hit send, what do you actually learn? We ranked them on view analytics, e-signature flow, follow-up support, and pipeline depth. Every tool gets honest strengths and honest weaknesses, including our own.
Quick Picks
| Pick | Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best free proposal tracking | OpenSolar | View analytics, e-sign, and CRM at $0 |
| Best for enterprise sales teams | Aurora Solar | Contract Manager plus sales pipeline at scale |
| Best all-in-one CRM + tracking | Sunbase | Proposals, pipeline, and analytics in 1 platform |
| Best for accurate proposals worth tracking | SurgePV | Design, shading, and financials feed the proposal |
| Best for fast residential follow-up | Solargraf | 3-minute proposals with DocuSign status |
| Best pay-per-project option | Pylon | $4 per project, no monthly fees |
How We Evaluated
We scored each tool on 5 criteria. Weighting reflects what actually moves a sent proposal to a signed contract.
| Criterion | Weight | What We Measured |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement visibility | 30% | Open, view, and time-on-page data after sending |
| Close flow | 25% | E-signature, financing acceptance, next-step clarity |
| Follow-up support | 20% | Reminders, tasks, automation, notifications |
| Pipeline depth | 15% | Deal stages, team views, reporting |
| Cost per tracked proposal | 10% | Subscription or per-project price vs. volume |
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | View Tracking | E-Sign | Built-in CRM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenSolar | Free all-in-one | $0 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Aurora Solar | Enterprise sales teams | Custom (contact sales) | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Sunbase | All-in-one CRM + tracking | Custom (contact sales) | Yes | Yes (DocuSign) | Yes |
| SurgePV | Engineering-backed proposals | $1,899/yr (3 users) | — | — | — |
| Solargraf | Fast residential follow-up | $2,799/yr (Starter) | Limited | Yes (DocuSign) | — |
| Arka360 | EPC pipeline + proposals | $199/mo (US) | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Pylon | Pay-per-project | $4/project | Limited | Yes | — |
| Energy Toolbase | C&I financial proposals | $199/user/mo | Yes (web links) | Limited | — |
| SolarProof | Australian installers | ~$80/mo | Limited | Yes | — |
1. OpenSolar — Best Free Solar Proposal Tracking
OpenSolar is the only genuinely free platform on this list. OpenSolar reports 28,000+ users in 185+ countries (2026), all paying nothing for design, proposals, e-signature, and a built-in CRM.
What It Does Well
The tracking story starts with hosted proposals. OpenSolar proposals are interactive web pages, not PDF attachments. The platform records customer engagement on those pages, so reps see when a proposal gets attention instead of wondering. E-signature is built in, and the signed status flows straight into the CRM.
The CRM itself is the quiet strength. Every lead, proposal, and project sits in 1 pipeline with activity history. Automated follow-ups and financing integrations in the US, UK, and Australia keep deals moving without manual chasing.
The price remains the headline: $0 forever, unlimited projects, unlimited users. OpenSolar monetizes hardware partners and lenders instead of installers. For a new solar business, there is no lower-risk way to get real proposal tracking.
Our Take: OpenSolar gives 1 to 10 person residential teams tracking that rivals paid tools, at zero cost. The ceiling is real: it tops out around 500 kW and lacks engineering depth for complex C&I.
Where It Falls Short
Engagement analytics are basic compared with dedicated sales platforms. The 500 kW project cap rules out utility-scale work. There is no offline mode, and the CRM cannot match dedicated platforms for large teams.
Key Features
- Hosted interactive proposals with engagement tracking
- Built-in e-signature and financing acceptance
- CRM with pipeline, tasks, and automated follow-ups
- Full iOS and Android apps
Pricing
- Free tier: $0 — unlimited projects, users, and features
- Free trial: Not needed; the product is free
Who Should Use OpenSolar
Strong fit: New and small residential installers who want real tracking at no cost. Probably not right for: C&I above 500 kW, bank-grade engineering needs, offline field work.
2. Aurora Solar — Best Proposal Tracking for Enterprise Sales Teams
Aurora Solar is the reference platform for US residential solar sales. Over 7,000 companies use it, and its contract layer gives managers visibility across large rep teams.
What It Does Well
Contract Manager is the tracking core. Proposals convert to contracts with e-signature inside the same flow, and managers see status across every rep and every deal. For a 20-rep org, that visibility is the product. Permissions, dealer customizations, and integrations support the scale.
Sales Mode feeds the machine. Users report proposals in under 3 minutes once a design exists. Lead Capture AI pulls web leads into the top of the same pipeline, so the full path from lead to signed contract lives in 1 system.
G2 reviewers rate Aurora 4.6 out of 5 (2026). Support scores 9.0 out of 10 with 24/7 coverage, which matters when a rep is stuck before a customer call.
Our Take: Aurora is the safest pick for a funded US residential sales org that needs manager-level deal visibility. You pay a premium, and smaller teams will not use half of what they buy.
Where It Falls Short
Price is the main barrier. Aurora does not publish rates, and reviewers call it expensive for small teams. The CRM layer is thinner than dedicated platforms, so many Aurora shops still run a separate CRM for pipeline and follow-up automation.
Key Features
- Contract Manager with e-signature and status tracking
- Sales Mode proposals in under 3 minutes
- Lead Capture AI for web leads
- Team permissions and dealer customizations
Pricing
- Foundation, Build, Grow, Scale: Custom pricing, contact sales
- Free trial: Guided demo only
Who Should Use Aurora Solar
Strong fit: US residential sales teams of 10+ reps with budget for premium software. Probably not right for: Solo installers, non-US markets, and teams wanting deep CRM automation built in.
3. Sunbase — Best All-in-One CRM and Proposal Tracking
Sunbase is a solar-specific business platform built since 2013. It combines CRM, proposals, project management, and door-to-door sales tools for 8,000+ professionals, per Sunbase (2026).
What It Does Well
Tracking runs through the whole platform, not just the proposal. The CRM logs lead capture, automated email follow-ups, and an integrated dialer. The proposal module generates interactive web presentations with white-label branding and DocuSign e-signature.
The reporting layer is where Sunbase separates from proposal-only tools. Dashboards track lead conversion rates, proposal turnaround metrics, and job profitability. A sales manager sees which reps send proposals fast and which deals stall, in real time.
The customer evidence is practical. Michigan Solar Solutions has used the platform for 5+ years, and 1 customer reported $85,000 in annual savings by consolidating tools. Mobile apps for iOS and Android keep field reps synced.
Our Take: Sunbase is the right pick when your tracking problem is bigger than proposals. If you want lead to install visibility in 1 solar-specific system, it delivers. Budget time for setup; it rewards configuration.
Where It Falls Short
Setup needs technical skill. Users report a learning curve, and 1 reviewer said simple feature requests took months. Pricing is quote-based with no public list, and the design module is less advanced than Aurora’s 3D modeling.
Key Features
- Interactive proposals with DocuSign e-signature
- CRM with automated follow-ups and integrated dialer
- Dashboards with proposal turnaround and conversion metrics
- Door-to-door canvassing with territory tracking
Pricing
- All plans: Custom quote-based pricing, contact sales
- Free trial: Available, no credit card required
Who Should Use Sunbase
Strong fit: Solar companies of 5 to 500 employees consolidating CRM, proposals, and project tracking. Probably not right for: Teams wanting a free tool, plug-and-play setup, or best-in-class design modeling.
4. SurgePV — Best for Proposals Accurate Enough to Track
Full disclosure: we build SurgePV. We ranked it #4 because 3 tools above it track engagement after sending, and ours does not. Where we genuinely lead is the part before the send: making sure the numbers in the proposal are worth signing.
What It Does Well
A tracking alert on a wrong proposal just tells you a customer read bad numbers. The most common source of bad numbers is the handoff between design software and proposal software. Sales re-types a production figure, drops a digit, and the savings promise drifts from reality.
SurgePV removes the handoff. You design the system with our solar design software, run physics-based shading, and pull generation and financial figures in 1 platform. The solar proposal software layer builds the branded document from the same simulated data. No re-typing, no version drift.
The financial engine models cash, loan, lease, and power purchase agreement (PPA) scenarios with payback, internal rate of return (IRR), and net present value (NPV). Clara AI helps teams draft proposal copy faster. In our own testing, a residential proposal takes under 10 minutes from address to a sendable document.
Our Take: If your deals fall apart in engineering review after the customer says yes, fix the numbers first with SurgePV. If your deals fall apart because follow-up is random, pair it with OpenSolar’s free CRM or a dedicated tracker.
Where It Falls Short
This is a real limitation for this list. SurgePV proposals are branded PDF documents, so there is no open or view tracking after you send them. There is no built-in e-signature flow and no native CRM pipeline. Teams needing engagement alerts should use a tracking tool alongside it.
Key Features
- 3D rooftop design with string sizing
- Physics-based solar shadow analysis software
- Generation and financial modeling with payback, IRR, and NPV
- Branded PDF proposals with Clara AI copy assistance
Pricing
- For 3 Users plan: $1,899/year — design, simulation, financials, and proposals included
- Free trial: Available with full design and proposal capabilities
Who Should Use SurgePV
Strong fit: Installers and EPCs who want proposals backed by real engineering, residential through commercial. Probably not right for: Teams whose top priority is open-rate tracking, e-signature, or a built-in CRM.
Want to see the design-to-proposal flow on a real project? Book a 20-minute demo.
5. Solargraf — Best Proposal Tracking for Fast Residential Follow-Up
Solargraf, owned by Enphase since 2021, is built for speed on straightforward residential jobs. Its tracking story centers on DocuSign status and same-session closing.
What It Does Well
The goal is to never let the proposal cool off. The Express Editor produces a full proposal in about 3 minutes, and the Good/Better/Best feature presents 3 pricing options in 1 document. DocuSign integration lets the customer sign in the same session, with envelope status visible to the rep.
That sign-now flow is a form of tracking. When the customer hesitates instead of signing, the rep knows immediately and can address the objection live. Battery modeling across 25+ manufacturers and California NEM 3.0 optimization keep the offer concrete.
Permitting is included. DIY permit packages generate AHJ-compliant documents, so the signed deal moves to install without a second subscription.
Our Take: Solargraf works best when your sales motion is quote-and-close in 1 visit. If your deals need weeks of nurture, its tracking layer is too thin on its own.
Where It Falls Short
There is no built-in CRM, so multi-touch follow-up needs an external tool. Shading accuracy is the most common user complaint, and some teams cross-check production in Aurora or HelioScope. Annual billing only, and it costs more than OpenSolar’s free tier.
Key Features
- 3-minute proposals with Express Editor
- DocuSign e-signature with envelope status
- Good/Better/Best multi-option pricing
- Battery design for 25+ manufacturers
Pricing
- Starter: $2,799/year — 240 projects, 2 users
- Free trial: Available; new users get 120 project credits
Who Should Use Solargraf
Strong fit: US residential installers running quote-and-close appointments, Enphase-heavy shops. Probably not right for: Teams needing long-cycle nurture tracking or a built-in CRM.
Quote From Real Engineering Data
See how SurgePV turns design, shading, and financials into a customer-ready proposal in 1 workflow.
Book a DemoNo commitment required · 20 minutes · Live project walkthrough
6. Arka360 — Best Proposal Tracking for EPC Pipelines
Arka360 serves 4,000+ installers across 27 countries, with deep roots in the US and India. It bundles design, a built-in CRM, and proposals at small-business prices.
What It Does Well
The CRM is the tracking anchor. Leads and deals move through a pipeline inside the same platform that produces the proposal. Users report proposals in under 5 minutes and full workflows in 20, so the gap between site visit and sent proposal stays small.
For EPCs, the extras matter. Arka360 delivers NEC-compliant permit sets in 48 hours, or under 8 hours expedited, with professional engineer (PE) stamps available. The ArkaGo mobile app supports field proposals. India pricing starts at ₹7,500 per month, which fits emerging-market budgets. Indian EPCs evaluating CRM-driven sales workflows can also read this guide to solar CRM software in India.
The platform holds a 4.7 out of 5 G2 rating across 117 reviews (2026), with ease of use the top praise.
Our Take: Arka360 is the practical choice for a growing EPC that wants pipeline tracking plus proposals without enterprise pricing. Expect some rough edges in performance and layout work.
Where It Falls Short
Missing features are the top user complaint on G2. Users report performance issues and occasional instability. Proposal engagement analytics are limited compared with OpenSolar or Aurora, and utility-scale support is thin.
Key Features
- Built-in CRM with lead and pipeline tracking
- Proposals in under 5 minutes
- NEC-compliant permit packages with PE stamps
- ArkaGo mobile app for field work
Pricing
- US Basic: $199/month — 1 user, residential and commercial
- US Premium: $358/month — 2 users, battery sizing, CAD export
- India Lite: ₹7,500/month or ₹46,000/year — 360 residential projects
Who Should Use Arka360
Strong fit: Small and mid-size EPCs in the US, India, and other emerging markets. Probably not right for: Utility-scale developers and teams needing polished engagement analytics.
7. Pylon — Best Pay-Per-Project Proposal Tracking
Pylon is an Australian-built tool with a pay-per-project model. Over 3,500 solar businesses use it, and a 2025 installer survey voted it the #1 solar design tool.
What It Does Well
The pricing model fits lumpy sales volume. At $4 per project with no monthly fees, you pay only when you quote. Unlimited team users come with no per-seat costs, so the whole crew sees proposal status without seat math.
Speed supports fast follow-up. Users report proposals in under 2 minutes, and the iPad-optimized interface suits reps quoting on site. The faster the proposal lands, the sooner the tracking window opens.
The documentation set is unusually complete for the price. One-click single-line diagrams (SLDs), voltage rise reports, job sheets, and owner manuals generate automatically.
Our Take: Pylon is the best economic fit for installers quoting under 20 projects a month. Its tracking is basic, but at $4 per project the value is hard to beat.
Where It Falls Short
Only 3 proposal templates limit brand customization. Engagement analytics are minimal, and there is no CRM. Design variations cap at 5 per project, and utility-scale work is out of scope.
Key Features
- Pay-per-project pricing with unlimited users
- Proposals in under 2 minutes
- One-click SLDs and voltage rise reports
- iPad-optimized for on-site quoting
Pricing
- Standard: $4/project — design, imagery, financials, proposals
- Pro: $10/project — adds batteries, custom loads, commercial
- Free trial: 5 free Standard projects, no credit card
Who Should Use Pylon
Strong fit: Small residential installers in Australia and the US with variable quote volume. Probably not right for: High-volume teams, C&I projects, and brands needing deep tracking.
8. Energy Toolbase — Best Proposal Tracking for C&I Financial Deals
Energy Toolbase (ETB) is the economics engine behind many commercial and industrial (C&I) solar and storage proposals. Its web-based proposals give sales teams a trackable link instead of a static file.
What It Does Well
Proposals generate as professional web URLs with unlimited optimizations. That hosted format means the deal document lives where engagement can be observed, and updates propagate without resending files. For long C&I cycles with multiple stakeholders, 1 living link beats 6 stale PDFs.
The numbers inside are the real product. Energy Toolbase maintains 70,000+ utility rates across 1,200+ territories with an in-house rates team (2026). Storage economics stack demand charge reduction, time-of-use (TOU) arbitrage, and grid services in 1 model. NEM 3.0 modeling covers California’s complexity.
Customer evidence is strong. SunGreen Systems cut proposal time from 16 hours to 1 to 2 hours using ETB.
Our Take: If your C&I deal’s credibility rests on savings math, ETB is the most defensible proposal layer available. Pair it with a design tool, because it has none.
Where It Falls Short
There is no native design capability; you import interval data from HelioScope, Aurora, or PVsyst. Engagement analytics are lighter than dedicated sales platforms. No CRM integration yet, no mobile apps, and pricing starts at $199 per user per month.
Key Features
- Hosted web proposals with unlimited optimizations
- 70,000+ utility rates maintained in-house
- Solar + storage NPV, IRR, payback, and cash flow
- Instant PPA quotes via financing partners
Pricing
- ETB Developer: $199/user/month — 10% annual discount
- Free trial: Demo only; other modules priced separately
Who Should Use Energy Toolbase
Strong fit: C&I developers, ESCOs, and storage-heavy deals where savings math must survive scrutiny. Probably not right for: Residential installers wanting an all-in-one, or teams on tight budgets.
9. SolarProof — Best Proposal Tracking for Australian Installers
SolarProof is an Australian design and proposal platform built around local compliance. It serves residential and commercial installers who need Clean Energy Council (CEC) approved documents.
What It Does Well
Proposals send directly from the platform by email, as online proposals or PDF exports. CEC-approved templates come ready-made, and automatic Small-scale Technology Certificate (STC) calculations handle the federal incentive math. The 2025 Cheaper Home Batteries Program is integrated for battery quotes.
The financial engine is unusually deep for the price. It models TOU tariffs, block tariffs, and demand charges with interval data support. Users report quoting new customers within minutes.
Pricing starts at about $80 per month on a quota model. Pro Tier 1 includes 1.2 MW of monthly solar capacity allowance, with a 10% discount on annual plans.
Our Take: For Australian installers, SolarProof’s compliance depth and price make it an easy shortlist. Treat its tracking as send-status only and run follow-up from your CRM.
Where It Falls Short
Independent reviews are scarce, with no meaningful G2 or Capterra presence. Tracking features beyond email sending are not documented. The integration ecosystem is smaller than global competitors, and the quota model can pinch high-volume months.
Key Features
- CEC-approved proposal templates
- Automatic STC and battery rebate calculations
- Advanced tariff engine with interval data support
- High-resolution imagery with historical timeline
Pricing
- Pro Tier 1: From ~$80/month — 1.2 MW monthly quota, 10% annual discount
- Free trial: Contact sales
Who Should Use SolarProof
Strong fit: Australian residential and commercial installers needing CEC-compliant proposals fast. Probably not right for: Teams outside Australia, or anyone needing verified engagement analytics.
How to Choose Solar Proposal Tracking Software
Evaluate any tool against these 6 dimensions before you commit.
- Hosted versus attachment. Tracking requires a hosted proposal. If the tool sends PDFs as attachments, you get no open data. Check whether proposals live as trackable web links.
- What “opened” actually means. Some tools log a single open event. Better tools show repeat views, time per section, and which stakeholder viewed. Repeat views late at night are your call-in-the-morning signal.
- Close flow. E-signature inside the proposal shortens the deal. Every handoff to a separate signing tool adds a day and a dropout point.
- Follow-up automation. Alerts are useless without a next step. Look for task creation, sequences, or at minimum a notification the moment a proposal is viewed.
- Pipeline fit. Under 10 active deals, proposal tracking alone is enough. Past that, you need CRM stages and team reporting. Bundled tools like OpenSolar, Sunbase, and Arka360 cover both.
- Total cost per tracked proposal. Divide the annual subscription by your send volume. Free wins at low volume. Flat subscriptions win at high volume.
The Myth of the Perfect Proposal
Here is the contrarian truth we see across thousands of proposals: installers over-invest in proposal polish and under-invest in follow-up timing. A beautiful proposal that sits unopened for 5 days loses to an average one that gets a call within an hour of the second view.
The data pattern is consistent across the industry. Buyers compare multiple quotes, attention decays fast, and the vendor who re-engages at the moment of interest wins a disproportionate share of deals. Industry-observed ranges suggest most residential proposals get serious attention within 72 hours of sending, or not at all.
So buy tracking before you buy templates. A $0 OpenSolar account with real view alerts will close more deals than a premium tool used as a PDF generator. And fix your numbers before your notifications: a tracking alert on a proposal with a wrong production estimate just accelerates a cancellation. If your production figures come from a spreadsheet, run them through proper generation and financial modeling first.
Pro Tip
Set a 24-hour rule: every proposal view triggers a same-day call or message. Track your close rate for 60 days against your old follow-up habit. The difference is usually large enough to end the debate internally.
Conclusion
The right tool depends on where your deals actually die. If proposals go out and silence comes back, OpenSolar gives you real engagement tracking at $0. If you run a large US sales org, Aurora Solar’s contract visibility justifies the premium. If the problem is pipeline chaos beyond proposals, Sunbase or Arka360 bundles the CRM with it. And if your proposals lose credibility in review, start with accurate engineering through SurgePV before you worry about tracking.
Three actions to take this week:
- Audit your last 20 sent proposals. Count how many you could see open or sign status on. If the answer is zero, that is the gap to close first.
- Trial 2 tools from this list on live deals. Send real proposals through each and compare what you learn after sending, not the demo polish.
- Set the 24-hour follow-up rule. Any view event gets a same-day touch. Measure close rate for 60 days and let the data pick your process.
If you want proposals built on verified design and shading data, book a 20-minute SurgePV demo.
Related Posts
- Best Solar Proposal Software for Installers & EPCs
- Best Solar Quoting Software
- Best Solar CRM Software for Sales & Project Management
- How Solar Proposal Software Increases Sales
Where SurgePV fits
For the product-side detail, commercial proposals in SurgePV covers the workflow, outputs and limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is solar proposal tracking software?
Solar proposal tracking software shows what happens after you send a quote. It records when a customer opens the proposal, how long they spend on each section, and when they sign. Most tools combine this with e-signature, follow-up reminders, and a pipeline view of every open deal.
What is the best free solar proposal tracking software?
OpenSolar is the strongest free option. It includes proposal view analytics, e-signature, and a built-in CRM at $0 for unlimited projects and users. No paid tool on this list matches that price.
Why does proposal tracking matter for solar sales?
Homeowners compare 3 to 6 quotes before signing. Knowing a customer opened your proposal 3 times last night tells you to call this morning. Teams that follow up within 24 hours of engagement close more deals than teams that wait a week.
Can I track a PDF proposal?
Not reliably. A PDF sent as an email attachment gives you no open or view data. You need a platform that hosts the proposal as a tracked web link, or a document tracking layer on top of your email. This is the main reason installers move from PDFs to hosted proposals.
How much does solar proposal tracking software cost?
Costs range from free (OpenSolar) to custom enterprise pricing (Aurora Solar). Most capable tools run $80 to $260 per month. Pay-per-project options like Pylon start at $4 per project with no monthly fee.
Do I need a CRM if my proposal tool has tracking?
Usually yes, once you pass roughly 10 active deals. Proposal tracking covers one deal document. A CRM covers the whole pipeline: lead source, tasks, follow-up sequences, and team accountability. Some tools on this list bundle both.
