Key Takeaways
- OpenSolar is free and built for residential installers; RatedPower is an enterprise platform for utility-scale solar and BESS
- RatedPower (Enverus) automates utility-scale layout, energy yield, and financial modeling for multi-MW projects
- OpenSolar degrades above 500kW and has no utility-scale capabilities
- RatedPower has no residential design, proposals, or homeowner-facing tools
- Neither platform offers native SLD generation or permit package creation
- SurgePV covers residential through 5MW utility-scale in one cloud platform at $1,499/year
Quick Verdict
Our Verdict
OpenSolar and RatedPower exist at opposite ends of the solar market with zero overlap. OpenSolar is a free residential design and proposal tool. RatedPower is an enterprise platform that automates utility-scale solar farm and BESS design. If you only do residential, OpenSolar is fine for a free tool. If you design 50MW+ solar farms, RatedPower is the industry standard. For companies that work across residential, commercial, and mid-scale utility — SurgePV is the one platform that covers all three.
Company Overview
OpenSolar
Founded
2016
Headquarters
Melbourne, Australia
Focus
Free solar design & proposals
Best For
Residential installers on a budget
Pricing
Free forever
RatedPower
Founded
2017 (acquired by Enverus 2023)
Headquarters
Madrid, Spain (Enverus: Austin, TX)
Focus
Automated utility-scale solar & BESS design
Best For
Utility-scale developers & EPCs
Pricing
Enterprise license tiers
Feature Comparison
OpenSolar and RatedPower serve entirely different segments of the solar industry. This table shows the complete lack of overlap.
| Feature | OpenSolar | RatedPower |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Cloud-based (any OS) | Cloud-based (any OS) |
| Residential Design | ✓ AI-powered | ✗ |
| Commercial Design | Limited (degrades above 500kW) | ✗ (Utility-scale only) |
| Utility-Scale Design | ✗ | ✓ (Core strength) |
| BESS Design | ✗ | ✓ (Integrated) |
| Automated Layout Generation | ✓ (Residential) | ✓ (Utility-scale) |
| Energy Yield Simulation | Basic estimation | ✓ PVsyst-compatible |
| Financial Modeling | ✓ With financing marketplace | ✓ LCOE/IRR analysis |
| Substation & HV Design | ✗ | ✓ |
| Terrain Analysis | ✗ | ✓ (Topographic data) |
| Single-Line Diagrams (SLD) | ✗ | Basic (utility-scale) |
| Customer Proposals | ✓ Lifestyle proposals | ✗ |
| Permit Package Generation | ✗ | ✗ |
| Bankable Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
| Design Iterations Speed | Minutes (residential) | Minutes (utility, automated) |
| API Access | Limited | ✓ |
Design Capabilities
OpenSolar: Residential Speed
OpenSolar does one thing well: getting residential proposals out the door fast. Its AI auto-design creates panel layouts from satellite imagery in minutes. The lifestyle proposal imagery gives homeowners a visual preview of their installation, and the financing marketplace lets installers offer loan options within the same platform.
The tool falls apart at scale. Beyond 500kW, OpenSolar’s performance degrades noticeably. There are no ground-mount layout tools, no terrain analysis, no cable routing, and no substation design. If a residential installer wants to take on a 2MW commercial rooftop or a community solar project, OpenSolar cannot support it.
RatedPower: Utility-Scale Automation
RatedPower approaches solar design from the opposite direction. The platform automates the entire utility-scale design process — from initial site assessment to energy yield calculation to financial modeling. Upload a boundary file, set your constraints, and RatedPower generates an optimized layout with tracker rows, inverter stations, cable routing, and substation placement.
The platform integrates BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) design alongside solar, which is increasingly standard for utility-scale projects. Its financial modeling produces LCOE and IRR projections that developers and lenders expect.
Since the Enverus acquisition, RatedPower has gained access to broader energy market intelligence data, making it even more useful for developers evaluating site feasibility before committing to detailed design.
Proposals & Sales
OpenSolar Proposals
OpenSolar’s strength is in the homeowner sales process. Its lifestyle proposals combine system imagery with financial projections and financing options. The built-in marketplace connects installers with lending partners for seamless loan and lease presentation.
RatedPower Reports
RatedPower generates technical bankable reports — energy yield studies, financial projections, and engineering documentation that utility-scale developers share with investors and lenders. These are not customer-facing proposals in any traditional sense. They’re engineering deliverables for multi-million dollar project financing.
Pricing Comparison
| Cost Factor | OpenSolar | RatedPower |
|---|---|---|
| Software Cost | Free forever | Enterprise license tiers |
| Annual Cost (est.) | $0 | $10,000-25,000+/year |
| Per-User Cost | $0 | Included in license tier |
| Additional Software Needed | None | PVsyst for detailed yield (optional) |
| SLD/Engineering | Not available | Basic (utility-scale only) |
| Target Company Size | Small to mid-size installers | Large developers and EPCs |
OpenSolar: free but residential only · RatedPower: powerful but utility-scale only · The middle ground is emptyLooking for a Better Alternative? Try SurgePV
One platform for residential, commercial, and utility-scale up to 5MW — with native SLD generation, simulation, and proposals at $1,499/year.
Start Free TrialNo credit card required · No enterprise sales process · Full feature access
Pros & Cons Side-by-Side
OpenSolar
Pros
Cons
RatedPower
Pros
Cons
Who Should Choose What?
| Your Situation | Choose OpenSolar | Choose RatedPower |
|---|---|---|
| Residential installer | ✓ | |
| Zero software budget | ✓ | |
| Utility-scale developer (10MW+) | ✓ | |
| BESS + solar hybrid projects | ✓ | |
| Need homeowner proposals | ✓ | |
| Bankable financial modeling | ✓ | |
| Rapid site feasibility studies | ✓ | |
| Need financing marketplace | ✓ | |
| Mixed residential + commercial + utility | ||
| Need SLD/permit packages |
Best Alternative: SurgePV
The gap between OpenSolar and RatedPower is massive. One tool caps at 500kW. The other starts at multi-MW. If your company works across residential, commercial, and mid-scale utility projects, you’d need both tools — plus engineering software for SLDs. SurgePV fills the entire range.
What SurgePV adds over both:
- Residential to 5MW in one platform — no scale gaps
- Native SLD generation, three-line diagrams, and permit packages
- 8760-hour energy yield simulation with P50/P75/P90 confidence levels
- Professional proposals (web + PDF) with multi-currency financial modeling
- AI-powered auto-design with auto-stringing for speed
- $1,499/year for 3 users — a fraction of RatedPower’s enterprise pricing, with far more features than OpenSolar
For growing solar companies that don’t want to pay enterprise prices or stitch together multiple tools, SurgePV is the practical choice.
Pro Tip
SurgePV’s free trial includes full access to commercial and utility-scale design tools, plus native SLD generation. Run a real project through the platform and compare it with your current OpenSolar or RatedPower workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OpenSolar or RatedPower better for solar design?
They serve completely different markets. OpenSolar is a free tool for residential solar installers. RatedPower (now part of Enverus) is an automated design platform for utility-scale solar farms and BESS projects. Choose based on your project scale.
Can OpenSolar handle utility-scale projects?
No. OpenSolar is built for residential and small commercial. Performance degrades above 500kW and the platform has no ground-mount optimization, substation design, or utility-scale engineering tools.
How much does RatedPower cost?
RatedPower uses tiered license pricing based on project volume and features. Exact pricing is not public, but industry estimates place it at $10,000-25,000+ per year depending on the plan. It targets utility-scale developers and EPCs.
Does RatedPower do residential design?
No. RatedPower is exclusively designed for utility-scale solar farms (typically 1MW+) and BESS projects. It has no residential design, proposal, or homeowner-facing features.
Is SurgePV a better alternative to OpenSolar and RatedPower?
For teams that need to cover residential, commercial, and mid-scale utility projects (up to 5MW) in one platform, SurgePV is the most versatile choice. It offers cloud-based design, simulation, proposals, and native engineering at $1,499/year.
What happened to RatedPower after the Enverus acquisition?
Enverus acquired RatedPower to integrate automated solar farm design into its energy intelligence platform. The product continues under the RatedPower brand but is now part of Enverus’s broader suite of energy analytics and planning tools.