Key Takeaways
- OpenSolar is a free design and proposal platform; Scanifly is a drone-based 3D survey tool
- Scanifly delivers inch-accurate 3D models but requires a drone and on-site visits
- OpenSolar uses satellite imagery — faster but less precise for complex roofs
- Neither platform offers native SLD generation or electrical engineering
- These tools are complementary, not competitive — many teams use both
- SurgePV offers a complete design-to-permit workflow that reduces the need for multiple tools
Quick Verdict
Our Verdict
OpenSolar and Scanifly are not direct competitors. OpenSolar handles solar design and proposals. Scanifly handles 3D site surveys via drone. Teams that need both accurate site data and customer proposals often run both tools side by side, which adds cost and workflow complexity. If you want to simplify your stack with one platform that handles design, simulation, proposals, and engineering — without requiring drone flights — SurgePV is a more efficient alternative.
Company Overview
OpenSolar
Founded
2016
Headquarters
Melbourne, Australia
Focus
Free solar design & proposals
Best For
Residential installers on a budget
Pricing
Free forever
Scanifly
Founded
2018
Headquarters
Portland, Oregon, USA
Focus
Drone-based 3D solar site surveys
Best For
Installers needing precise site data
Pricing
Subscription-based (per-seat)
Feature Comparison
These platforms serve different stages of the solar workflow. This comparison shows where each tool adds value — and where gaps remain.
| Feature | OpenSolar | Scanifly |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Cloud-based (any device) | Cloud-based (any device) |
| Site Data Source | Satellite imagery | Drone imagery (inch-accurate) |
| 3D Roof Modeling | Basic (satellite-derived) | ✓ Photogrammetry-based |
| Shade Analysis | Basic satellite-based | ✓ Precise 3D shade modeling |
| Panel Layout Design | ✓ AI-powered auto-design | Basic panel placement |
| String Sizing | Basic | ✗ |
| Single-Line Diagrams (SLD) | ✗ | ✗ |
| Proposal Generation | ✓ Lifestyle proposals | ✗ |
| Financial Modeling | ✓ With financing marketplace | ✗ |
| Energy Simulation | Basic estimation | Basic shade-aware estimates |
| Permit Package | ✗ | ✗ |
| Requires Drone? | No | Yes (+ Part 107 license in US) |
| Requires Site Visit? | No (remote design) | Yes (drone flight required) |
| Obstruction Detection | Manual | ✓ Automated from 3D model |
| Roof Measurement Accuracy | Satellite-dependent (feet) | Within 1 inch |
| Commercial Projects | Limited (degrades above 500kW) | ✓ (site survey only) |
Site Survey vs Design Tool
The core difference here is straightforward: OpenSolar is a design and sales tool. Scanifly is a site survey tool. They solve different problems.
OpenSolar: Remote Design & Proposals
OpenSolar lets you design a solar system from your desk using satellite imagery. No site visit needed. You pull up the address, trace the roof, auto-place panels, and generate a proposal. This works well for standard residential roofs where satellite imagery is recent and detailed enough.
The weakness is accuracy. Satellite images can be months or years old, miss recent additions (new dormers, HVAC units, trees), and lack the resolution to catch small obstructions. For complex roofs with multiple pitches and obstructions, satellite-based tools introduce error.
OpenSolar also struggles with anything beyond residential. Performance degrades above 500kW, and the platform has no tools for commercial flat roofs with complex HVAC layouts or ground-mount sites.
Scanifly: Drone-Powered Accuracy
Scanifly flips the model. Instead of relying on potentially outdated satellite imagery, you fly a drone over the site and Scanifly creates an inch-accurate 3D model using photogrammetry. Every vent pipe, every HVAC unit, every tree — captured precisely.
This accuracy matters when:
- The satellite imagery is outdated or low-resolution
- The roof has complex geometry with many obstructions
- You need precise shade analysis for bankable estimates
- The project requires AHJ-quality documentation
The trade-off is time and logistics. Every project requires a drone flight, a Part 107 licensed pilot (in the US), and weather-dependent scheduling. For high-volume residential installers doing 20+ projects per week, adding a site visit to every job can slow down the sales cycle significantly.
Pricing Comparison
| Cost Factor | OpenSolar | Scanifly |
|---|---|---|
| Software Cost | Free forever | Subscription (per-seat) |
| Drone Hardware | Not required | $1,000-3,000+ (DJI drone) |
| Pilot Certification | Not required | Part 107 required (US) |
| Per-Project Time Cost | Minutes (remote) | 30-60 min (site visit + flight) |
| SLD/Engineering Tools | Not available | Not available |
| Year 1 Cost (1 user) | $0 | Software + drone + certification |
Free + satellite (OpenSolar) vs. Paid + drone-accurate (Scanifly) — neither includes engineering toolsLooking for a Better Alternative? Try SurgePV
Design, simulate, propose, and generate permit packages — all from satellite imagery, no drone required, starting at $1,499/year.
Start Free TrialNo credit card required · No drone needed · Full feature access
Pros & Cons Side-by-Side
OpenSolar
Pros
Cons
Scanifly
Pros
Cons
Who Should Choose What?
| Your Situation | Choose OpenSolar | Choose Scanifly |
|---|---|---|
| High-volume residential (speed matters) | ✓ | |
| Zero budget for tools | ✓ | |
| Complex roofs with many obstructions | ✓ | |
| Need inch-accurate measurements | ✓ | |
| Customer proposals needed | ✓ | |
| AHJ-quality documentation | ✓ | |
| Already own a drone fleet | ✓ | |
| Need financing integration | ✓ | |
| Need SLD/permit packages | ||
| All-in-one platform |
Best Alternative: SurgePV
The biggest problem with an OpenSolar + Scanifly workflow is fragmentation. You’re running two separate tools, exporting data between them, and still missing electrical engineering capabilities. SurgePV consolidates the full workflow.
What SurgePV adds over both:
- Complete design-to-permit workflow in one cloud platform — no tool-switching
- High-resolution satellite imagery with Google and Nearmap integration, accurate enough for most projects without drone flights
- 8760-hour shade simulation for bankable energy yield projections
- Native SLD generation, three-line diagrams, and permit packages — neither OpenSolar nor Scanifly offers this
- AI-powered auto-design with auto-stringing for fast residential workflows
- Commercial and utility-scale support up to 5MW
- $1,499/year for 3 users — less than the drone hardware alone
For teams that want survey-quality design accuracy without the overhead of drone operations, SurgePV’s satellite-based 3D modeling and shade simulation deliver bankable results from your desk.
Pro Tip
If you already use drones for marketing photos or customer documentation, you can still fly sites selectively. But for the majority of residential projects, SurgePV’s satellite-based design eliminates the need for routine drone surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OpenSolar or Scanifly better for residential solar?
They do different things. OpenSolar is a free design and proposal tool. Scanifly is a drone-based 3D site survey tool. Many residential installers use Scanifly to capture site data and then design in a separate platform. OpenSolar handles the full design-to-proposal workflow but with less accurate site data.
Does Scanifly replace the need for OpenSolar?
No. Scanifly captures site data and creates 3D models from drone imagery, but it does not generate customer proposals, financial modeling, or engineering documentation. You still need a design and proposal tool alongside Scanifly.
How accurate is Scanifly compared to satellite imagery?
Scanifly’s drone-captured 3D models are accurate to within 1 inch, compared to satellite imagery which can be off by several feet. This matters for complex roofs with multiple obstructions, but for simple residential roofs the difference is less significant.
Do I need a drone to use Scanifly?
Yes. Scanifly requires drone-captured imagery as input. You need a compatible drone (DJI recommended), a Part 107 license in the US, and flight time at each project site. This adds time and cost that satellite-based tools avoid.
Is SurgePV a better alternative to both OpenSolar and Scanifly?
SurgePV replaces OpenSolar with a more capable design, simulation, and engineering platform. It uses high-resolution satellite imagery instead of drone data, which is accurate enough for most residential and commercial projects without the overhead of drone flights.
Can I use Scanifly data in SurgePV?
SurgePV uses its own satellite imagery and 3D modeling pipeline. For most projects, satellite-based design with SurgePV’s 8760-hour simulation delivers bankable accuracy without requiring drone site visits.