Quick answer
Moving from PVcase to SurgePV swaps an AutoCAD-based design tool for a web application. PVcase publishes no price and lists terrain, grading and piling analysis that SurgePV's published scope does not. SurgePV costs USD 1,899 per user per year for one user. Export what PVcase allows, bring one real project to a demo, and decide project by project. Checked October 2026.
Moving off PVcase?
Bring one real project to a guided demo and ask SurgePV to confirm in writing what it covers.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
SurgePV publishes this page and competes with PVcase. This page compares PVcase with SurgePV. The facts here come from PVcase’s public pages and SurgePV’s pricing page, checked October 2026 (last read October 2026).
PVcase and SurgePV are different kinds of tools. PVcase Ground Mount and Roof Mount are built on AutoCAD, a drawing program from Autodesk. SurgePV is a web application with a published scope that covers roof modeling, layout, shading, yield, financial modeling, electrical workflow support, parts lists and proposals.
This page lists what PVcase says about itself, what SurgePV publishes, and what to check before you move a project. We have not run side-by-side tests.
What does PVcase say it does?
PVcase sells four products: Prospect, Ground Mount, Roof Mount and Yield (pvcase.com). The two design products are the ones most people compare with SurgePV.
- Ground Mount is for utility-scale projects. PVcase’s FAQ says it is “built on AutoCAD”. The plan page lists terrain-aware layouts, slope and collision checks, piling analysis, stringing, cable sizing and voltage drop, single line diagram (SLD) export, bill of materials (BOM) export, battery storage design, and export to PVcase Yield and PVsyst.
- Roof Mount is for rooftop projects. The plan page lists DWG and DXF file conversion, drone image conversion, layouts, stringing, cable sizing, SLD export, shading analysis, energy simulation, BOM export, and export to PVsyst.
- Yield is for energy modeling. The plan page lists bifacial modeling and probability scenarios (P50, P90).
An SLD is a simple drawing of how a solar system is wired. A BOM is the parts list.
PVcase also writes about financial modeling and proposal presentations on its commercial and industrial page. The Ground Mount and Roof Mount plan pages we read do not list a financial model.
What does PVcase need to run?
PVcase’s system requirements page says the following. We read it in October 2026.
| Item | What PVcase states |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 (x64); (minimum Windows 10) |
| Memory (RAM) | 12GB or more |
| Graphics card | 4 GB GPU with 106 GB/s bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant |
| Autodesk programs | AutoCAD 2019 to 2027 for best performance. AutoCAD 2018 works with Ground Mount only. AutoCAD Electrical, Mechanical, MEP and Civil 3D are also listed. |
| Virtual machines | “PVcase Ground Mount and Roof Mount will not run on virtual machines.” |
The pages we read do not say whether you must buy AutoCAD separately, or what it costs. Ask PVcase and Autodesk before you plan your budget.
SurgePV is a web application.
What does it cost?
| PVcase | SurgePV | |
|---|---|---|
| Published price | None. The FAQ says: “We don’t offer a complete price list online.” The plan pages say to talk to sales. | USD 1,899 per user per year for 1 user. USD 1,499 per user per year for 3 seats. USD 1,299 per user per year for 5 seats. |
| How you start | Talk to sales or request a demo | Guided demo. No self-serve trial. |
| Terms | Not published | Confirm in a written quote |
Sources: PVcase FAQ and the PVcase plan pages, read October 2026. SurgePV prices are on the pricing page.
- 1 user$1,899
- 3 seats$1,499
- 5 seats$1,299
Source: SurgePV pricing page, checked October 2026.
How do the two compare?
| Topic | PVcase (from its own pages) | SurgePV (from its published scope) |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Inside AutoCAD, on Windows 10 (x64) | Web application |
| Layout | Ground Mount and Roof Mount layouts | Solar array layout and 3D roof modeling |
| Shading | Shading and irradiance analysis | Shading analysis |
| Yield | PVcase Yield, with P50 and P90 scenarios | Energy-yield modeling |
| Electrical | SLD export, cable sizing, voltage drop, stringing | Electrical workflow support |
| Parts list | BOM export | Bill-of-materials output |
| Financial model and proposals | Described on its C&I page. Not on the Ground Mount or Roof Mount plan pages we read. | Financial modeling and proposal generation |
| Terrain, grading, piling | Slope, collision, grading and piling analysis | Not in the published scope |
SurgePV’s published scope says “electrical workflow support”. It does not list SLD export or cable sizing by name. It also does not state a project size or a utility-scale feature set. Ask about each of these in a demo and get the answer in writing.
What does PVcase document about exporting your data?
These are the exports we found in PVcase’s help centre in October 2026:
- Roof Mount to PVsyst. See Export and import actions.
- Ground Mount terrain. See Terrain export options. It covers export to PVsyst, to PVcase Yield, to Excel and to a web browser 3D view.
- SLD and BOM. The plan pages above list both as exports.
We did not find a PVcase guide for moving a whole project into another design tool. The pages we read cover export to PVsyst, PVcase Yield and Excel. SurgePV does not publish an import guide for PVcase files either. We make no promise about which files SurgePV can read or how long a move takes.
What should you do before you move?
- List your open projects. For each one, write down which outputs a client or lender needs: layout, yield report, SLD, BOM or proposal.
- Export what PVcase lets you export. Keep your original PVcase files.
- Check when your PVcase and Autodesk terms end. Do not cancel anything until you have a working replacement.
- Book a demo and bring one real project. Ask SurgePV to confirm in writing which of your outputs it covers, and what it can use from your PVcase files.
- Build one new project in SurgePV and compare the result with your PVcase output yourself.
- Decide project by project. A project that a client or lender expects in PVcase files may stay in PVcase.
Bring one PVcase project to a demo
See SurgePV on your own project and get its coverage confirmed in writing before you move anything.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
When should you stay with PVcase?
Stay with PVcase if any of these is true:
- Your team already works in AutoCAD and wants to keep drawing inside it.
- You need terrain, grading or piling analysis. PVcase lists these. SurgePV’s published scope does not.
- Your clients or lenders ask for PVcase output or files.
Where might SurgePV fit?
SurgePV may fit if you want one web application for roof modeling and layout, financial modeling and proposals, with a published price. SurgePV supports design and documents, but does not replace approval by the responsible engineer, authority, lender, insurer or utility.
Moving from another tool? See the guides for PVsyst and Aurora Solar. For other options, read best plant design software.
Bottom line: should you switch from PVcase to SurgePV?
Switch project by project, not all at once. SurgePV may fit if you want one web application for roof modeling, financial modeling and proposals with a published price. Stay with PVcase where you need terrain, grading or piling analysis, work inside AutoCAD, or deliver PVcase files to clients or lenders.
For a feature-by-feature view read PVcase vs SurgePV and the PVcase review. Then book a demo or check the pricing page.
Sources
All pages were read in October 2026.
