GoSolo (Solo) Review: Features, Pricing, Pros & Cons (2026)

TL;DR Summary

Solo (GoSolo) is a residential solar proposal platform known for 15-minute proposals, DNV-certified 99.9% accuracy, and managed design services. Based on user reviews, installers praise speed and financing integration but report concerns about residential-only limitations, software quality issues, and high costs ($1,600-$8,000+/month). For EPCs needing commercial capabilities, electrical engineering, and permit-ready designs, SurgePV offers integrated electrical documentation, carport design, and transparent pricing at $1,499/user/year for 3 users.

What Is Solo (GoSolo)?

Company Overview

Solo launched in 2018 from Lehi, Utah, with a focused mission: make residential solar proposals fast enough for same-day closing. The company secured $30M in funding from Bregal Sagemount in September 2022 and has grown to 299-302 employees.

In September 2023, Solo acquired SolarNexus, a solar CRM platform, adding customer relationship management to its proposal tools. Today, the company reports $42M in annual revenue and claims 10,000+ contractors have generated 6M+ proposals through the platform.

Leadership includes CEO Thomas O'Keefe and founders Daniel Larkin and Jeremy Smith. The company markets itself as powering 900,000+ installations.

Core Capabilities

Solo operates as a cloud-based residential solar proposal platform with a managed design service model. Instead of having your own design team create proposals, Solo's 25+ in-house designers handle the work for you.

The platform advertises 15-minute average turnaround time for proposals. Solo's SunPixel accuracy technology and Gemini V5 modeling achieve DNV-certified 99.9% production accuracy, which they back up with an independent validation showing 97% actual vs estimated production across 1,899 systems.

Financing integration is a key feature. Solo connects with 7+ lenders (GoodLeap, LightReach, Sungage, Dividend, Sunlight Financial) for real-time credit checks within proposals. The built-in SoloSign e-signature closes the loop from proposal to contract.

The platform integrates with 70+ tools including CRM systems (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, SolarNexus), field sales apps (SalesRabbit, SPOTIO), and document signing (DocuSign).

Target Market

Solo targets small-to-medium residential installers with 5-50 employees who want proposal speed without maintaining an in-house design team. Secondary audiences include solar sales organizations, dealer networks, and door-to-door sales teams.

The platform focuses exclusively on the US market. Geographic expansion remains limited.

Not suited for: Commercial EPCs, engineering-focused teams, or budget-conscious companies. Solo's residential-only capabilities and high per-proposal costs create a growth ceiling for installers expanding beyond residential projects.

Market Position

Solo won recognition as "Solar Operations Platform Company of the Year" in 2024. The company competes strongly in the residential managed service niche but doesn't compete in the commercial solar segment where engineering depth matters.

Solo's managed service model differentiates it from Aurora and OpenSolar, which offer self-service design. This creates a convenience vs control trade-off that matters differently to different installers.

Features Analysis

Design & Proposals

Proposal Generation (Top Strength)

Solo's headline feature is speed. The platform generates dynamic solar proposals in 15 minutes on average using address-based automated design with roof measurements.

The technology behind this includes SunPixel proprietary accuracy tech and Gemini V5 modeling. DNV certification validates 99.9% production estimate accuracy, with an independent study of 1,899 systems showing 97% actual vs estimated performance.

Proposals come out as interactive web links or PDF exports. The financing integration with 7+ lenders enables real-time credit checks, streamlining the sales close.

User feedback consistently praises the turnaround time. Sales teams report same-day closing enabled by fast proposals, which matters when competing for residential customers.

SurgePV comparison: SurgePV offers comprehensive design tools with self-service control instead of managed dependency. You gain independence and customization but trade some of Solo's managed speed. The difference matters most when you need to modify designs or handle projects outside Solo's residential parameters.

Managed Design Service (Key Differentiator)

Solo employs 25+ in-house designers who create proposals for customers. This eliminates the need to hire, train, and manage your own design team—a claimed savings of $50-80k/year per designer not hired.

The convenience is real. You submit project details, Solo's team designs it, and you get back a proposal. No CAD skills required. No learning curve beyond basic platform navigation.

But the model has limitations:

• Loss of design control: You depend on Solo's team to execute your vision
• Limited customization options: Solo's designers follow standardized approaches
• Availability dependent on capacity: When Solo's team is busy, you wait
• No skill building: Your internal team doesn't develop design expertise

User feedback on managed service is mixed. Sales-focused teams love the convenience. Design-conscious teams feel frustrated by the lack of control and inability to customize layouts independently.

If you're a pure sales organization that never wants to touch design, Solo's model works. If you're an EPC that needs design flexibility or wants to build internal capabilities, the dependency becomes a limitation.

Shading Analysis

Solo uses per-panel shade analysis with a DNV-certified engine. The 99.9% certified accuracy claim is backed by 97% actual vs estimated performance in independent validation. SolarInsure backs a 95% first-year production guarantee based on Solo's estimates.

SurgePV comparison: SurgePV achieves ±3% variance vs PVSyst with P50/P75/P90 metrics for bankable financing. Both platforms deliver production accuracy suitable for residential projects. The difference matters more in commercial financing where lenders require detailed bankability metrics.

Integrations & Connections

Financing Partners (Strength)

Solo integrates with GoodLeap, LightReach (Palmetto), Sungage, Dividend, and Sunlight Financial. Real-time credit checks run inside the platform. Lender-approved estimates flow directly into applications.

This streamlines residential sales close significantly. Sales reps can present financing options, check credit, and generate lender-approved proposals in a single conversation. The integration depth here is a genuine strength for residential-focused installers.

CRM Integration (SolarNexus)

Solo acquired SolarNexus in September 2023, adding lead capture, qualification, tracking, and project management capabilities. The platform includes native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, and JobNimbus.

The acquisition created a more complete sales operations platform. Lead comes in, gets qualified in SolarNexus, generates a proposal in Solo, gets signed, and tracks through project management—all within Solo's integrated platform.

Field Sales Integration

SalesRabbit and SPOTIO compatibility enable mobile proposal creation and in-field signing. Door-to-door sales teams can generate and close proposals on tablets without returning to the office.

Other Integrations

DocuSign, Zapier, Open API, and WebHooks provide connection points to other systems. Solo claims 70+ total integrations, though the depth varies significantly across them.

Electrical Engineering (CRITICAL LIMITATION)

What Solo Includes

Solo handles basic electrical configuration for residential projects. It sizes systems and lays out panels. It provides utility interconnection guidance.

What Solo LACKS

Solo does not generate automated Single Line Diagrams (SLDs). It doesn't calculate wire sizing. It doesn't size conduits or analyze voltage drop. The output is not permit-ready for most jurisdictions and not ready for AHJ or utility approval.

Impact on Users:

For residential-focused installers in markets with minimal permit requirements, this may be acceptable. You can hand off electrical work to installation crews or use separate tools.

For commercial-focused installers or those in strict permitting jurisdictions, this is a complete blocker. You need permit-ready electrical documentation, and Solo doesn't provide it.

User feedback confirms this gap. A Slashdot review states: "Zero contract process or design process." Solo's sales focus means electrical engineering got deprioritized.

Electrical Engineering Comparison

Commercial & Advanced Features (CRITICAL LIMITATION)

What Solo DOES NOT Support

Solo doesn't handle commercial solar projects. It doesn't design carports. It doesn't support single-axis or dual-axis trackers. It doesn't optimize East-West racking. Ground-mount capabilities are limited.

Impact on Growing Installers:

When you decide to expand into commercial projects, you hit a growth ceiling with Solo. You need an entirely different platform for commercial work. There's no single tool that handles both your residential and commercial pipeline.

This matters more than it might seem initially. Many residential installers grow into small commercial (100-500kW projects) as they mature. Having to learn and pay for a second platform slows that transition.

Commercial Capabilities Comparison

Pricing & Plans

Pricing Model

Solo uses per-proposal pricing with volume-based tiers. Billing happens post-usage—you pay after generating proposals. Users are unlimited at no extra cost, which benefits sales teams. No long-term contracts are required, though annual agreements are available.

There's a one-time onboarding fee that Solo doesn't disclose publicly. Call for pricing.

Pricing Tiers (2026)

Additional Costs

Shade Reports, DXF Downloads, and KBA Verification are all "call for pricing" items. The onboarding fee remains undisclosed.

Pricing Analysis

Entry-Level Cost

Minimum viable usage is roughly 50 proposals per month. At $29-32 per proposal, that's $1,450-$1,600/month or $17,400-$19,200/year.

Compare that to:

• Aurora: ~$135/month ($1,620/year)
• OpenSolar: Free tier available
• SurgePV pricing: $1,499/user/year for 3 users

Solo's entry cost is 10x higher than Aurora and significantly more than SurgePV's annual subscription for a small team.

At Scale Cost

250 proposals/month = $6,500/month = $78,000/year

500 proposals/month = $11,500/month = $138,000/year

The per-proposal model becomes expensive at volume compared to subscription models.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Comparison

Annual Cost Comparison (100 proposals/month team)

Value Analysis

Pricing Transparency: Medium. Public pricing exists for volume tiers, but several items require sales calls.

Feature Completeness: Low. Residential only, no electrical engineering, no commercial capabilities.

Cost Predictability: Medium. Post-usage billing can vary month-to-month based on proposal volume.

Scalability Value: Decreases as volume increases. Subscription models become more cost-effective at scale.

What Real Users Say

Overall Satisfaction

Solo's review presence is limited compared to established platforms. Capterra lists the platform with limited reviews. Slashdot shows mixed reviews (2-3 star range based on review content). SourceForge has mixed reviews. G2 doesn't list Solo.

Solo's internal company survey claims 98% positive feedback, but independent validation is sparse.

Review Date Range: Through January 2026

Overall Sentiment: Mixed externally, positive internally (claimed)

Top Praised Features

1. Speed (Primary Strength)

Users consistently cite 15-minute proposal turnaround. Sales teams report same-day closing enabled by fast proposals. For competitive residential markets where speed determines close rates, this matters.

2. Accuracy

DNV-certified 99.9% accuracy with 97% actual vs estimated validation provides confidence in production estimates. This reduces change orders and customer disputes about system performance.

3. Managed Service

For sales organizations that don't want to touch design, having 25+ designers on call eliminates hiring, training, and management overhead. Consistency in design quality is another benefit mentioned.

4. Financing Integration

Real-time credit checks with 7+ lenders streamline the close. Sales reps can present multiple financing options and get approvals within the proposal conversation.

5. Unlimited Users

No per-user fees allow sales teams to scale without incremental software costs. Large sales organizations cite this as a meaningful advantage.

Top Criticisms

1. Software Quality Issues (Critical Concern)

Multiple Slashdot reviews report significant problems:

• "Buggy 'Click Art', Zero Value"
• "Zero contract process or design process"
• "Software not ready for prime time"
• Battery modeling failures reported
• Arizona state law compliance issues mentioned

These aren't minor UX complaints. Users report reliability concerns that affect production use. Software that crashes or produces incorrect results undermines the entire value proposition.

2. Residential-Only Limitation (Growth Blocker)

Solo cannot handle commercial projects, carports, or trackers. For installers planning to grow beyond pure residential, this creates a ceiling. You need a second platform for commercial, which means learning new software, managing multiple tools, and paying additional costs.

3. High Costs

$1,600-$8,000+/month entry cost is expensive compared to subscription alternatives. Users note this is "not ideal for part-time or low-volume users." The per-proposal model penalizes growth unless you reach very high volumes.

4. Not Permit-Ready

No SLD generation means additional tools or manual work for permits. In jurisdictions with strict electrical requirements, Solo's output doesn't meet AHJ or utility approval standards. This adds time and complexity to the workflow.

5. Managed Service Dependency

The flip side of managed service convenience is loss of control. You can't customize layouts independently. You depend on Solo's team availability. When Solo's designers are busy, you wait. When you need non-standard designs, you're limited by Solo's capabilities.

User Sentiment by Role

Sales Teams: Generally positive. They appreciate speed and ease of use. In-field capabilities enable door-to-door workflows.

Designers: Frustrated. No design control. Can't customize layouts independently. Depends on external team.

Growing EPCs: Negative. Hit ceiling with commercial. Need permit-ready designs. Cost concerns at scale.

Pros & Cons

Pros

1. Fastest Proposals in Market - 15-minute turnaround enables same-day closing

2. DNV-Certified Accuracy - 99.9% production accuracy validated independently

3. Managed Service Model - 25+ designers eliminate hiring costs

4. Integrated Financing - 7+ lenders with real-time credit checks

5. Unlimited Users - No per-user fees, scaling advantage for large sales teams

6. Strong Field Sales Support - SalesRabbit, SPOTIO integrations enable mobile workflows

7. Post-Usage Billing - Pay only for proposals generated

8. 70+ Integrations - Extensive software connectivity

Cons

1. Residential-Only - No commercial, carport, or tracker support

Impact: Growth ceiling for scaling EPCs

2. Not Permit-Ready - No SLD, wire sizing, or electrical engineering

Impact: Requires additional tools for permits

3. High Entry Cost - $1,600-$8,000+/month minimum

Impact: Expensive vs subscription alternatives like SurgePV at $1,499/user/year

4. Software Quality Issues - User reports of bugs and limitations

Impact: Reliability concerns for production use

5. No Design Control - Managed service removes independence

Impact: Dependency on Solo team availability and capabilities

6. No Self-Service Trial - Requires sales demo before evaluation

Impact: Higher friction, longer evaluation process

7. Limited Review Data - Not on G2, limited presence on major review platforms

Impact: Harder to validate claims independently

8. No P75/P90 Metrics - Only P50 equivalent for bankability

Impact: Less detailed for commercial financing requirements

Solo vs SurgePV Comparison

Head-to-Head Comparison Table

When Solo Wins

Solo makes sense for specific use cases:

• Residential-only operations with no commercial expansion plans
• Sales-focused teams prioritizing speed over design control
• High-volume residential installers comfortable with per-proposal pricing
• Door-to-door sales organizations wanting managed service convenience

If your entire business is residential proposals and you value speed above everything else, Solo delivers on that specific promise.

When SurgePV Wins

SurgePV is the better choice for commercial EPCs when you need:

• Residential + commercial operations: SurgePV handles both without switching platforms
• Permit-ready electrical documentation: Automated SLD generation and wire sizing eliminate AutoCAD dependency
• Commercial structures: Carports, trackers, and East-West racking that Solo cannot design
• Design control and customization: Self-service design tools instead of managed service dependency
• Cost-effective at scale: Subscription pricing beats per-proposal costs beyond minimal volumes
• India + US market operations: SurgePV supports both markets, Solo is US-only

Total Cost Comparison (100 proposals/month)

At 100 proposals per month, SurgePV saves over $30,000 annually while including commercial capabilities and electrical engineering that Solo lacks entirely.

Migration Considerations

Data export: Limited from Solo. Plan for manual recreation of standard templates.

Learning curve: SurgePV requires 2-3 weeks onboarding vs Solo's managed model. Your team gains design skills instead of depending on external designers.

Support: SurgePV averages 3-minute response time with dedicated onboarding specialists.

Training: Structured onboarding program vs Solo's managed service approach.

Use Case Recommendations

Solo Is Best For

Solo works for these specific profiles:

• Residential-only installers with no commercial expansion plans
• Door-to-door sales organizations prioritizing speed above all else
• Teams wanting managed service with no in-house design
• High-volume residential operations with financing focus
• Premium budget available ($1,600+/month acceptable)

If you fit this profile exactly, Solo delivers its core promise of fast residential proposals.

SurgePV Is Best For

SurgePV better serves commercial EPCs and scaling installers:

• Commercial EPCs designing 100kW-10MW projects
• Residential installers planning to scale into commercial
• Teams needing permit-ready electrical documentation
• Carport and tracker project specialists
• Budget-conscious growing companies
• India + US market operations
• Design control and customization requirements

Decision Quick Guide

GoSolo vs SurgePV: Feature Comparison

How GoSolo compares to SurgePV across the features commercial EPCs need most.

Final Verdict

Solo Summary

Strengths: 15-minute proposals, DNV-certified accuracy, managed service model, integrated financing, unlimited users

Ideal For: Residential-only installers, sales-focused teams, managed service preference

Limitations: Residential-only, not permit-ready, no electrical engineering, high costs, software quality concerns reported by users

SurgePV Summary

Strengths: Commercial + residential, automated SLD generation, carport design (only platform), permit-ready electrical documentation, transparent pricing

Ideal For: Commercial EPCs, scaling installers, electrical documentation needs, India + US operations

Why Teams Switch: Design control, commercial capability, complete electrical engineering, lower cost at scale

Our Recommendation

For residential-only installers satisfied with managed service and premium pricing, Solo remains a viable option for fast proposal generation in that specific niche.

However, for most installers and EPCs—especially those who:

• Plan to expand into commercial projects
• Need permit-ready electrical documentation
• Want design control and independence
• Operate in India or international markets
• Are cost-conscious at scale

SurgePV delivers a more complete, future-proof, and cost-effective solution.

Solo's residential-only limitation, lack of electrical engineering, and per-proposal pricing model create growth ceilings that SurgePV's integrated platform eliminates. At 100 proposals per month, SurgePV costs $30,000+ less annually while including commercial capabilities and electrical engineering.

Bottom Line: Solo is fast for simple residential. SurgePV is complete for growing solar businesses.

Ready to Compare Solo with SurgePV?

See why commercial EPCs and growing installers choose SurgePV's integrated solar design platform over Solo's residential-only managed service.

What You'll See in a Demo:

• Automated SLD generation in 5-10 minutes (vs no electrical in Solo)
• Commercial + carport + tracker design capabilities
• Complete electrical documentation for permits
• Transparent pricing without per-proposal fees

Book a demo to see how SurgePV eliminates the limitations holding back Solo users.

No pressure, no obligation.

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• Compare Pricing
• Aurora vs SurgePV Comparison
• Best Solar Software for Commercial EPCs