SolarDraft Review (2026): Features, Pricing, Pros and Cons for Indian Solar EPCs
An independent review of SolarDraft, the browser-based 3D solar design, proposal and CRM software for Indian EPCs — what it does well, where it falls short, what it costs, and who should choose an alternative.
SolarDraft is 3D solar design, proposal and CRM software built specifically for Indian solar EPCs and PM Surya Ghar installers. In our comparison of the best 3D solar design software for Indian EPCs it ranked first, with a weighted score of 4.80 out of 5. This review goes deeper: what the software actually does, how its pricing works, where it falls short, and who would be better served by something else.
Verdict
SolarDraft is the best-value 3D design and proposal tool for Indian residential and small commercial EPCs we've reviewed. Its strengths are the things that matter most in the PM Surya Ghar market: a 3D model of the customer's roof in the first meeting, subsidy and payback calculated automatically, a DISCOM drawing set and SLD generated from the design, six Indian languages, and rupee pricing published with GST — including a free plan. Its main weaknesses are that it's a young, small vendor with few independent user reviews so far, design volumes are capped by plan, and it isn't a bankable yield simulation tool. Score: 4.80 / 5.
How we reviewed it
PV Repair has no commercial relationship with SolarDraft or any other software vendor, and we weren't paid for this review. It's based on SolarDraft's public product, pricing and feature pages, its listing on software directories, and a review of its publicly accessible interface, all as of November 2026. We score features conservatively when they aren't publicly documented. See our editorial policy.
What SolarDraft is
SolarDraft describes itself as a solar rooftop design and proposal platform for Indian EPCs. Its pitch is simple: Indian EPCs lose deals when customers can't understand CAD files and single-line diagrams, and the installer who shows a 3D picture of the customer's own roof tends to win. So the product puts the customer's roof in 3D, places panels, models shading, applies the PM Surya Ghar subsidy and produces a branded proposal — in around ten minutes, by the vendor's account.
It's sold as four products that work together:
- Solar 3D Design — rooftop and ground-mount design, shading, drawings, SLD and BOM.
- Solar Proposal — branded proposals with subsidy, payback and savings.
- Solar CRM — leads, follow-ups and pipeline.
- Website — simple websites for installers.
It runs in a web browser on laptops and phones, and there's also an Android app. The company behind it is a GST- and Udyam-registered business based in Delhi.
Key features
3D design on the customer's real roof
The core workflow is to locate the site on satellite imagery, trace the roof and its obstructions, and place panels in 3D. Plans include LiDAR credits for sites where elevation data helps model the roof and its surroundings more accurately. The pricing page lists support for petrol pump and parking canopies on the Basic plan, and ground-mount and agrivoltaic layouts on Pro.
Shading analysis
SolarDraft models how much sun reaches the panels through the year, rather than at a single moment, and shows it in the design and the proposal. Directory listings describe a twelve-month sun-path heatmap that accounts for shading and obstacles, and the Basic plan includes "Advanced Shadow Analysis". On Indian terraces crowded with water tanks and staircase rooms, this is the feature that prevents most design mistakes — see our guide to solar panel hotspots for what happens when shading is missed.
Drawings, SLD and BOM
The design generates a report and single-line diagram automatically. Plans list PV array and string route drawings, a single-line diagram, a structure BOM and a design report. The design report bundles string route plans, PV array drawings, the SLD, earthing and lightning arrester layout, structure drawings, cable routing and a site/key plan for the DISCOM application, plus the bill of materials.
Proposals with subsidy and payback
The Proposal module produces a branded proposal with system size, panels, month-by-month generation, payback year and 25-year savings, a shadow analysis summary and CO₂ impact. The PM Surya Ghar subsidy is calculated automatically, and proposals can be sent to customers on WhatsApp — which is how many Indian homeowners prefer to receive documents.
Site survey, battery design and projects
Newer features extend the workflow beyond design. A phone-based site survey records the customer and bill, GPS location, roof, shade, electrical details, backup needs, photos and the customer's signature; it works offline and syncs later, and its data flows into the design and proposal. A battery (BESS) designer sizes backup from selected loads and hours, checks it against the hybrid inverter, and adds the battery to the SLD and BOM. Project tracking follows each job through documents, DISCOM portal, material, installation, inspection, net meter, subsidy and handover.
Six languages
The interface is available in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada and Tamil. Given that Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh lead India's rooftop installations, this is more than a nice extra — it lets sales teams and customers work in the language they're most comfortable with.
Pricing
SolarDraft publishes its prices, including GST, which is still unusual among Indian solar software vendors. Every product has a free plan to start, with usage limits.
A few things to note when comparing:
- Modules are priced separately. If you want design, proposals and CRM, add the three together. A small installer using all three on entry plans would pay roughly ₹55,000 a year at the published prices.
- Design volumes are capped. Basic allows 365 3D designs a year — about one per day. Busy PM Surya Ghar vendors may need Pro.
- White-label is Premium-only. Removing SolarDraft branding entirely and hosting on your own domain requires the Premium plan.
- Promotions change. At the time of writing, design plans were offered at two years for the price of one. Check the current pricing page before you budget.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Built around the PM Surya Ghar workflow — sanctioned load, DISCOM, subsidy and payback are part of the design and proposal, not afterthoughts.
- Fast first-meeting experience — a 3D model and branded proposal while you're still with the customer.
- Complete DISCOM drawing output from the design, including the SLD.
- Six Indian languages, and proposals on WhatsApp.
- Transparent rupee pricing with GST and a free plan.
- Mobile-friendly, with an Android app and an offline site survey.
What could be better
- A young, small vendor. The company is a sole proprietorship, and there are very few independent user reviews on software directories so far. That doesn't make the product worse, but you should satisfy yourself about support capacity and continuity, as you would with any small supplier.
- Not a bankable simulation tool. For lender-grade energy yield reports on large projects, you'll still want PVsyst or similar alongside it.
- Design caps by plan may push high-volume vendors to the more expensive tiers.
- Full white-label only on Premium.
- Check drawing formats with your DISCOM. Requirements vary by state; submit a trial set before rolling out.
How it scored
| Criterion (weight) | Score / 5 | Why |
|---|---|---|
| India readiness (20%) | 5 | PM Surya Ghar subsidy built in, DISCOM and sanctioned load in setup, six languages |
| Speed to 3D design (15%) | 5 | Satellite trace to 3D design and proposal in one sitting |
| Shading accuracy (15%) | 4.5 | Year-round shadow analysis, LiDAR credits |
| Engineering drawings (15%) | 4.5 | SLD, string route, PV array, earthing/LA, structure, cable routing, site plan |
| Proposals (10%) | 5 | Branded, subsidy and payback, 25-year savings, WhatsApp delivery |
| BOM & costing (10%) | 4.5 | Structure and full BOM from the design |
| Access (10%) | 5 | Browser, mobile, Android app, offline survey |
| Support & price fit (5%) | 5 | Free plan, published rupee pricing incl. GST, WhatsApp support |
| Weighted score | 4.80 |
Who should use SolarDraft
- Residential-focused EPCs working under PM Surya Ghar, who need to design, quote and file quickly.
- Small and medium installers who want professional 3D designs and proposals without CAD staff or a large software budget.
- Multilingual sales teams, especially in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and the Hindi belt.
- Installers moving into batteries, who want backup sizing in the same tool.
Who should consider something else
- Utility-scale developers needing terrain-aware layouts and CAD integration — look at PVcase.
- Teams that need bankable yield reports — use PVsyst, possibly alongside a design tool.
- Buyers who want the most established vendor — consider Arka360, which has a much larger user base.
- Phone-first sales teams — Reslink is built mobile-first and is worth a trial.
- Engineering-led EPCs wanting the same design engine under a different plan and support arrangement — see our Solar Designer review.
How to evaluate SolarDraft in a week
- Start on the free plan with a real, recent project — ideally a crowded terrace with an elevated structure.
- Time the first design from address to proposal. Then do a second roof and time it again; the learning curve should be short.
- Compare the shading result with what you know about the site at different times of year.
- Check the drawing set — SLD, earthing and LA layout, site plan — against what your DISCOM accepted last time.
- Send a proposal to a colleague on WhatsApp and read it as a customer would. Is the subsidy and payback clear?
- Test the site survey on your phone in an area with poor signal.
- Contact support with a real question and note the response time.
- Price your actual usage — designs per year, proposals and CRM — across plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SolarDraft?
SolarDraft is browser-based 3D solar design, proposal and CRM software for Indian solar EPCs and PM Surya Ghar installers. It models the customer's roof in 3D, analyses shading, generates DISCOM drawings and an SLD, and produces branded proposals with subsidy and payback.
How much does SolarDraft cost?
There's a free plan with usage limits. At the time of writing, Solar 3D Design plans were ₹40,000 (Basic), ₹60,000 (Pro) and ₹2,00,000 (Premium) per year including GST, with Proposal from ₹10,000 and CRM from ₹5,000 per year. Check the vendor's pricing page for current offers.
Does SolarDraft calculate the PM Surya Ghar subsidy?
Yes. Proposals include the PM Surya Ghar subsidy and payback automatically. As always, confirm current subsidy amounts on the official portal.
Which languages does SolarDraft support?
English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada and Tamil.
Does SolarDraft work on mobile?
Yes. It runs in a mobile browser, there's an Android app, and the site survey works offline and syncs later.
Can SolarDraft produce DISCOM drawings and an SLD?
Yes. The design generates a single-line diagram and a drawing set including string route, PV array, earthing and lightning arrester, structure, cable routing and a site/key plan. Check the formats against your DISCOM's requirements.
Is SolarDraft the same as Solar Designer?
Solar Designer appears to run on the same underlying platform — the applications share an interface and version numbering, and SolarDraft offers a white-label plan. They're sold under different names, pricing and support. See our Solar Designer review.
What are the best SolarDraft alternatives?
In our scoring, the closest alternatives for Indian EPCs are Solar Designer, Arka360 and Reslink. OpenSolar is a free option, and PVsyst remains the standard for bankable yield reports. Our full comparison explains the trade-offs.
Sources
- SolarDraft, home page — solardraft.org
- SolarDraft, "Pricing" page, reviewed November 2026 — solardraft.org
- SolarDraft, "Features" page, reviewed November 2026 — solardraft.org
- SolarDraft, "About" page — solardraft.org
- Capterra, SolarDraft product listing — capterra.co.uk
- PV Repair, "Best 3D Solar Design Software for Solar EPCs in India (2026)" — pvrepair.in
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