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Energy · head to head

Aurora Solar vs Helioscope

Aurora Solar logo

Aurora Solar

Energy

The leading solar design and sales platform

From
$135/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Helioscope logo

Helioscope

Energy

Accurate solar design for commercial projects

From
$159/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Aurora Solar both published plans are single user, so a second designer means a second licence; Helioscope licences are single user, so each designer needs their own
  • They diverge on capability: Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, Helioscope covers PV system design.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aurora Solar and Helioscope actually diverge.

Attributes where Aurora Solar and Helioscope differ
AttributeAurora SolarHelioscope
Starting price$135/month$159/month
Founded20132012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Energy).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aurora Solar

  • 3D solar design
  • Shade analysis
  • LIDAR integration
  • Sales proposals
  • Financing options
  • Permit packages
  • NEC code compliance
  • Sunrun

Only in Helioscope

  • PV system design
  • 3D shade modeling
  • Single-line diagrams
  • BOM generation
  • Proposal templates
  • Component database
  • Financial modeling
  • Cloud deployment

Both cover

  • Performance simulation
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier
  • Google Earth
  • Nearmap
  • Eagleview
  • SOC2
  • SSL encryption
  • Data backup

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aurora Solar

  • Designing and simulating residential and commercial solar installationsnot Helioscope
  • Producing shade analysis and sales proposals for solar projectsnot Helioscope

Helioscope

  • Solar project design and modelingnot Aurora Solar
  • Rooftop, carport, and ground-mount solar system planningnot Aurora Solar
  • Financial analysis and sales proposal generation for solar installationsnot Aurora Solar

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aurora Solar

  • Both published plans are single user, so a second designer means a second licence
  • Projects are capped at 50 a month on both Basic and Premium, so the tiers differ on features rather than volume
  • LIDAR assisted modelling, shade reports and battery storage modelling all require Premium at $259 a month
  • API access and integrations are Enterprise only, which is priced per project rather than per month
  • Paying monthly rather than annually costs $288 more a year on Basic and $468 on Premium

Helioscope

  • Licences are single user, so each designer needs their own
  • Projects are capped at 10 a month on both Basic and Pro
  • System size is capped by plan, at 1.25 MW DC on Basic and 5 MW on Pro, so a larger array forces an upgrade regardless of project count
  • Trackers, LIDAR modelling and API access sit on the higher tiers
  • Enterprise is priced per project with no published figure

Pricing, plan by plan

Aurora Solar

$135/month
  • Basic$159/month
    • Tablet-friendly sales proposals
    • Industry-leading design accuracy
    • HD imagery
  • Premium$259/month
    • Tablet-friendly sales proposals
    • Industry-leading design accuracy
    • HD imagery
  • Enterprise$null/project
    • All Premium features
    • AI-assisted site models
    • APIs and integrations

Helioscope

$159/month
  • Basic$159/month
    • 1 user per license
    • 10 projects per month (120 per year)
    • 15% discount for annual billing ($1,620/year)
  • Pro$259/month
    • 1 user per license
    • 10 projects per month (120 per year)
    • 15% discount for annual billing ($2,640/year)
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited projects
    • Custom pricing

Which should you pick?

Choose Aurora Solar if

  • You need 3d solar design.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want shade analysis.
Aurora Solar review

Choose Helioscope if

  • You need pv system design.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want 3d shade modeling.
Helioscope review

Questions people ask

Is Aurora Solar or Helioscope better?
Neither clearly leads. Aurora Solar starts at $135/month and Helioscope at $159/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aurora Solar or Helioscope?
Aurora Solar starts at $135/month and Helioscope at $159/month.
Does Aurora Solar or Helioscope run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Aurora Solar best used for?
Aurora Solar is most often used for designing and simulating residential and commercial solar installations, producing shade analysis and sales proposals for solar projects. Of those, designing and simulating residential and commercial solar installations and producing shade analysis and sales proposals for solar projects are not what Helioscope is typically brought in for.
What can Aurora Solar do that Helioscope cannot?
Aurora Solar covers 3D solar design, Shade analysis, LIDAR integration, Sales proposals. Helioscope covers PV system design, 3D shade modeling, Single-line diagrams, BOM generation. Both handle Performance simulation, Salesforce, HubSpot, Zapier.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aurora Solar: How much does Aurora Solar cost per month?

Aurora Solar Basic costs $159/month billed monthly or $135/month billed annually (save $288/year). Premium costs $259/month monthly or $220/month annually (save $468/year). Enterprise pricing is custom per project. Monthly plans have no minimum commitment and can be cancelled at any billing period end. Annual plans require a one-year commitment.

Source
Helioscope: What is the starting price for HelioScope?

HelioScope Basic plan costs $159 per month per license with annual billing at $1,620/year (15% discount). The Pro plan is $259/month or $2,640/year. Each license covers 1 user. Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
Aurora Solar: What features does Aurora Solar Premium add over Basic?

Premium adds LIDAR-assisted modeling, bankable shade reports, and battery modeling for backup, self-consumption, and arbitrage scenarios. Both tiers include 50 projects per month and support 1 user.

Source
Helioscope: How many projects can I design monthly with HelioScope Basic and Pro?

Both Basic and Pro plans include 10 projects per month, equaling 120 projects per year. The project allocation is the same across both tiers; the difference is in design capability (1.25 MW for Basic vs. 5 MW for Pro). Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
Aurora Solar: How many users and projects can I have on Aurora Solar?

Basic and Premium plans support 1 user with a 50-project monthly limit. Enterprise plans support unlimited users and custom project limits; Enterprise pricing and terms are custom and determined through sales.

Source
Helioscope: What is the maximum solar design capacity by HelioScope tier?

HelioScope Basic supports designs up to 1.25 MW DC, Pro supports up to 5 MW DC, and Enterprise supports unlimited designs up to 30 MW DC. Accuracy within 1% of PVsyst modeling is maintained across tiers. Source: https://helioscope.aurorasolar.com/pricing

Source
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