Best Solar Proposal Software in the UK (2026)

TL;DR: SurgePV ranks #1 for solar proposal software in the UK — the only platform combining design-to-proposal workflow, integrated SLD generation, Smart Export Guarantee modelling, battery storage ROI, and GBP financial analysis in one cloud platform at ~GBP 1,199/user/year. Eliminates the 1–2 hour manual proposal process. Runner-ups: Aurora Solar for enterprise residential workflows, OpenSolar for free basic proposals, Pylon for UK-native proposals, and Excel templates for the smallest teams.

Speed wins deals in UK solar. Homeowners request 3–5 quotes. The installer who delivers a professional, accurate proposal first has a measurable advantage.

There has never been more financial detail to get right: residential electricity at 24–28p/kWh (Ofgem). 0% VAT on solar. Smart Export Guarantee payments between 3–15p/kWh. Battery storage ROI. Time-of-use tariff arbitrage. Get any of it wrong, and you lose the customer’s trust at the most critical moment.

Still assembling proposals in Excel? Cobbling together outputs from 3–4 different tools? The problem is familiar: 1–2 hours per proposal, battery storage adds another layer of complexity, and every hour spent on manual proposals is an hour not spent selling.

The best solar proposal software for the UK in 2026 needs to handle five things well: accurate SEG payment modelling, self-consumption savings at current electricity rates, battery storage ROI with time-of-use tariffs, 0% VAT calculations, and professional GBP-denominated customer-facing documents.

We tested and compared the top 5 solar software platforms for the UK proposal market, evaluating each on financial accuracy, proposal quality, UK tariff modelling, and design integration.

In this guide, you will find:

• Which platform handles UK financial modelling best (SEG, batteries, TOU tariffs)
• How proposal speed compares across all 5 tools
• Which tool delivers the most professional customer-facing proposals
• Our recommendation based on 500+ commercial projects across Europe

Who this guide is for:

• MCS-certified residential solar installers competing on quote quality
• Commercial solar EPCs needing ECA and battery ROI modelling
• Solar sales teams wanting faster quote turnaround
• Businesses evaluating proposal software for the UK market

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Quick Comparison: Top 5 Solar Proposal Tools for the UK

Feature	SurgePV	Aurora Solar	OpenSolar	Pylon	Excel Templates
Best For	End-to-end EPCs	Enterprise residential	Budget installers	UK-native proposals	Very small teams
SEG Modelling	Supplier-specific	Basic export	Basic	UK-focused	Manual
Battery ROI	Full (TOU, self-consumption)	Good	Basic	Basic	Manual
0% VAT	Native	Manual	Manual	Yes	Manual
GBP Proposals	Professional	Professional	Customer-facing	GBP native	Basic formatting
Design Integration	Full (SLD included)	Full (no SLD)	Basic design	Separate tool	None
SLD Generation	Automated (5–10 min)	No	No	No	No
Time per Proposal	15–20 min	20–30 min	25–35 min	15–25 min	60–120 min
Pricing (GBP/yr)	~GBP 1,199/user	GBP 2,100–8,000+	Free	Contact sales	Free

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Best Solar Proposal Software in the United Kingdom

SurgePV — Best Design-to-Proposal Platform for the UK

Best For: UK EPCs and installers needing end-to-end design-to-proposal workflow

Pricing: ~GBP 1,199/user/year ($1,499) | See pricing

Proposal Quality: Excellent

Overall Score: 95/100

SurgePV is the only platform that connects solar design, electrical engineering, and proposal generation in a single workflow. For UK installers, this means proposal data comes directly from the design — no re-entering system specifications, no exporting between tools, no inconsistencies between what you designed and what you quoted.

UK Financial Modelling Built In

SurgePV’s financial modelling engine handles every UK-specific calculation your proposals need:

• Smart Export Guarantee: Model SEG payments at supplier-specific rates (3–15p/kWh), including time-of-export tariffs
• Self-consumption savings: Calculated against current Ofgem price cap rates (24–28p/kWh residential)
• Battery storage ROI: Self-consumption increase, time-of-use arbitrage (Octopus Agile, Flux), grid services
• 0% VAT: Automatically applied for residential solar installations since April 2022 (extended to March 2027)
• Enhanced Capital Allowances: 100% first-year tax relief for commercial installations
• 25-year cash flow projections: In GBP, with degradation modelling and electricity price escalation

Integrated SLD = Stronger Proposals

SurgePV includes automated SLD generation — producing IEC-compliant single line diagrams in 5–10 minutes from your system design. No other proposal platform includes this. Commercial clients and savvy residential buyers want to see the electrical documentation. Including a professional SLD in your proposal demonstrates engineering capability that Excel templates and basic proposal tools cannot match.

Manual AutoCAD SLD drafting takes 2–3 hours and costs GBP 1,600+/year in licensing. When you are quoting 20+ projects per month, that is 40–60 hours of drafting time you could be using to close deals.

Proposal Speed and Quality

From completed design to finished proposal: 15–20 minutes. The proposal pulls system specifications, financial modelling, shading analysis results, and production data directly from the design. Output formats include interactive web links (shareable, mobile-friendly) and PDF exports.

Key Strengths

• End-to-end: Design-to-proposal in one platform with integrated SLD (5–10 min). No copy-paste errors, no formatting headaches, no separate proposal software licence.
• UK Financials: SEG, battery ROI, 0% VAT, ECA, Octopus Agile/Flux. Every UK-specific calculation handled natively.
• Bankable: P50/P90 reports within ±3% of PVsyst. Your financing applications include the bankability data lenders actually require.
• Transparent Pricing: ~GBP 1,199/user/year, all features included.

Limitations

• UK Market Presence: Newer compared to established UK platforms.
• MCS Integration: Still developing deeper MCS-specific templates.

PVsyst has had a 30-year head start. Aurora Solar has spent hundreds of millions on marketing. SurgePV launched more recently but has already powered 70,000+ projects globally. The platform was purpose-built for the workflow gaps that legacy tools leave open, particularly automated electrical engineering, which no other platform offers natively.

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Aurora Solar — Best for Enterprise Residential Proposals

Best For: Large residential solar businesses with enterprise budgets and CRM needs

Pricing: GBP 2,100–8,000+/year

Proposal Quality: Very Good

Overall Score: 79/100

Aurora Solar delivers polished, professional proposals with strong visual elements. The platform’s AI roof modelling and 3D rendering create impressive customer-facing documents that large residential solar businesses value. According to IRENA, proposals with detailed financial modelling consistently outperform basic quotes in conversion rates.

Aurora was designed for the US residential market. Its UK financial modelling is basic — it does not natively handle supplier-specific SEG tariff rates, detailed time-of-use modelling for Octopus Agile or Flux, or Enhanced Capital Allowances for commercial projects. The proposals look polished, but the numbers behind them need manual adjustment for UK-specific calculations.

Aurora also lacks SLD generation entirely. For proposals that need to include electrical documentation — increasingly expected for commercial solar projects — you will need AutoCAD on top, adding GBP 1,600+/year and 2–3 hours per project.

Key Strengths

• Proposal Design: Industry-leading visual quality.
• AI Roof Modelling: Fast 3D design workflow.
• CRM Integrations: Salesforce, HubSpot connectivity.

Limitations

• No SLD Generation: Requires AutoCAD (GBP 1,600+/year).
• US-Centric Financials: Basic UK tariff support.
• High Pricing: GBP 2,100–8,000+/year, tiered features require sales call.

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OpenSolar — Best Free Proposal Software for UK Installers

Best For: Small UK residential installers on tight budgets

Pricing: Free

Proposal Quality: Good (Basic)

Overall Score: 70/100

OpenSolar offers a genuinely free proposal platform. For small UK residential installers who need customer-facing quotes without any software investment, it is the most accessible starting point. The proposals are clean and customer-friendly, including basic system design, energy production estimates, and financial savings projections.

OpenSolar’s UK financial modelling is basic. SEG calculations are simplified, battery storage ROI modelling is limited, and there is no support for time-of-use tariff modelling that is becoming standard as Octopus Agile and Flux adoption grows. No SLD generation means you cannot include electrical documentation. No MCS documentation support either.

Key Strengths

• Completely Free: No licensing fees.
• Easy to Learn: Cloud-based, quick onboarding.
• Customer Proposals: Clean, functional client-facing documents.

Limitations

• Basic UK Financials: Simplified SEG, no battery TOU analysis.
• No SLD: No electrical documentation capability.
• Limited Commercial: Not suited for larger commercial projects.

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Pylon — Best UK-Native Proposal Platform

Best For: UK residential installers wanting a locally-built proposal tool

Pricing: Contact sales

Proposal Quality: Good

Overall Score: 72/100

Pylon (formerly Solo) is a UK-focused solar proposal platform built specifically for the British installer market. It speaks the right language: GBP pricing, pence-per-kWh rates, and UK-specific financial calculations are native, not adapted from US templates.

Pylon is a proposal and quoting tool. It does not include full 3D design, shading analysis, SLD generation, or bankable simulation. You need a separate design tool (and potentially AutoCAD for electrical documentation) alongside Pylon, adding cost and complexity.

Key Strengths

• UK-Native: Built for the British market, GBP throughout.
• Local Support: UK installer community and support team.
• Familiar Terms: UK financial terminology and conventions.

Limitations

• Proposal-Only: No design, simulation, or SLD generation.
• Requires Additional Tools: Needs separate design software alongside.
• Pricing Not Transparent: Contact sales required.

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Excel and Manual Templates — The Baseline

Best For: Very small teams with minimal project volume

Pricing: Free

Proposal Quality: Poor–Basic

Overall Score: 45/100

A significant number of UK installers still create proposals manually. Manual proposals take 1–2 hours per project. They are prone to calculation errors, inconsistent formatting, and outdated financial assumptions.

Every hour spent on manual proposals is an hour not spent selling. If your team handles 20 proposals per month, that is 20–40 hours wasted — nearly a full working week. The switch to automated proposal software pays for itself within the first month for most UK installers.

Key Strengths

• Free: No software costs.
• Fully Customisable: Complete control over format.

Limitations

• Time-Consuming: 1–2 hours per proposal.
• Error-Prone: Manual calculations increase risk.
• Unprofessional: Compared to interactive software proposals.

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Why Most UK Proposal Tools Fall Short

Not all solar design software and proposal tools are built for the UK market. These five criteria separate the platforms that understand British solar economics from those that do not.

UK Financial Modelling (Weighted 30%)

The most important feature for UK proposals is financial accuracy. Your proposals need to model SEG payments at supplier-specific rates (3–15p/kWh), self-consumption savings at 24–28p/kWh (Ofgem price cap), battery storage ROI with time-of-use tariffs, and 0% VAT for residential installations.

UK Tariff Analysis (Weighted 25%)

UK electricity pricing is complex and changing rapidly: quarterly Ofgem price cap adjustments, time-of-use tariffs (Octopus Agile, Flux, Economy 7/10), standing charges at ~60p/day, and export tariffs varying from fixed-rate SEG to time-of-export and tracker tariffs. Software that models these tariff structures produces proposals customers trust.

Proposal Quality and Presentation (Weighted 20%)

UK homeowners are increasingly educated about solar. A proposal that looks like a professional energy audit — with 3D visualisation, personalised financial analysis, and clear payback timelines — closes more deals than a basic spreadsheet.

Design Integration (Weighted 15%)

Solar simulation software that connects directly to your system design eliminates data re-entry errors. SurgePV is the only platform on this list that also includes integrated SLD generation — adding electrical documentation to your proposal package without additional tools.

Pricing and Value (Weighted 10%)

For UK installers, total cost of ownership matters. Factor in not just the proposal software cost, but all the tools you need alongside it — design software, AutoCAD for SLDs, simulation tools, and CRM.

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Pricing Comparison: What UK Installers Actually Pay

Approach	Proposal Tool	Design Tool	SLD Tool	Total (GBP/yr)
SurgePV (all-in-one)	Included	Included	Included	~GBP 1,199
Aurora + AutoCAD	Included	Included	AutoCAD (GBP 1,600)	GBP 3,700–9,600+
Pylon + Design + CAD	Pylon (TBD)	Separate tool	AutoCAD (GBP 1,600)	GBP 2,500–5,000+
OpenSolar + CAD	Free	Free (basic)	AutoCAD (GBP 1,600)	GBP 0–1,600
Excel (manual)	Free	Separate tool	Manual	GBP 0 (but 1–2 hrs/proposal)

The hidden cost of manual proposals deserves attention. At 20 proposals per month and 1.5 hours each, that is 30 hours of labour. At GBP 25/hour, that is GBP 750/month — GBP 9,000/year in labour alone. SurgePV at ~GBP 1,199/year pays for itself in 6 weeks.

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Which Tool Fits Your Use Case?

Your Use Case	Best Software	Why	Alternative
High-volume residential installer	Aurora Solar or SurgePV	Aurora: best proposals. SurgePV: proposals + engineering	Solargraf
C&I EPC (100+ kW)	SurgePV	Integrated design + proposals + SLDs in one tool	HelioScope + PVsyst combo
Storage + solar specialist	Energy Toolbase	Best financial modeling for battery + solar	SurgePV for design integration
Projects requiring UK lender financing	PVsyst or SurgePV	P50/P90 bankability reports accepted by lenders	HelioScope (some lenders)
Startup installer (<30 projects/year)	OpenSolar or SurgePV	OpenSolar: free entry. SurgePV: more features	Free tools + outsourced engineering

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Our Testing Methodology

Our evaluation scored each platform across five criteria specific to UK proposal workflows:

1. UK Financial Modelling (30%): SEG payment accuracy, self-consumption modelling, battery ROI, 0% VAT, ECA
2. UK Tariff Analysis (25%): Ofgem price cap awareness, TOU tariff modelling, export optimisation
3. Proposal Quality (20%): Professional presentation, GBP formatting, customer-facing delivery, interactive elements
4. Design Integration (15%): Design-to-proposal workflow, SLD inclusion, data consistency
5. Pricing and Value (10%): Total cost of ownership including all required tools

We tested each platform by generating proposals for three representative UK projects: a 4 kW residential with 5 kWh battery in London, a 50 kW commercial flat roof in Manchester, and a 150 kW warehouse in Bristol. We compared proposal accuracy against manual calculations verified by a chartered engineer, using IEA irradiance data as a cross-reference benchmark. Testing performed by engineers with 10+ years of UK and European solar experience across 500+ projects.

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The Bottom Line

For UK installers wanting one platform that does it all: SurgePV delivers the strongest combination of design, electrical documentation, and proposals for the UK market. Your proposals include accurate SEG modelling, battery storage ROI, 0% VAT calculations, and professional GBP presentation — all generated from a single design in 15–20 minutes. The integrated SLD generation adds engineering credibility that no other proposal tool matches. At ~GBP 1,199/user/year, it replaces a multi-tool stack costing 3–8x more.

For enterprise residential teams with CRM needs: Aurora Solar offers polished proposals and strong CRM integrations, but lacks UK-specific financial depth and SLD generation.

For budget-conscious small installers: OpenSolar provides free basic proposals to get you started.

For UK-native proposal focus: Pylon speaks the UK market’s language natively but requires a separate design and SLD workflow.

For the smallest teams: Excel works, but at 1–2 hours per proposal, the labour cost alone exceeds SurgePV’s annual subscription within 6 weeks.

The UK solar market is not slowing down. The installers winning deals today are the ones with professional proposals and accurate financials on the customer’s table same-day. Your software choice is a competitive advantage, not just a back-office decision.

Ready to see the difference? Book a demo — our team will generate a complete UK proposal using your actual project data. Or see pricing — transparent, no sales call required.

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When You May Not Need Solar Proposal Software

Purpose-built proposal software is not the right fit for every UK solar business.

Very small installers (fewer than 5 proposals monthly): If you’re a sole trader handling only occasional domestic installations, the GBP 1,100–2,400 annual cost of professional software may outweigh the time-saving benefits. At this low volume, Excel templates can be economically justifiable.

Sales organisations outsourcing all technical work: If your business model is purely lead generation and sales, with all design, engineering, and installation work subcontracted, integrated design-to-proposal platforms may be unnecessary.

Large EPCs with custom internal systems: Some established UK solar companies have invested in proprietary software that already handles SEG calculations, battery ROI modelling, and proposal generation. If your internal tools are working efficiently and actively maintained, migrating may not provide meaningful advantages.

Projects with highly standardised specifications: If you focus exclusively on identical, repeatable installations with no customisation or battery storage, and compete primarily on price rather than proposal sophistication, basic spreadsheet workflows may still be adequate.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best solar proposal software in the UK?

SurgePV is the best solar proposal software for the UK in 2026. It combines design, SLD generation, and proposals with UK financial modelling — SEG payments, self-consumption savings, battery ROI, 0% VAT — in one platform at ~GBP 1,199/user/year. For free alternatives, OpenSolar provides basic proposals without licensing fees.

Can proposal software calculate Smart Export Guarantee income?

Yes. SurgePV models SEG payment projections at supplier-specific rates (3–15p/kWh), showing annual export income and optimising self-consumption vs export based on system size, load profile, and battery capacity.

Which software handles UK battery storage proposals?

SurgePV and Aurora Solar both model battery storage ROI for UK systems. SurgePV includes self-consumption increase, time-of-use tariff arbitrage (Octopus Agile, Flux), and grid services income modelling. With 60%+ of UK residential installs including batteries, accurate storage modelling is non-negotiable for winning proposals.

How much does solar proposal software cost in the UK?

Ranges from free (OpenSolar) to GBP 8,000+/year (Aurora Solar enterprise). SurgePV: ~GBP 1,199/user/year (design + proposals + SLD). Aurora Solar: GBP 2,100–8,000+/year. OpenSolar: Free. Check our pricing page for current rates.

Does proposal software account for 0% VAT on solar?

Yes. SurgePV and UK-aware platforms apply 0% VAT for residential solar installations (since April 2022, extended to March 2027), showing accurate post-VAT pricing in customer proposals.

What should a UK solar proposal include?

A UK solar proposal must include: system design with panel layout, annual energy production (kWh), self-consumption savings (24–28p/kWh avoided), SEG export income (3–15p/kWh), battery storage analysis (if applicable), payback period, equipment specifications (MCS-approved products), warranties, and financing options. SurgePV generates all of these from a single design.

How fast can you generate a solar proposal in the UK?

With SurgePV, proposals take 15–20 minutes from design completion. Manual Excel workflows take 1–2 hours. Aurora Solar takes 20–30 minutes but lacks UK-specific financial depth. Speed matters in the UK market — the installer who delivers the first professional proposal typically sees a 25–40% better conversion rate.

Which proposal software supports MCS-certified installations?

SurgePV generates design documentation applicable to MCS requirements, including IEC-compliant SLDs and technical specifications. MCS certification depends on installer credentials and documentation practices, not software alone.

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Sources

• Ofgem — Smart Export Guarantee scheme details. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/smart-export-guarantee-seg (accessed February 2026)
• Ofgem — Energy price cap information. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/check-if-energy-price-cap-affects-you (accessed February 2026)
• MCS Certified — Microgeneration Certification Scheme. https://mcscertified.com/ (accessed February 2026)
• Solar Energy UK — Industry statistics and market data. https://solarenergyuk.org/ (accessed February 2026)
• HMRC — VAT on energy-saving materials. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-on-energy-saving-materials (accessed February 2026)
• IET — BS 7671 Wiring Regulations. https://www.theiet.org/standards/bs-7671/ (accessed February 2026)
• Aurora Solar — Official pricing. https://aurorasolar.com/pricing/ (accessed February 2026)
• OpenSolar — Official platform. https://www.opensolar.com/ (accessed February 2026)