GreenSketch is the most talked-about new entrant in Australian solar software, for two reasons: it's genuinely capable, and it's completely free. This review looks at what it does well, how the free model actually works, and the question every installer should ask before adopting a distributor-funded tool.
What is GreenSketch?
GreenSketch is a free, AI-driven solar and battery design platform owned by OSW Group, an Australian solar distributor. It launched publicly in Australia in 2025 after debuting at All Energy 2024, and combines design, product procurement, subsidy claiming and project management in one platform. It's installer-facing and, notably, battery-led in its design focus.
What is GreenSketch good at?
GreenSketch is good at fast, modern, AI-assisted design, particularly for batteries. It offers AI roof detection, high-resolution imagery and a 3D view that explores roofs, trees and shadows from any angle, plus battery wall templates, a battery-only mode and VPP income calculations. For storage-led design at zero software cost, it's a genuinely impressive package, and a sign of how quickly the category is moving.
How does GreenSketch make money if it's free?
GreenSketch makes money through hardware, not software. It's funded by OSW Group through product procurement, the company states it doesn't generate revenue from software subscriptions, so the platform is effectively paid for by the equipment installers buy through the OSW ecosystem. This is the same broad model OpenSolar uses, and understanding it is the key to judging whether GreenSketch fits your business.
What's the catch with GreenSketch being free?
The catch is alignment, not a hidden charge. Because the platform is funded by a distributor's hardware sales, it's most seamless when you procure through OSW, and its roadmap naturally serves that ecosystem. There are also the normal trade-offs of a new product: it launched publicly in 2025, so it has a shorter track record than established platforms, and consumer-facing features are still emerging. None of this is disqualifying, it's simply the shape of the deal.
Who should use GreenSketch?
GreenSketch suits installers for whom a free, modern, battery-focused design tool is the priority and who are happy to procure hardware through OSW. If that describes how you already buy, the integration is a real convenience and the price is unbeatable. If you'd rather keep your software independent of any one supplier, that's the reason to look elsewhere.
How does GreenSketch compare to Solar Proof?
The contrast is independence. GreenSketch is free but distributor-funded; Solar Proof is paid but funded by subscriptions, so it's tied to no supplier, and brings STCs, the Federal Battery Rebate and AS/NZS 5033 SLDs plus a longer track record (founded 2017, used by over 1,000 solar professionals). See the full Solar Proof vs GreenSketch comparison.
The bottom line
GreenSketch is an innovative, genuinely free, battery-led design tool, and an excellent fit for installers comfortable in the OSW ecosystem that funds it. Its trade-offs are supplier alignment and a short track record. If independence from a hardware distributor matters to you, weigh that before adopting it.
