The short version: Aurora Solar is the US market leader for design depth, with class-leading AI 3D and bankable shade reports, but it's US-first, with no native Australian rebates and premium per-seat pricing in US dollars. Solar Proof is the Australian alternative: local compliance built in, priced in AUD per project.
Aurora is a genuinely powerful platform, arguably the most capable design engine in the global market. So comparing Solar Proof vs Aurora Solar isn't about which is more advanced; it's about whether US-grade design depth or Australian compliance and cost matters more for your business. Here's the honest breakdown.
What is the difference between Aurora Solar and Solar Proof?
The difference is market focus and price. Aurora Solar is a US-headquartered platform built for the American market, with deep AI-driven 3D design, LIDAR and bankable shade reports, priced per user in US dollars. Solar Proof, founded in 2017 and used by over 1,000 solar professionals, is Australian-built, calculating STCs and the Federal Battery Rebate inside the quote, generating AS/NZS 5033 SLDs, and priced in Australian dollars per project. Both produce full proposals; they're built for different countries.
Solar Proof vs Aurora Solar: the facts
| Solar Proof | Aurora Solar | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Australia (founded 2017) | United States |
| Pricing | From ~A$4/project; Pro from ~A$99/mo | From ~US$159–259/user/mo |
| Currency | Australian dollars | US dollars |
| STCs & Federal Battery Rebate | Calculated automatically | Not native |
| AS/NZS 5033 SLDs | Built-in browser editor | Not native |
| Design depth | Strong for AU residential & commercial | Class-leading AI 3D, LIDAR, shade reports |
| Free trial | Yes | No full free trial (demo) |
| Related product | — | Owns HelioScope |
What is Aurora Solar better at?
Aurora is better at raw design depth and automation, where it genuinely leads the market. Its AI-assisted 3D modelling, LIDAR-based roof and shade detection and bankable shade reports are among the most advanced anywhere, and it scales to large, complex commercial and utility work. If your priority is the most sophisticated design and simulation engine available, and US-grade bankable reports, Aurora is hard to beat, and we won't pretend Solar Proof matches that depth.
What is Solar Proof better at?
Solar Proof is better at being Australian, in compliance and in cost. It calculates STCs and the tiered Federal Battery Rebate inside the quote, generates AS/NZS 5033 single-line diagrams natively, and produces NETCC-compliant proposals, none of which Aurora handles for the Australian market. It's also priced in Australian dollars per project rather than US dollars per seat, which for a local installer is dramatically cheaper. For Australian work, that local fit outweighs raw design depth.
Does Aurora work for Australian installers?
It can, but it's swimming upstream. Aurora's design tools function anywhere, but its financial modelling, incentives and documentation are built around the US market, so an Australian installer must handle STCs, the Federal Battery Rebate and AS/NZS compliance separately. Combined with US-dollar per-seat pricing, that makes Aurora an expensive and partial fit for local work, powerful for design, but not built for Australian compliance.
How much does each one cost?
Aurora costs substantially more, and in US dollars. It runs from roughly US$159 per user per month (Basic) to about US$259 (Premium), with enterprise pricing above that, so once converted to AUD it sits well above local per-project tools. Solar Proof is pay-as-you-go from around four dollars per project (first projects free), with Pro plans from about ninety-nine dollars per month. For Australian volumes, the cost gap is large.
What do installers say about Solar Proof?
"Solar Proof is hands down the best solar design software we've used. The combination of ease of use and powerful custom templates have made it indispensable."
When should you NOT switch from Aurora to Solar Proof?
Don't switch if Aurora's design depth is central to your work and the cost is justified. If you do large, complex commercial or utility projects where its class-leading AI 3D, LIDAR and bankable shade reports win you jobs, that capability is worth paying US-dollar prices for, and Solar Proof doesn't try to replicate it. Solar Proof's case is local compliance and cost; if those aren't your constraints, Aurora's depth may be worth keeping.
Verdict: which should you choose?
In Solar Proof vs Aurora Solar, choose Aurora if you need the most advanced design and simulation depth available and can justify US-dollar per-seat pricing; choose Solar Proof if you want Australian compliance, single-line diagrams and battery rebates built in at a fraction of the cost. It's US design depth versus Australian fit and value, decide which your work actually rewards.
