RoofDecko vs Aurora Solar
Aurora Solar is a powerful, enterprise-grade solar design platform — and priced like one. If you're an independent installer, solar rep, or small team who just needs accurate roof measurements and a to-scale panel layout without a per-seat sales contract, RoofDecko is the lightweight, self-serve alternative: design solar from a single drone photo for $19/month.
At a glance
| RoofDecko | Aurora Solar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan; Pro $19/mo or $171/yr | Premium, per-seat, typically sales-gated (publicly reported well above $150/seat/mo) |
| Sign-up | Self-serve in minutes | Usually a sales call / demo |
| How it measures | One top-down drone photo (any consumer drone) | Satellite/aerial imagery + LIDAR (paid tiers) |
| Panel layout | To-scale, with access/fire clearances | Yes, full 3D |
| String sizing (NEC 690.7) | Built in (temperature-corrected Voc) | Yes |
| Runs in | Any browser; photos stay on your device | Browser |
| Best for | Independent installers, reps, small teams | Larger sales-led residential installers |
Competitor details are based on publicly available information and may change — check each vendor's site for current pricing and features.
Where Aurora is the better fit
Aurora is excellent if you need full 3D shading simulation, integrated proposals and financing, and you have a sales team that designs at volume and can justify a per-seat platform. It's a deep, mature product.
Where RoofDecko wins
- Price & access — start free, go Pro for $19/mo, no contract or sales call.
- One photo, no imagery fees — scale comes from your drone photo's metadata; no LIDAR or aerial subscriptions.
- Everything you need to quote — measurements, to-scale layout, access clearances, NEC 690.7 string checks, and kWp — in one fast tool.
- Privacy — image processing runs in your browser, so photos don't have to leave your machine.
FAQ
Is RoofDecko a free alternative to Aurora Solar?
RoofDecko has a free plan and a Pro plan at $19/month (or $171/year). Aurora Solar is a premium, per-seat platform that is typically sold via sales contract at a much higher price point, so RoofDecko is a far cheaper, self-serve option for measuring roofs and laying out panels.
Does RoofDecko need LIDAR or paid aerial imagery like Aurora?
No. RoofDecko computes real-world scale from the metadata in a single top-down drone photo (any consumer drone, e.g. a DJI Mini). There are no aerial-imagery or LIDAR fees.
Can RoofDecko do string sizing?
Yes. RoofDecko builds series strings and validates temperature-corrected Voc against your inverter limits (NEC 690.7), in addition to roof measurement, to-scale panel layout, and kWp estimates.