Bodhi vs OpenSolar
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
Bodhi
Solar customer-experience platform โ automated project updates, reviews, and referrals
- Starting price
- Free tier available
- Aggregate rating
- โ
- Best team size
- 1-200
- Free trial
- No
OpenSolar
Free, full-featured solar design and sales software
- Starting price
- Free tier available
- Aggregate rating
- โ
- Best team size
- 1-500
- Free trial
- No
Quick verdict
Bodhi: Residential solar installers that want to automate post-sale customer communication and project updates to cut support load, lower cancellations, and drive reviews and referrals.
OpenSolar: Solar contractors of any size that want a genuinely free, full-featured design and sales platform and are comfortable with a partner-funded business model.
Decision matrix โ which one is right for you?
Pick Bodhi ifโฆ
- โ Your situation matches Bodhi's target profile: Residential solar installers that want to automate post-sale customer communication and project updates to cut support load, lower cancellations, and drive reviews and referrals
Pick OpenSolar ifโฆ
- โ Your situation matches OpenSolar's target profile: Solar contractors of any size that want a genuinely free, full-featured design and sales platform and are comfortable with a partner-funded business model
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Bodhi | OpenSolar |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free โ Custom | Free โ Free |
| Tier 2 | Starter โ Custom | โ |
| Tier 3 | Pro โ Custom | โ |
| Tier 4 | Enterprise โ Custom | โ |
Bodhi starts at $0/mo on Free. OpenSolar starts at $0/mo on Free.
Pros & cons
Bodhi
- โ It is a post-sale customer-experience layer, not a design, sales-proposal, or full operations tool, so it runs alongside your CRM and other software
- โ Starter/Pro package pricing is not published
OpenSolar
- โ Some advanced API access and third-party connectors are now paid
- โ Partner-funded model means hardware/finance partners get in-platform placement
- โ Permit-ready electrical depth is limited like most design-first tools
Implementation timeline comparison
Bodhi
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
OpenSolar
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
Enterprise-tier platforms ($250+/user/mo) typically require 3-6 months with dedicated admin time, custom pricebook setup, and phased rollout to field techs. Mid-tier platforms reach operational status in 4-8 weeks with optional paid onboarding. Entry-tier platforms are designed for self-service onboarding in 1-3 weeks. Always plan for 2-4 weeks of parallel operation with your existing system before cutting over.
Feature comparison
Only in Bodhi
- + client portal
- + customer communications
- + automated followup
- + review management
- + automated reminders
- + surveys
Both have
Only in OpenSolar
- + solar design
- + 3d modeling
- + production estimates
- + proposals
- + project management
Integrations
Only in Bodhi
- + salesforce
Both integrate with
โ No common integrations โ
Only in OpenSolar
- + financing
- + hardware distributors
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Bodhi fit | OpenSolar fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 | OpenSolar |
Vertical-fit scores combine feature coverage, customer base concentration, and the tool's own positioning for the trade. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Bodhi or OpenSolar?
Neither is universally better โ they target different buyers. Bodhi is best for Residential solar installers that want to automate post-sale customer communication and project updates to cut support load, lower cancellations, and drive reviews and referrals. OpenSolar is best for Solar contractors of any size that want a genuinely free, full-featured design and sales platform and are comfortable with a partner-funded business model. See the decision matrix above for situation-specific guidance, or jump to the per-vertical winner table if you're in a specific trade.
Is Bodhi cheaper than OpenSolar?
Both Bodhi and OpenSolar use custom pricing or have similar entry costs โ request quotes from both to compare apples-to-apples for your specific team size.
Can Bodhi and OpenSolar integrate with QuickBooks?
Bodhi does not have a native QuickBooks integration (Zapier workaround may exist). OpenSolar does not have a native QuickBooks integration.
Do Bodhi or OpenSolar offer a free trial?
Bodhi: no free trial advertised; demo on request. OpenSolar: no free trial advertised; demo on request.
How long does Bodhi vs OpenSolar take to implement?
Bodhi: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. OpenSolar: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Implementation length scales with pricing tier โ enterprise platforms ($250+/user/mo) require 3-6 months with dedicated admin time; mid-tier platforms typically reach operational status in 4-8 weeks with optional paid onboarding.
Can I migrate from Bodhi to OpenSolar (or vice versa)?
Yes, but expect data normalization work. Customer records and active jobs typically import cleanly via CSV. Historical job data, recurring service agreements, and custom pricebooks rarely transfer perfectly โ most shops leave historical data in the source system as archival reference rather than migrating it. Budget 2-4 weeks of parallel operation between the two systems during the cutover.
Bodhi vs OpenSolar: which has better customer support?
Both Bodhi and OpenSolar offer email support across all tiers, with phone and live chat typically reserved for higher tiers. Response time SLAs vary by tier โ entry-tier customers usually get 24-48 hour email response; enterprise customers get dedicated account managers with same-day response. Read recent G2 reviews specifically for support-quality signals before committing.
Which is better for solo contractors vs growing teams?
For solo contractors and 2-3 person teams, the lower-priced option (either) typically wins on cost without sacrificing core features. For growing teams (5-15 employees), evaluate based on which platform's upper tiers include the features you'll need at your 12-18 month projected scale rather than buying for today's team size. For established 15+ employee operations, the depth of enterprise features (reporting, multi-location, marketing attribution) matters more than entry-tier price.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with detailed pricing tiers, integration depth, and weaknesses.