OpenSolar vs Scoop
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
OpenSolar
Free, full-featured solar design and sales software
- Starting price
- Free tier available
- Aggregate rating
- —
- Best team size
- 1-500
- Free trial
- No
Scoop
AI-powered field operations and workflow automation for solar and renewable-energy teams
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Aggregate rating
- —
- Best team size
- 5-500
- Free trial
- No
What actually separates them
Only the points where OpenSolar and Scoop genuinely differ, from our verified data. Everything they share is further down.
- → Price transparency: OpenSolar publishes a starting price (Free tier available). Scoop does not, so comparing them costs you a sales call.
- → Integrations: only OpenSolar connects to financing, hardware distributors; only Scoop connects to quickbooks, zapier.
- → Features the other lacks: OpenSolar has solar_design, 3d_modeling, production_estimates; Scoop has workflow_automation, scheduling, dispatching.
Quick verdict
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.
Scoop: Solar and renewable-energy installers and O&M teams that want to standardize and automate field workflows and scale operations without adding headcount.
Decision matrix — which one is right for you?
Pick OpenSolar if…
- → 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
Pick Scoop if…
- → Your situation matches Scoop's target profile: Solar and renewable-energy installers and O&M teams that want to standardize and automate field workflows and scale operations without adding headcount
- → QuickBooks is critical — Scoop has native integration; OpenSolar requires Zapier or manual workarounds
- → You want broader feature coverage — Scoop ships 8 core features vs OpenSolar's 5
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | OpenSolar | Scoop |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free — Free | Unlimited seats — contact sales — Custom |
Scoop uses custom-quoted pricing (typically $250-$800/user/mo for enterprise FSM platforms); OpenSolar has transparent public pricing starting at $0/mo. If budget predictability matters, OpenSolar wins on transparency alone. If you need enterprise-tier features and don't mind the sales process, Scoop's custom pricing reflects the deeper feature set.
Pros & cons
OpenSolar
- − Some advanced API access and third-party connectors are now paid
- − Partner-funded model means hardware/finance partners get in-platform placement
- − Permit-ready electrical depth is limited like most design-first tools
- − No native QuickBooks integration (Scoop has it)
Scoop
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Broad feature coverage (8 core features)
- − So configurable that setting up dashboards, reports, and workflows for each team takes time
- − It is operations/field-workflow-centric rather than a residential sales-and-design tool, so it complements rather than replaces a proposal tool
- − No public pricing — sales call required for a quote
Implementation timeline comparison
OpenSolar
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
Scoop
Not published; the vendor quotes per account, so ask for the onboarding plan in writing before signing
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 OpenSolar
- + solar design
- + 3d modeling
- + production estimates
- + proposals
Both have
- ✓ project management
Only in Scoop
- + workflow automation
- + scheduling
- + dispatching
- + mobile app
- + checklists
- + form automation
- + reporting
Integrations
Only in OpenSolar
- + financing
- + hardware distributors
Both integrate with
— No common integrations —
Only in Scoop
- + quickbooks
- + zapier
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | OpenSolar fit | Scoop fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 9 / 10 | 8 / 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, OpenSolar or Scoop?
Neither is universally better — they target different buyers. 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. Scoop is best for Solar and renewable-energy installers and O&M teams that want to standardize and automate field workflows and scale operations without adding headcount. 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 OpenSolar cheaper than Scoop?
Both OpenSolar and Scoop use custom pricing or have similar entry costs — request quotes from both to compare apples-to-apples for your specific team size.
Can OpenSolar and Scoop integrate with QuickBooks?
OpenSolar does not have a native QuickBooks integration (Zapier workaround may exist). Scoop integrates with QuickBooks natively.
Do OpenSolar or Scoop offer a free trial?
OpenSolar: no free trial advertised; demo on request. Scoop: no free trial advertised; demo on request.
How long does OpenSolar vs Scoop take to implement?
OpenSolar: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Scoop: Not published; the vendor quotes per account, so ask for the onboarding plan in writing before signing. Implementation length scales with pricing tier — 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 OpenSolar to Scoop (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 — 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.
OpenSolar vs Scoop: which has better customer support?
Both OpenSolar and Scoop offer email support across all tiers, with phone and live chat typically reserved for higher tiers. Response time SLAs vary by tier — 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.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We review OpenSolar and Scoop against their own published pricing and terms, and we publish the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product and it is not covered here, send it to us and it gets the same treatment.
Listings are free. No vendor can pay for placement, for a score, or to have a documented con removed. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.