Pylon vs Solargraf
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
Pylon
Fast pay-per-project solar design and proposal software with 3D shading
- Starting price
- Free tier available
- Aggregate rating
- 4.6 / 5
- Best team size
- 1-100
- Free trial
- No
Solargraf
Solar design and proposal software, deeply integrated with the Enphase ecosystem
- Starting price
- From $233/mo
- Aggregate rating
- —
- Best team size
- 1-50
- Free trial
- No
What actually separates them
Only the points where Pylon and Solargraf genuinely differ, from our verified data. Everything they share is further down.
- → Entry price: Pylon starts at Free tier available, Solargraf at From $233/mo, so Solargraf is Infinityx the entry cost.
- → Features the other lacks: Pylon has instant_quotes, mobile_app; Solargraf has esignature, financing_integration.
Quick verdict
Pylon: Residential solar designers and sales teams who want fast proposals and award-winning 3D shading on a low-commitment pay-per-project model.
Solargraf: Residential solar sales teams and installers — especially those selling Enphase IQ batteries and microinverters — who want fast, financeable, e-signable proposals.
Pylon has a lower starting price (Free tier available).
Decision matrix — which one is right for you?
Pick Pylon if…
- → Your situation matches Pylon's target profile: Residential solar designers and sales teams who want fast proposals and award-winning 3D shading on a low-commitment pay-per-project model
- → Budget is the constraint — Pylon starts at $0/mo vs $233/mo for Solargraf
Pick Solargraf if…
- → Your situation matches Solargraf's target profile: Residential solar sales teams and installers — especially those selling Enphase IQ batteries and microinverters — who want fast, financeable, e-signable proposals
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Pylon | Solargraf |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free (5 projects) — Custom | Starter — Custom |
| Tier 2 | Standard — Custom | Small Business — Custom |
| Tier 3 | Pro — Custom | — |
Pylon starts at $0/mo on Free (5 projects). Solargraf starts at $233/mo on Starter. Pylon is $233/mo cheaper at the entry tier. At scale (5+ users), both platforms typically converge in price as you climb the tier ladder.
Pros & cons
Pylon
- + Lower entry price — Free tier available
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- − Limited proposal customization and no support for commercial structures (residential-focused)
- − The pay-per-project model is cheap to start but can add up at high design volume
Solargraf
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- − Reviewers report shading-analysis inaccuracy of roughly 10-20% versus competing tools and permit packs that need revisions more than half the time
- − Billing is annual-only, so there is no low monthly entry point
Implementation timeline comparison
Pylon
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
Solargraf
4-8 weeks self-service or with optional paid 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 Pylon
- + instant quotes
- + mobile app
Both have
- ✓ solar design
- ✓ 3d modeling
- ✓ solar proposals
- ✓ proposals
Only in Solargraf
- + esignature
- + financing integration
Integrations
Only in Pylon
— None unique —
Both integrate with
- ✓ quickbooks
Only in Solargraf
— None unique —
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Pylon fit | Solargraf fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 | Tie |
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, Pylon or Solargraf?
Neither is universally better — they target different buyers. Pylon is best for Residential solar designers and sales teams who want fast proposals and award-winning 3D shading on a low-commitment pay-per-project model. Solargraf is best for Residential solar sales teams and installers — especially those selling Enphase IQ batteries and microinverters — who want fast, financeable, e-signable proposals. 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 Pylon cheaper than Solargraf?
Pylon has a lower starting price (Free tier available vs From $233/mo). However, total cost depends on team size, features needed, and tier — see the full pricing breakdown above.
Can Pylon and Solargraf integrate with QuickBooks?
Pylon integrates with QuickBooks natively. Solargraf integrates with QuickBooks natively. Both work with QuickBooks Online; confirm QuickBooks Desktop support before signing if your accountant uses Desktop.
Do Pylon or Solargraf offer a free trial?
Pylon: no free trial advertised; demo on request. Solargraf: no free trial advertised; demo on request.
How long does Pylon vs Solargraf take to implement?
Pylon: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Solargraf: 4-8 weeks self-service or with optional paid onboarding. 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 Pylon to Solargraf (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.
Pylon vs Solargraf: which has better customer support?
Both Pylon and Solargraf 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 (Pylon) 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 Pylon and Solargraf 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.