Software · South Africa · Head-to-head
Odyssey Job Cards vs OpenSolar
Two South Africa software options, compared side by side for South Africa trades.
Which should you choose?
Odyssey Job Cards and OpenSolar are both Tier S: our check found each one's prices published on its own website, so you can compare their costs before talking to sales. The tier is not a quality ranking: weigh the pros, cons, pricing and South Africa-specific notes below against your trade and region.
Odyssey Job Cards
Tier S · Published pricesBloemfontein job card software with quotes, invoices and an Android app, from R483 a month for six users
Odyssey Job Cards is job card software from Odyssey Software, which lists an office at 135 Raymond Mhlaba Street, Bloemfontein. It covers job cards, quotations, invoicing, automated scheduling and deadline notifications, and an Android app for field teams with site photos, parts and customer authorisation. It is sold as two flat monthly packages that include all features and differ only in user seats.
Pros
- + Flat monthly packages rather than per-user pricing: R483 for 1 admin and 5 technicians
- + All features included in both packages
- + Android app with site photos, parts and customer authorisation
- + Bloemfontein office and local phone line
Cons
- − Field app is confirmed for Android only; iOS is not mentioned
- − No accounting integrations are listed
- − VAT treatment and trial length are not stated
- − No listed package beyond 3 admins and 20 technicians
South Africa note
Odyssey Software lists a Bloemfontein office and the number 051 433 1520, open Monday to Friday 8:00am-5:00pm. Prices are in rand; the site does not say whether they include VAT.
OpenSolar
Tier S · Published pricesFree solar design, proposal and CRM software for solar installers, from Australia's OpenSolar
OpenSolar is solar design and sales software from OpenSolar Pty Ltd of New South Wales, Australia, founded in 2017 by Adam Pryor and Andrew Birch. It covers automatic system design, mounting design, single-line diagrams, proposals with e-signature, integrated finance, a hardware shop and project management CRM. OpenSolar says it is free for solar professionals because manufacturers, finance companies and distributors pay to be on the platform, and that more than 28,000 professionals use it.
Pros
- + Free for solar professionals; OpenSolar says partners fund the platform
- + Automatic design, mounting design and single-line diagrams
- + Proposals with e-signature and integrated finance options
- + Project management CRM and hardware shop in the same platform
Cons
- − Solar-specific, not general trades job management
- − Funded by manufacturers, finance companies and distributors that pay to be on the platform
- − No South African office or SA-specific pages found
- − Aerial imagery is paid per image through a prepaid wallet, with no public prices
South Africa note
OpenSolar is a global web platform that says it is used in more than 185 countries, but none of the pages read mention South Africa, and it lists no South African office or local support. It handles solar design and sales only, so a trades business would still need separate job management software.
More South Africa options
See all South Africa software vendors and the rest of the South Africa directory.