Software · South Africa · Head-to-head
OpenSolar vs Tradify (ZA)
Two South Africa software options, compared side by side for South Africa trades.
Which should you choose?
OpenSolar and Tradify (ZA) 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.
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.
Tradify (ZA)
Tier S · Published pricesJob management software for trade businesses, founded in NZ and owned by the UK's Access Group, from R480 per user a month
Tradify is job management software for trade businesses, founded in New Zealand and bought by the UK's Access Group under a deal announced in October 2024. It covers enquiries, quoting, scheduling, job tracking, timesheets, invoicing and online card payments, and syncs with Xero and QuickBooks Online. Its South African site lists rand prices per user per month, and Tradify says tens of thousands of contractors and tradespeople use it.
Pros
- + Published rand prices per user a month, from R480
- + 14-day free trial with all features and no credit card
- + Free one-on-one training and phone support
- + Syncs with Xero and QuickBooks Online, with Stripe for card payments
Cons
- − Per-user pricing adds up as the team grows
- − Timesheets, job photos and progress invoicing need Pro; purchase orders and reporting need Plus
- − No South African office or local phone number listed
- − Pricing page does not state whether prices include VAT
South Africa note
Tradify runs a South African page with rand prices, but the pricing page does not say whether they include VAT, and the site lists no South African office or local number (the footer shows the North American number 1-844-484-6210). Accounting sync covers Xero and QuickBooks Online; Sage is not listed.
More South Africa options
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