Choose Pylon if you want a fast, polished, Australian-built design studio with award-winning 3D shading for residential work. Choose Solar Proof if you want more proposal flexibility and stronger commercial and multi-inverter depth. These two are genuinely close, both Australian, both pay-per-project, both with SLDs, shading, interval data and CRM, so for many installers either is an excellent choice and the decision comes down to proposals and project type.
At a glance
| Solar Proof | Pylon | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | AU compliance + proposal flexibility | Fast residential design |
| Pricing | From ~$4/project; Pro ~$99/mo | ~$4 standard / ~$10 Pro per project |
| Australian focus | Built for Australia | Built for Australia |
| SLD editor | Yes (AS/NZS 5033) | Yes |
| 3D shading | Yes | Award-winning |
| Proposal templates | AI Template Builder, flexible | Capable but limited range |
| Commercial depth | Residential + commercial | Residential-focused |
Where Pylon wins
- Shading workflow. Pylon's award-winning 3D shading on its flat 2D design surface is fast and very easy to use, including on tablets.
- Maturity and user base. A large, established base of Australian installers and a highly refined residential design experience.
- Speed. Its under-two-minute proposal flow is widely praised.
Where Solar Proof wins
- Proposal flexibility. The AI Template Builder generates a branded template from your website, rather than choosing from a small set of layouts.
- Commercial and multi-inverter depth. Better suited to larger and more complex systems beyond standard residential.
- Battery rebate detail. The Federal Battery Rebate's tiered structure applied inside quotes.
Pricing compared
The two are priced similarly. Pylon uses pay-per-project pricing with no monthly fees and unlimited users, typically around four dollars for a standard project and about ten dollars for a Pro project. Solar Proof is pay-as-you-go from around four dollars per project (first projects free), with Pro plans from about ninety-nine dollars per month. Confirm current rates with each provider. For most installers, price will not be the deciding factor between these two.
What installers say
"Solar Proof has revolutionized our workflow. It's incredibly user-friendly, which has been a game-changer for our team. The high-resolution imagery alone is worth it — clients immediately see the value in our proposals. The system sizing and custom proposal design tools make even the most complex projects a breeze."
When you should NOT switch to Solar Proof
If you do mostly residential work, you are happy with Pylon's design studio and shading, and your team already has templates built and converting, there is little reason to switch. Between two close Australian tools, changing platforms only pays off when a specific gap, usually proposal flexibility or commercial depth, is genuinely holding you back.
FAQ
Are Solar Proof and Pylon similar?
Yes, very. Both are Australian-built, use low per-project pricing, and cover design, shading, interval data, SLDs and CRM. The differences are mainly proposal flexibility and commercial depth.
Which is cheaper, Solar Proof or Pylon?
They are priced similarly, both around four dollars per standard project with no compulsory monthly fee, so cost is rarely the deciding factor.
Verdict
Pylon is an excellent, polished residential design tool with standout shading. Solar Proof edges ahead on proposal flexibility and commercial depth. Both are strong Australian choices, so pick based on the work you actually do.
