Best solar planning tools for homeowners with complex roofs
A complicated roof changes the kind of evidence you need. A regional estimate can help frame a budget, but it cannot tell you where panels can actually go. Multiple roof planes, obstructions and uncertain shading are reasons to ask for better site information, not just a different headline estimate.
| Tool | Best fit in this guide | Access and tradeoffs |
|---|---|---|
| OpenSolar | Best fit in this selection for a professional layout and proposal workflow. | Core platform advertised as free; external API access and connectors can have charges. |
| PVWatts | Useful for checking a clearly specified production scenario after geometry is known. | Public web calculator; API use has separate key and usage requirements. |
| CleanFuture (ours) | Useful for keeping your roof questions attached to the household plan. | Account required to save; saved AI estimates currently require an active subscription. |
What matters for homeowners with complex or shaded roofs
A layout you can inspect
Ask the designer to show the proposed array, roof planes and excluded areas. Know which dimensions came from imagery and which were checked on site.
Shade described as evidence
A label such as moderate shade is not a detailed assessment. Ask how the proposal accounts for nearby trees, obstructions and variation across the array.
Unresolved site work stays visible
Keep roof condition, structural review and electrical work on the question list. Design software and a homeowner calculator do not independently settle these matters.
OpenSolar
- Category
- Professional solar design and sales software
- Best for
- Best fit in this selection for a professional layout and proposal workflow.
- Access
- Core platform advertised as free; external API access and connectors can have charges.
OpenSolar provides professional design and proposal workflows, including 2D, 3D and manual design options described in its documentation.
What to weigh before choosing
Imagery and 3D availability vary; professional review and site verification still matter.
Imagery and design modes vary by location. A software layout is not a substitute for site verification or professional responsibility.
PVWatts
- Category
- Public photovoltaic production model
- Best for
- Useful for checking a clearly specified production scenario after geometry is known.
- Access
- Public web calculator; API use has separate key and usage requirements.
PVWatts models grid-connected photovoltaic output using inputs such as capacity, tilt, azimuth and losses. Its V8 API documents monthly and hourly output options.
What to weigh before choosing
It does not verify where equipment can fit on your actual roof.
A modeled production result does not verify usable roof area, structural condition, electrical design or a household’s bill savings.
CleanFuture (ours)
- Category
- Conversational household planning
- Best for
- Useful for keeping your roof questions attached to the household plan.
- Access
- Account required to save; saved AI estimates currently require an active subscription.
Discuss your energy plan in Chat, explore supporting Map and Data pages, and keep preliminary estimate versions inside My system. You can explicitly publish a limited read-only snapshot.
What to weigh before choosing
A planning shade assumption cannot substitute for a detailed design assessment.
Not installer bidding, professional roof design or a guaranteed savings calculation. A regional solar estimate excludes battery costs and detailed tariff modeling.
A practical next-step checklist
- Document visible roof constraints and any planned roof work.
- Request a proposed layout and a description of the evidence behind it.
- Ask the designer to explain shade and any excluded areas.
- Update the household plan only after distinguishing confirmed details from provisional ones.
A situation to watch for
A roof with east- and west-facing sections should not silently become one south-facing array in a comparison. Ask which parts of the proposal correspond to each plane and how the overall output was assembled.
This checklist is our planning advice, not a claim that any listed tool automatically performs every step.
Questions worth asking
Can I rule solar in or out from an aerial image?
Treat imagery as screening evidence. The proposal still needs to address site conditions, usable area and any required professional checks.
Will a larger battery fix roof limitations?
A battery does not resolve missing roof area or establish generation. Review solar layout and storage objectives as separate parts of the design.
Turn the reading into a plan
Bring your questions to Chat and keep the assumptions tied to your system.
Discuss my plan in ChatYour question and this article’s context will be prefilled for you to review and send. Account required to save a system; saved AI estimates currently require an active subscription. Preliminary guidance, not an installation quote.
Sources and review method
We make CleanFuture. These are our editorial recommendations based on first-party documentation and our own product’s scope, not hands-on performance tests. We recommend other products when they fit the job better. US-focused; local availability and terms need checking.
We selected five overlapping solar workflows: quote comparison, installer research, advisor-led buying, production modeling and professional design. PVWatts and OpenSolar are adjacent tools, not equivalent homeowner services. This is a focused shortlist, not an exhaustive market survey or an objective top-five company ranking.
Recommendations weigh the task, required inputs, output, access terms and limitations. We did not test purchases, installation quality, model accuracy or response times. Product descriptions come from the linked official documentation; workflow advice and rankings by fit are our editorial judgment. We do not use numeric ratings or vendor savings claims to choose winners.
For broader whole-home electrification, also consider QuitCarbon’s planning and coaching. Solar.com is another shopping service outside this five-tool selection. Exclusion is not a negative evaluation.
Sources: OpenSolar: professional platform; OpenSolar: first project design guide; OpenSolar: free platform and paid external access; PVWatts: public calculator; PVWatts V8: official model inputs and outputs; CleanFuture: solar estimate workflow.
Capabilities and terms can change. Check the provider’s current documentation and your actual proposal before committing.