Skyfire vs Aurora Solar (2026)
Aurora Solar is a powerful sales-oriented platform with impressive 3D modeling and customer-facing proposals. Skyfire is purpose-built for permitting — generating permit-ready plan sets in minutes with a built-in compliance engine and PE stamps. If your bottleneck is closing deals, Aurora shines. If your bottleneck is permitting, Skyfire gets plans out the door faster.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Skyfire | Aurora Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Site Survey AppSite Survey | ||
| 3D DesignDesign | Basic 3D | |
| Plan Set GenerationPermitting | Limited | |
| PE StampsPermitting | ||
| AHJ DatabasePermitting | Partial | |
| Compliance EnginePermitting | ||
| Storage DesignDesign | ||
| SolarAPP+ IntegrationPermitting | Partial | |
| Multi-State SupportCoverage | ||
| API AccessIntegration | ||
| Pricing ModelPricing | Per-plan | Enterprise subscription |
Where Skyfire Wins
Permit-ready plans in 5 minutes
Skyfire generates complete, permit-ready plan sets in roughly 5 minutes. Aurora can produce design documents, but assembling a fully compliant permit package typically takes hours of manual work or third-party add-ons.
Built-in compliance engine
Skyfire automatically checks designs against local AHJ requirements, NEC codes, and fire setback rules. Aurora relies on the designer to verify compliance manually or through separate processes.
PE stamps included
Skyfire bundles licensed PE stamps with plan sets — no separate vendor or extra cost. Aurora users typically need to source PE stamps independently.
Lower cost for permitting-focused workflows
Skyfire charges per plan, so you only pay when you submit. Aurora uses enterprise subscription pricing that can be significantly more expensive for teams focused primarily on permitting throughput.
Where Aurora Solar Might Be Better
Industry-leading 3D shade analysis
Aurora's LIDAR-powered 3D modeling and shade analysis is genuinely best-in-class. If precise shading simulations drive your sales process, Aurora has a clear edge.
Customer-facing sales proposals
Aurora was built for the sales workflow. Its branded, interactive proposals with financing options and savings estimates are polished and effective at closing homeowner deals.
Larger market presence and integrations
Aurora has a wider ecosystem of CRM integrations, financing partners, and third-party tools. For large sales organizations, this mature ecosystem matters.
Pricing Comparison
Aurora Solar uses enterprise-level subscription pricing, typically starting in the hundreds of dollars per month per seat, with costs scaling based on team size and feature tier. Many features that matter for permitting — like advanced exports and compliance checking — sit behind higher-priced plans. Skyfire uses a per-plan pricing model, meaning you pay only for the permit packages you generate. For teams that process a high volume of permits but do not need Aurora's full sales suite, Skyfire is often significantly less expensive on a per-project basis.
Choose Skyfire if you...
- Your biggest bottleneck is getting permits approved, not closing sales
- You need complete, PE-stamped plan sets — not just design files
- You want automatic AHJ compliance checking instead of manual verification
- You process high volumes of permits and want predictable per-plan pricing
- You need fast turnaround — 5 minutes for a permit-ready package, not hours
Choose Aurora Solar if you...
- Customer-facing 3D proposals are central to your sales process
- You rely on detailed shade analysis to optimize system performance
- You need deep CRM and financing-partner integrations
- Your team already uses Aurora and switching costs outweigh permitting gains
- You need a single platform covering sales, design, and basic permitting
Switching Scenario
A 40-person residential installer in Texas was spending 2–3 hours per project assembling permit packages from Aurora designs — exporting PDFs, adding line diagrams, sourcing PE stamps, and cross-checking local AHJ requirements. After adding Skyfire to their workflow, they kept Aurora for sales proposals but routed all permitting through Skyfire. Permit package assembly dropped from hours to under 10 minutes, and their rejection rate fell from 18% to under 3%. They estimate saving over 60 labor hours per week across their permitting team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Skyfire and Aurora Solar together?
Yes. Many teams use Aurora for sales proposals and customer-facing 3D designs, then use Skyfire for the permitting step. The two platforms complement each other well if your bottleneck is on the permitting side.
Does Aurora Solar include PE stamps?
No. Aurora generates design documents, but PE-stamped engineering packages must be sourced separately — usually through a third-party stamping service. Skyfire includes PE stamps as part of the plan set output.
Is Aurora Solar's 3D modeling better than Skyfire's?
Yes, for shade analysis and customer-facing visualizations, Aurora's 3D modeling is more advanced. Skyfire focuses its engineering on permit-ready output rather than visual sales tools.
Which is cheaper for a small installation company?
It depends on your workflow. Aurora's subscription can be expensive for small teams. Skyfire's per-plan pricing means you only pay when you generate a permit package, which is often more affordable for lower-volume shops.
Does switching from Aurora to Skyfire require retraining?
Skyfire has a streamlined interface focused on permitting, so most users are productive within a day. If your team currently spends time manually assembling permit packages, the learning curve is minimal compared to the time saved.