# OpenSolar vs Sunbase Solar Designer

The clearest difference is rating: Sunbase Solar Designer at 5.0 against OpenSolar's 4.4. Sunbase Solar Designer also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.7). OpenSolar's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sunbase Solar Designer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenSolar has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

OpenSolar ships an update every 6 weeks, Sunbase Solar Designer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenSolar | Sunbase Solar Designer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opensolar/id1410085935/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbase-solar-designer/id1632238633/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 216 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.7 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OpenSolar Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1340033321) | [Jared Dubin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1336351914) |

## What reviewers say

### OpenSolar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opensolar/id1410085935)

This free application provides a comprehensive solution for designing and selling solar energy systems. It offers end-to-end functionality for solar professionals.

**Highlights:** End-to-end solar design, Sales application, Free to use, Comprehensive functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sunbase Solar Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbase-solar-designer/id1632238633)

Design 3D solar and roofing layouts with advanced tools. Measure roofs, add obstacles like trees, and generate detailed performance simulations with shading analysis for accurate reports.

**Highlights:** 3D solar and roofing design, Roof measurement tools, Obstacle placement (trees), Lidar data integration, Performance simulations, Shading analysis reports

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpenSolar free?

OpenSolar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sunbase Solar Designer free?

Sunbase Solar Designer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, OpenSolar or Sunbase Solar Designer?

Sunbase Solar Designer is rated higher. OpenSolar averages 4.4 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Sunbase Solar Designer averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do OpenSolar or Sunbase Solar Designer have ads?

Neither OpenSolar nor Sunbase Solar Designer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OpenSolar or Sunbase Solar Designer?

OpenSolar ships an update every 6 weeks, and Sunbase Solar Designer every 2 months. Most recently, OpenSolar was updated on October 7, 2026 and Sunbase Solar Designer on October 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*