Comparison

Solar Setup vs Mr. Solar Doc

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Solar Setup

Effortlessly plan your off-grid solar system. This tool calculates panel, battery, and inverter needs based on your location, power usage, and desired backup days, providing cost and payback estimates.

Highlights
  • Off-grid solar sizing
  • Appliance catalog
  • Real sun-hours data
  • Battery science calculations
  • Inverter surge load handling
  • Cost and payback estimates
  • Save and compare setups
Features
Read full description

Plan your off-grid solar setup in minutes. Solar Setup Calculator turns your appliance list into a complete, sized system — solar panels, battery bank, inverter, and charge controller — with real-world cost estimates and payback time. No spreadsheets. No installer sales calls. Just answer three questions about where you live, how much power you use, and how many days of battery backup you want — and the app does the off-grid solar math using the same formulas professional installers use. WHY IT'S DIFFERENT * Off-grid solar sizing built for everyone, not just installers. Pick appliances from a built-in catalog of 30+ common loads (fridges, lights, laptops, AC units, water pumps) or type in your own watts and hours. * Real sun-hours data, not guesses. The app pulls NASA POWER satellite data for your exact location on demand, so your panel count reflects what your roof actually gets — not a generic regional average. * Real battery science. Lithium and lead-acid have very different depth-of-discharge limits and round-trip efficiency. The calculator handles both correctly so your battery bank is sized for what it can actually deliver, not what's printed on the label. * Inverter sizing that handles surge loads. Air conditioners, fridges, and pumps draw 3 to 5 times their rated wattage during startup. The app accounts for this so your inverter doesn't trip out on day one. * Cost and payback estimates. Add your local kWh price and see how many years until your solar setup pays for itself versus staying on the grid. * Save and compare. Try different configurations side-by-side — 12V vs 24V vs 48V, lithium vs lead-acid, 1 day vs 3 days of backup — and see which one wins on cost and reliability. * Export as PDF. Share your sized system with an installer or supplier as a clean, professional PDF — no spreadsheet attachments. BUILT FOR - RV and van life — calculate solar for your rig with realistic appliance assumptions - Tiny house and cabin — design a system sized for your real consumption - Backyard sheds, workshops, and outbuildings — keep your tools running without trenching mains - Backup power for grid-tied homes — size a battery bank for blackouts - Marine solar setups — the same off-grid math works on a boat FREE FOREVER - Unlimited setups and saved designs - Cloud sync across devices (optional) - Full off-grid sizing wizard - NASA POWER sun-hours refresh - Built-in solar education library PRO — ONE-TIME $6.99, LIFETIME - PDF export of your sized system - Side-by-side comparison of multiple setups No subscriptions. No ads. Pay once, keep forever. THE STORY Solar Setup Calculator was built by an off-grid enthusiast frustrated with calculators that sized panels for daytime use only and left batteries empty by midnight. The app uses the full daily kWh figure for panel sizing, accounts for system losses, and handles depth-of-discharge correctly — the same way a professional designer would. Whether you're planning a weekend cabin, going full-time off-grid, or just curious what it would take to cover your fridge with solar — Solar Setup Calculator gives you a real answer in 5 minutes. Download free, design unlimited setups, and pay once for Pro if you need the comparison view or PDF export.

About

Mr. Solar Doc

Read full description

What size solar system is right for your property, and how much should you reasonably pay for it? Mr. Solar Doc helps you make a better informed decision before investing in solar. The app uses your property, electricity consumption and local solar conditions to calculate a suitable system size and expected electricity generation. Then comes the most important question: What payback period are you comfortable with? You choose the payback period that feels right for you. Mr. Solar Doc then calculates the maximum the system can cost to achieve that payback period. This gives you a financial benchmark to compare installer quotes against, rather than relying solely on the price you are offered. With Mr. Solar Doc you can: • Calculate a suitable solar system size • See estimated annual solar generation • Adapt the calculation to your electricity consumption • See how much solar electricity you can use yourself and export • Choose your desired payback period • Calculate the investment level that matches your target • Compare the result with quotes from installers • Create a clear report of your calculation Mr. Solar Doc is not a quotation and cannot predict actual future returns. Calculations are based on the information and assumptions used in the calculation. Understand the economics before investing in solar. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Solar Setup4 screens
Mr. Solar Doc4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Solar Setup at none against Mr. Solar Doc's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Solar Setup sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Mr. Solar Doc sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Solar Setup ships an update every 2 days, Mr. Solar Doc every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Solar Setup versus Mr. Solar Doc: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolar SetupMr. Solar Doc
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAmmar KhatibSimon Petersson

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Solar Setup

One-time1
  • Solar Setup Pro$6.99
2 purchases

Mr. Solar Doc

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Yearly$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Solar Energy Calculation$3.99

Questions

Is Solar Setup free?
Solar Setup is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mr. Solar Doc free?
Mr. Solar Doc is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Solar Setup or Mr. Solar Doc have ads?
Mr. Solar Doc shows ads; Solar Setup does not.
Which is updated more often, Solar Setup or Mr. Solar Doc?
Solar Setup ships an update every 2 days, and Mr. Solar Doc every 3 days. Most recently, Solar Setup was updated on October 25, 2026 and Mr. Solar Doc on October 29, 2026.

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