German solar customers ask harder questions than customers almost anywhere else. They have lived with the Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz for two decades, they know the difference between Volleinspeisung and Überschusseinspeisung, and they will ask which tariff rate applies to their commissioning date. A proposal tool that treats the feed-in tariff as a single configurable number will not survive that conversation.
Direct answer. The best solar proposal software in Germany for most installers is a German-market tool such as PV*SOL or Solar-Planit for domestic work, with SurgePV the stronger option where the same license also has to produce commercial layouts and single-line diagrams. The differentiator is whether the tool models Eigenverbrauch correctly and applies the right EEG tariff tranche, not how the PDF looks.
TL;DR
- The EEG feed-in tariff is fixed for 20 years at the rate applicable when the system is commissioned. The commissioning date is a proposal input.
- Volleinspeisung and Überschusseinspeisung pay different rates. Choosing between them is a modelling exercise, not a preference.
- Eigenverbrauch, self-consumption, carries most of the value because retail electricity costs far more than the feed-in tariff pays.
- Every system must be registered in the Marktstammdatenregister. No proposal tool does this for you.
- VAT on qualifying residential PV is zero-rated, which changes the customer-facing number materially.
What Germany Actually Changes About Proposal Software
The EEG tariff is date-locked. Under the Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz, a system receives a feed-in tariff fixed for 20 years at the rate in force when it is commissioned, and the rate schedule steps down over time. A proposal built on today’s rate for a system commissioning in six months may be modelling the wrong number. German-market tools track the schedule. Generic international tools do not.
Two feed-in models, two rates. Volleinspeisung, full feed-in, and Überschusseinspeisung, surplus feed-in, are paid at different rates, and the better choice depends on the household’s consumption profile. A system on a low-consumption household may earn more on full feed-in. One on a high-consumption household almost always does better on surplus feed-in with high self-consumption. Modelling both and showing the comparison is what a German customer expects.
Self-consumption is the value driver. German retail electricity prices are among the highest in Europe while the feed-in tariff is modest. Every kilowatt-hour consumed on site is worth several times one exported. That makes the Eigenverbrauchsquote, the self-consumption share, the single most important output of the model, and it is highly sensitive to load profile, battery size, and heat pump or electric vehicle presence.
Registration is mandatory. Systems must be registered in the Marktstammdatenregister, and the grid operator connection process, Anmeldung beim Netzbetreiber under VDE-AR-N 4105 for low voltage, runs separately. Neither comes out of proposal software, and both belong in the customer’s timeline.
Zero-rate VAT. Qualifying residential PV installations are zero-rated for VAT, which changes the headline price. A tool configured for another market’s VAT treatment will produce the wrong customer number.
The Platforms Ranked for Germany
| Platform | Best for | EEG tariff tracking | Eigenverbrauch modelling | Design output | Price per seat per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PV*SOL | German domestic and small commercial | Native | Strong, hourly | Layout and yield | Licence-based, EUR |
| Solar-Planit | German domestic workflow | Native | Strong | Layout | Subscription, EUR |
| SurgePV | Commercial layouts plus proposal | Configurable | Yes, 8,760-hour | Full, with DWG | $1,299 to $1,899 |
| PVsyst | Commercial and financed projects | Configurable | Yes | Yield only | ~$500 |
| HelioScope | Commercial rooftop layouts | Configurable | Yes | DXF only | ~$1,188 |
| OpenSolar | Low-volume domestic | Configurable | Yes | Basic | $0 plus transaction fees |
| Aurora Solar | Larger commercial-facing teams | Configurable | Yes | Good | $1,908 to $3,108 |
PV*SOL and Solar-Planit are the German-market incumbents, and their advantage is exactly the thing international tools lack: native handling of the EEG rate schedule, the two feed-in models, and German grid operator expectations.
SurgePV earns its place where the business is commercial rooftop rather than domestic, because it produces the layout, string design, single-line diagram, and DWG export alongside the proposal. Technical comparison in best solar design software in Germany.
PVsyst remains the yield model German banks and independent engineers accept on financed projects. See PVsyst price.
HelioScope is fast for commercial layouts. See HelioScope pricing.
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What a German Proposal Has to Contain
- Anlagenbeschreibung with module and inverter make, model, count, and kWp.
- Ertragsprognose, the yield forecast, with the weather data source named.
- Eigenverbrauchsquote and Autarkiegrad, self-consumption share and self-sufficiency, modelled hourly against the household load.
- Feed-in model comparison, Volleinspeisung against Überschusseinspeisung, with the applicable EEG rate for the expected commissioning date.
- Battery case modelled separately, showing the incremental self-consumption gain.
- Electricity price and escalation assumption, since the value of self-consumption depends on it.
- VAT treatment stated, given the zero rate on qualifying residential systems.
- Grid connection route under VDE-AR-N 4105 and the Marktstammdatenregister registration step in the timeline.
- Amortisation with the assumptions visible.
Item 4 is the professional test. A German customer comparing two quotes will notice if one modelled both feed-in models and the other assumed one.
Pricing in Euro
| Stack | Cost per year | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| PV*SOL | Licence-based, quoted in EUR | German domestic design, yield, proposal |
| OpenSolar | €0 plus transaction fees | Basic domestic proposal |
| SurgePV | ~€1,195 to €1,747 | Commercial layout, SLD, DWG, proposal |
| HelioScope | ~€1,093 | Commercial layout and yield |
| Aurora | ~€1,755 to €2,859 | Proposal plus design |
| Add PVsyst if financed | ~€460 | Yield report |
Dollar-quoted figures converted at an illustrative 0.92.
What Most German Installers Get Wrong
They model self-consumption from a standard load profile when the household has a heat pump or an electric vehicle.
A standard household profile and a profile with a heat pump running through a German winter are not the same shape, and the self-consumption share differs enormously between them. Since self-consumption is where the value sits, getting the profile wrong makes the whole economic case wrong. Where the customer has a smart meter with accessible interval data, use it.
The second mistake is quoting today’s EEG rate for a system that will commission after the next step-down. The tariff is locked at commissioning, not at signature, and a customer who discovers the gap after installation has a legitimate complaint.
When Proposal Software Is Not the Constraint
If commercial rooftop enquiries sit unquoted because nobody can produce a layout, a shading study, and a compliant single-line diagram, that is engineering capacity.
Our solar rooftop detailed engineering design and solar 3D pre-design services cover that work, with sales-stage models turned around in 48 hours. See the sample design pack or talk to our team.
Conclusion
- Model both feed-in options. Volleinspeisung and Überschusseinspeisung pay different rates and the right answer depends on the load profile.
- Use real load data where you can get it. Self-consumption carries the German economic case and a standard profile misses heat pumps and electric vehicles.
- Quote the EEG rate for the commissioning date, not the signature date. The tariff locks at commissioning.
In this country series: solar software in Germany, best solar design software in Germany, shading analysis software in Germany, Pvsol review. Tool deep dives: Pvcase review, Pvsyst review.
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Disclosure and accuracy note
Commercial relationship. Heaven Designs and SurgePV are part of the same group. Treat our recommendation of SurgePV as a vendor making its own case, not an independent verdict. We have tried to describe every other product fairly, and to say plainly where a competitor is the better choice.
Pricing. All prices are indicative, compiled from public sources when this page was written. They vary by tier, region, contract term and exchange rate, and change without notice. Several vendors quote rather than publish, and some price in currencies other than the US dollar, so a converted figure moves with the exchange rate. Confirm current pricing with the vendor before you decide anything.
Trademarks and corrections. All product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners, and are used here for identification and comparison only. Their use does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by those companies. If anything here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we will correct it.
FAQ
What is the best solar proposal software in Germany? German-market tools such as PV*SOL or Solar-Planit for domestic work, because they track the EEG rate schedule natively. SurgePV where the same license also has to produce commercial layouts and single-line diagrams.
How does the EEG feed-in tariff affect the proposal? The rate is fixed for 20 years at the level in force when the system is commissioned, and the schedule steps down over time. The proposal must use the rate expected at commissioning.
What is the difference between Volleinspeisung and Überschusseinspeisung? Full feed-in exports everything at one rate. Surplus feed-in consumes on site first and exports the remainder at a lower rate. Which pays better depends on the household consumption profile, so model both.
Does proposal software handle Marktstammdatenregister registration? No. Registration and the grid operator connection process under VDE-AR-N 4105 are separate workflows outside every proposal platform.
How much does solar proposal software cost in Germany? From €0 with OpenSolar to roughly €2,900 per user per year at Aurora’s higher tiers, with German-market licences quoted separately. Cross-platform math is in our solar design software pricing breakdown.
Does zero-rate VAT apply automatically in the software? Not in tools configured for other markets. Check it during evaluation, because it changes the customer-facing price.
What about the design software decision separately? Covered in best solar design software in Germany.
