Alternatives
PVsyst Alternative
The early PV layout, in the building model: modules on the roof planes, strings sized for cold mornings, inverters and batteries, and how much of the year each array is in shade.
PVsyst: CHF 700 a year. Home 3D Plan (home3dplan.com): Free.
What PVsyst does, and where it is here
Stringing
Modules per string sized for the cold morning voltage, with inverters, batteries and DC cabling. See the tool
Array layout
Modules laid out on each roof plane, facing the way the roof does, inside setbacks you set. See the tool
Shading
How much of the year each array is in shade, from the roofs, chimneys and trees in the model. See the tool
Roof model
The roof is the one you drew: pitch, planes and overhangs come from the building. See the tool
Home 3D Plan and PVsyst, side by side
| Feature | Home 3D Plan | PVsyst |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | CHF 700 a user a year |
| Free option | Start in the browser with no account | Trial. Student licence CHF 25 a year, with watermarked reports |
| Runs on | Any modern browser: Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, iPad and phone | Windows |
| Install | None. Can be installed as a web app | Desktop install |
| IFC | IFC4 export of architecture, structure and services | See vendor |
| DWG and DXF | DWG and DXF in and out | See vendor |
| Structure | Columns, beams, braces, footings and gridlines, with a reinforcement bar schedule | See vendor |
| Services (MEP) | Electrical, plumbing and heating, drainage, ventilation, gas and solar PV | Detailed PV yield simulation and loss analysis |
| Site and terrain | Survey levels, terraces, retaining walls, roads, paving and planting | 3D near shading scenes |
| Quantities | Takeoff by storey, element, function and material, as CSV or a workbook | Simulation reports |
| Drawings and sheets | Sections, elevations, 1:5 details and sheet sets to PDF, DWG, DXF and SVG | See vendor |
| Rendering | Four render tiers, the top one a GPU path tracer on desktop | See vendor |
| Team work | Organisation projects with discipline roles and live presence | See vendor |
| AI and agents | MCP server with 38 tools for Claude, ChatGPT and other agents | See vendor |
PVsyst prices as published on 10 October 2026 (https://www.heavengreenenergy.com/blog/pvsyst-price). "See vendor" means the vendor does not publish the fact or we could not confirm it. PVsyst is a trademark of PVsyst SA. Home 3D Plan is not affiliated with PVsyst SA.
What PVsyst does that Home 3D Plan does not
- Bankable yield simulation with weather data and detailed losses.
- Reports that lenders and grid operators accept.
- Utility scale and complex systems.
Moving from PVsyst
Lay the array out here on the house model, then take the module count, tilt and azimuth into PVsyst for the yield.
The PV goes out with the building as IFC4.
Which one fits your work
Pick PVsyst when
- You need a bankable yield report.
- You design utility scale or complex systems.
- Lenders or the grid operator ask for PVsyst.
Pick Home 3D Plan when
- You lay out PV on a house you are designing.
- You want strings, inverters and shade in the building model.
- You want PV in the IFC with the services.
How to start
Open the editor
Go to home3dplan.com and open the editor. Nothing to install and no account needed to start.
Bring your drawing
Open a DWG or DXF and turn its lines into walls, or trace over a PDF or a scan set to scale.
Build the model
Draw walls and the storeys, rooms, slabs and 3D model follow. Add roofs, structure, services and the site.
Send it out
Print sections, elevations and sheets to PDF or DWG, and send the building out as IFC4.
PVsyst and Home 3D Plan, answered
Can Home 3D Plan replace PVsyst?
No. It lays out the array, sizes strings and shows shade as a share of the year, but it does not simulate yield. Use it for the layout and PVsyst for the yield report.
How much does PVsyst cost compared with Home 3D Plan?
PVsyst: CHF 700 a user a year, as published on 10 October 2026. Home 3D Plan is free to use in the browser today.
Does Home 3D Plan export IFC and DWG?
Yes. The building goes out as IFC4, with its architecture, structure and services, and the drawings go out as DWG, DXF, PDF and SVG. DWG and DXF also come in. The editor does not open IFC files.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Home 3D Plan runs in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, iPad and phones, and can be installed as a web app if you want an icon.
Read on
- Solar PV: PV modules, inverters, batteries and the DC cabling between them.
- Electrical: Sockets, switches, lights and boards on the plan, wired into circuits.
- MagiCAD alternative: Services in the building model, without a host CAD program.
- Stabicad alternative: Electrical and mechanical services in one browser model.
- All alternatives: Every product we compare against, with its price.