Tool profile
Scanifly: cost, fit and limits
Scanifly is a solar design platform made by Scanifly, Inc. that builds 3D site models from drone surveys, satellite imagery, LiDAR and Nearmap data, produces layouts, shading analysis and permit-ready plan sets, and pairs them with a field operations mobile app.
What to know first
Scanifly sells PV Design, Field Ops and Design Services, with no prices published; the pricing page returned a 404 when opened. Its distinguishing idea is two ways to start a design: PrelimDesign from satellite, LiDAR and Nearmap data, and DroneDesign from a drone flight on the roof. The homepage names AI obstruction detection and shading analysis but links no privacy policy.
Scanifly at a glance
| Maker | Scanifly, Inc., Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Entry price | Quote only |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Solar Design Software in 2026, rank 5 of 13 |
| Website | scanifly.com/ |
Who Scanifly is best for
Installers who fly drones
DroneDesign builds the model from the drone survey, so a company already capturing roofs this way avoids remodeling the building by hand.
Sales teams quoting before a site visit
PrelimDesign designs remotely from satellite imagery, LiDAR and Nearmap, which lets a seller prepare a preliminary layout before anyone climbs on the roof.
Companies outsourcing design work
Design Services lets Scanifly experts build the design, useful for a firm whose volume spikes and whose in-house designers cannot keep up.
Scanifly plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| PV Design | Not published | Remote design from satellite imagery, LiDAR and Nearmap (PrelimDesign), drone-based onsite design (DroneDesign), shading analysis, CAD export and permit-ready plan sets. |
| Field Ops | Not published | Mobile app for iOS and Android with drone-based site surveys and digital checklists for structural, electrical and property inspections. |
| Design Services | Not published | Outsourced design by Scanifly experts, offered as an alternative to the software when the AI-built layout or in-house capacity falls short. |
Checked November 2026.
What Scanifly does
- PrelimDesign
- Remote design starts from satellite imagery, LiDAR and Nearmap data, and the homepage says the model and layout can be built automatically using AI or by Scanifly Design Services.
- DroneDesign
- Onsite design starts from a drone survey, so the model reflects the actual roof, and the homepage names AI obstruction detection as part of the process.
- Layouts with fire setbacks
- Roof layouts account for fire setbacks, module type and orientation, which removes a manual step for jurisdictions that require clear pathways on the roof and lets a designer change module type quickly.
- Shading and production modelling
- The homepage names AI and proprietary solar shading analysis plus production modelling, and CAD export carries the design into drawing software for permit sets, so shading results travel with the plan.
- Field Ops app
- The iOS and Android app carries digital structural, electrical and property checklists and drone-based surveys, so crews record site conditions in the same system as the design.
How Scanifly handles your data
The only page opened was the homepage, and it states no data handling facts. No privacy policy link appears there; the only legal link in the footer is Terms of Service. Training on customer data, retention, hosting location and security certifications are not stated. The homepage mentions regulator and lender approvals from NYSERDA, MassCEC, CEC and Austin Energy, which are approvals of the design output, not security certifications. A buyer that needs a data processing agreement should request the privacy terms before a trial.
Where Scanifly falls short in practice
- No public pricing. The pricing page returned a 404 and the homepage lists no figures, so the cost of PV Design, Field Ops and Design Services is only available through sales.
- Privacy terms missing. The footer links only Terms of Service, so there is no policy to read on retention or hosting before uploading drone imagery of customer properties.
- Integrations unnamed. The homepage describes CRM or proposal tools, financing platforms and racking suppliers as categories only, so a buyer cannot confirm that its own CRM connects.
Works with
Alternatives to Scanifly
Scanifly: common questions
What is the difference between PrelimDesign and DroneDesign?
PrelimDesign designs remotely from satellite imagery, LiDAR and Nearmap data, before anyone visits. DroneDesign designs onsite from a drone survey of the actual roof. The homepage presents them as two starting points for one product, PV Design, so a company can use both.
Does Scanifly publish prices?
No. The homepage lists no prices and the pricing page returned a 404 when opened. PV Design, Field Ops and Design Services are described without a cost. Expect to request a quote and ask what each product includes before comparing against priced tools.
Which AI features does Scanifly name?
The homepage says the model and layout can be built automatically using AI or Scanifly Design Services, and names AI obstruction detection and AI and proprietary solar shading analysis. It gives no accuracy figures, so judge them on a drone survey from one of your own jobs.
Is there a Scanifly mobile app?
Yes. Field Ops is a mobile app for iOS and Android with drone-based site surveys and digital checklists for structural, electrical and property details. Its price is not published, and the homepage does not say whether it is sold separately from PV Design.
Where does Scanifly store my data?
The homepage does not say. It links no privacy policy, and states no hosting region, retention period or security certification. The regulator and lender approvals it lists are approvals of design output. Ask for the privacy terms before uploading customer property imagery.