100 founding spots open · €99 lifetime

Diaz Editor vs Aurora Solar
$9,360 over 5 years — or €99 once.

Honest comparison. When Aurora wins. When Diaz Editor fits better. No bashing, just facts + use-cases. Bonus: Diaz Editor also handles electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and structural work — Aurora is solar-only.

Get founding spot — €99 → Read comparison ↓

Last updated: 9 May 2026 · By Juan Diaz, founder Diaz Atlas · 6 min read

TL;DR

Aurora Solar is built for enterprise installers and utility-scale work — deep LIDAR shade, FERC compliance, team workflows. Diaz Editor is built for solo and SMB residential installers — fast design, lifetime license, no subscription. Doing 5-30 residential systems per month? Diaz Editor fits better and saves €8,000+ over 5 years.

When Aurora Solar is the right choice

Aurora Solar is one of the most complete platforms on the market. For the right use-case, it earns every euro. Pick Aurora if:

You do utility-scale or large commercial projects (>500 kW per project).
You need LIDAR-grade shade analysis for NEM 3.0 or FERC compliance (mostly US market).
You work in a team of 10+ installers with centralised project history.
You're tied to a US utility that requires deep rate-tariff modelling.
A $1,870/year SaaS budget per seat fits in your margin.

For those use-cases, Aurora is hard to beat. We actively recommend it.

When Diaz Editor fits better

Most installers aren't in that enterprise segment. For SMB work, Diaz Editor fits better. Pick Diaz Editor if:

You do 5-30 residential PV + battery installs per month (0-30 kW per project).
You work solo or in a team of 2-5 installers.
You don't have $1,870/year for SaaS — or simply don't want the subscription treadmill.
Your market is EU/NL/ES (Aurora is US-first; menus and compliance aren't always local).
You want to design in 3D, sketch battery systems, and generate PDF permit packs in one tool.

Side-by-side: features that matter

Feature	Diaz Editor	Aurora Solar
3D roof design	✓	✓
LIDAR shade analysis	— (manual + horizon)	✓
2D battery / wiring schematic	✓	—
Panel + inverter library	3,200+	28,000+
String sizing calculator	✓	✓
PDF permit pack export	✓	✓
Performance simulation (PVWatts)	✓	✓ + proprietary
NEM 3.0 / FERC compliance	—	✓
Team workflow / project history	3 seats / Pro	unlimited (paid)
Works offline	✓ (desktop app)	— (cloud)
Local language UI (NL/ES)	✓	— (EN only)
No subscription	✓	—

Source: Aurora Solar public documentation + Diaz Editor v0.3 changelog. Updated May 2026.

Pricing over 5 years — concrete numbers

Aurora Solar

$156/mo

≈ $1,870/year per seat

5-year total: $9,360

Diaz Editor — Founding Beta€99
one-time · 100 spots · was €997
5-year total: €99

Difference over 5 years: ~€8,500 stays in your pocket. Money you can put into materials, marketing, or margin.

After the 100 founding spots, Diaz Editor returns to €997 once. Still 88% cheaper than Aurora over 5 years.

Migrating from Aurora to Diaz Editor — 3 steps

Export your Aurora projects as DXF/PDF. Aurora supports this via Project → Export → DXF. Also save your BOM (Bill of Materials) as CSV.
Import the DXF into Diaz Editor as a reference layer. Re-trace the system in 3D — for a typical residential project this takes 5-15 minutes.
Generate your permit pack with the built-in PDF export. Includes layout, string schematic, BOM, and performance report.

Bulk migration tool (import 50+ projects at once) is on the v0.5 roadmap for Q3 2026.

Honest verdict

For solo + SMB residential installers

Diaz Editor wins on price and local fit. €99 founding-lifetime versus $9,360 over 5 years isn't a close call. NL/ES UI + EU compliance helps further. Missing LIDAR shade? For 90% of residential projects it has no measurable impact on system design.

For enterprise + utility-scale

Aurora Solar remains the right choice. The LIDAR pipeline, FERC reporting, and team features are unmatched. Diaz Editor doesn't target this segment — and that's a feature, not a bug.

Frequently asked questions

Is Diaz Editor really cheaper than Aurora Solar over 5 years?

Yes. Aurora Solar at $156/month = $9,360 over 5 years. Diaz Editor founding lifetime is €99 once. Even at the regular €997 Pro price, you save roughly €8,000 over 5 years.

Does Diaz Editor have shade analysis like Aurora?

Diaz Editor v0.3 supports manual shade objects and basic horizon shading. Aurora's LIDAR-based irradiance modelling is more advanced. For utility-scale or NEM 3.0 compliance work, Aurora is still the right tool. For solo and SMB residential installers, the built-in shade tools cover 90% of use-cases.

Can I migrate my Aurora projects to Diaz Editor?

There is no direct import yet. You can export panel layouts as DXF/PDF from Aurora and re-create the system in Diaz Editor in 5-15 minutes for a typical residential project. A bulk migration tool is on the v0.5 roadmap.

Is Aurora Solar overkill for residential installers?

For a solo installer doing 5-30 residential systems per month, most Aurora features (utility integrations, FERC compliance, performance simulation at scale) go unused. The pricing reflects enterprise needs. If your work is residential 0-30kW, a lighter tool is usually a better fit.

What about teams larger than one installer?

Diaz Editor Pro includes 3 device seats. Team licenses (5/10/25 seats) are available. Aurora Solar pricing scales per user. For a 3-person team: Aurora ~ $5,600/year, Diaz Editor Pro = €997 once or €99 founding.

Try Diaz Editor — €99 lifetime

100 founding spots. No subscription. 3 device seats. No credit card needed to view the feature overview.

Claim founding spot — €99

Other comparisons

What you get for €99

One-time. Lifetime. 3 seats. No subscription.

Diaz Editor Pro — lifetime license for your full workday ~~€997~~
3 seats — you + your foreman + your work-prep ~~+€600~~
All trades in one tool — building, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, solar 4 tools saved
DXF + IFC import — works with any architect, contractor, or installer Included
1-click PDF export — quote, work-drawing, and BOM in one pack Included
DXF + CNC export for the workshop — cut lists, sheet layouts, mill paths Included
All future updates — v0.4, v0.5, v0.6... Included
Founding-member feedback board — your voice on the roadmap Exclusive

Built for self-employed tradespeople + small teams (1-10 people). Not for architects or utility-scale engineering — AutoCAD and Aurora are better at those.

Regular price (after founding):

~~€997~~ €99 today

Become a founding member — €99 →

100 spots total. Stripe checkout. Instant download after payment.