The best CRM for solar businesses is Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud if you are a large installer, and JobNimbus if you are a small to mid-size residential solar company. For solo installers and very small teams, HubSpot CRM free covers the basics at zero cost and integrates with most solar proposal tools via Zapier.
Solar sales cycles are long, involve multiple site visits, require detailed proposal management, and often need permit and installation tracking alongside the sales pipeline. Most generic CRMs handle the sales side adequately. The ones that stand out for solar specifically are those that connect the sales process to the installation workflow without requiring a separate system.
Quick comparison
| CRM | Best for | Free plan | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|
| JobNimbus | Residential solar, small-mid installers | No | $25/user/mo |
| HubSpot CRM | Small teams, getting started | Yes | $20/user/mo |
| Salesforce Energy Cloud | Large commercial installers | No | $150/user/mo |
| Pipedrive | Sales-focused solar teams | No | $15/user/mo |
| Zoho CRM | Budget-conscious teams | Yes (3 users) | $20/user/mo |
| Scoop Solar | Solar-specific operations | No | Custom pricing |
The best CRMs for solar businesses in 2026
1. JobNimbus — best for residential solar companies
JobNimbus is built for exterior contractors — roofing, solar, siding, windows — and it shows. The workflow is designed around the residential project lifecycle: lead capture, site assessment, proposal, signed contract, permits, installation, inspection, and final payment. Each stage has specific features rather than generic CRM fields you have to customise yourself.
For a solar company doing primarily residential installations, JobNimbus reduces the number of separate systems you need. The project management side handles installation scheduling and crew assignment. The sales side manages your pipeline and proposal history. Document storage keeps site photos, signed contracts, and permit paperwork in one place per job.
The mobile app is strong, which matters for a business where the sales team is frequently on-site. Reps can update job status, add photos, and send proposals directly from the job location.
The starting price of $25/user/month is reasonable for what it covers. The platform scales up in cost as you add more features and users, and some reviewers note that the reporting tools are less advanced than what you get from a pure CRM like Salesforce or HubSpot.
Best for: Residential solar installation companies with 5 to 50 employees who want a single platform covering sales pipeline and installation project management.
Not great for: Commercial solar projects with complex stakeholder management, or very small solo operators who do not need project management alongside CRM.
Pricing: Starts at $25/user/month. See JobNimbus pricing
2. HubSpot CRM — best for small solar teams getting started
HubSpot’s free CRM is the lowest-friction way to start managing your solar leads properly. Unlimited contacts, deal pipelines, email tracking, meeting scheduling, and a document library — all free. For a solo installer or a two-person sales team, this is a complete pipeline management tool at no cost.
The deal pipeline is customisable. You can create stages that match the solar sales process: new lead, site visit scheduled, proposal sent, proposal reviewed, contract signed, installation scheduled, installed, closed won. Each deal card stores contact info, communication history, documents, and notes.
HubSpot does not have solar-specific features. There are no permit tracking fields, no installation scheduling tools, and no native integration with solar proposal software like Aurora or Solargraf. You would need Zapier to connect these systems.
As your team grows and your process becomes more complex, you will either pay for HubSpot’s paid tiers or migrate to a more specialised tool. But as a starting point, nothing on this list beats HubSpot’s free tier for zero-cost pipeline management.
Best for: Solo installers, very small solar teams, and anyone who wants to start managing leads properly without spending money on software.
Not great for: Companies that need installation project management alongside CRM, or that want native solar proposal software integration.
Pricing: CRM free forever, Sales Hub Starter at $20/user/month. See HubSpot pricing
3. Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud — best for large commercial solar
Salesforce’s Energy and Utilities Cloud is the enterprise-grade option for large solar installers, developers, and utilities. It includes everything in Salesforce’s core CRM plus industry-specific modules for energy asset management, service territory management, and customer engagement.
For a company managing large commercial or utility-scale solar portfolios, Salesforce provides the depth of customisation and the integration ecosystem that no other CRM matches. It connects to ERP systems, field service tools, financial platforms, and regulatory reporting systems.
The price reflects this complexity. Salesforce Energy Cloud starts at approximately $150/user/month and typically requires significant implementation time and either internal Salesforce expertise or a third-party implementation partner. It is not a tool you configure yourself in an afternoon.
Best for: Large solar developers, EPCs (engineering, procurement, and construction companies), and utilities managing complex commercial and utility-scale solar portfolios.
Not great for: Residential solar companies or any business without the budget and technical resources to implement and maintain Salesforce properly.
Pricing: Approximately $150/user/month. Contact Salesforce directly for current pricing. See Salesforce Energy Cloud
4. Pipedrive — best for sales-focused solar teams
Pipedrive is a sales-first CRM with one of the most intuitive pipeline interfaces available. If your primary pain point is managing leads and tracking where each prospect is in your sales process — rather than managing the installation side — Pipedrive is worth considering.
The visual pipeline is clean and fast to update. Sales reps can drag deals between stages, log calls and emails directly from the deal view, and set automatic reminders for follow-ups. The mobile app is reliable.
Pipedrive does not have solar-specific features. Like HubSpot, it is a general CRM that you customise for your process. The difference from HubSpot is that Pipedrive has no free tier and is specifically optimised for sales pipeline management rather than broader marketing and customer service.
At $15/user/month for the Essential plan, it is one of the cheaper paid CRMs available and a reasonable choice for a solar sales team that wants a dedicated sales tool without the complexity of Salesforce.
Best for: Solar sales teams that want a clean, fast pipeline tool focused specifically on deal management and follow-up.
Not great for: Teams that need installation project management alongside sales, or companies that want a free starting point.
Pricing: Essential at $15/user/month, Advanced at $29/user/month, Professional at $59/user/month. See Pipedrive pricing
5. Scoop Solar — best solar-specific operations platform
Scoop Solar is built exclusively for solar and renewable energy companies. The platform covers lead management, customer communication, project tracking, permit management, installation scheduling, and utility interconnection tracking — all in one tool designed specifically for how solar businesses operate.
Unlike the general CRMs above, Scoop does not require customisation to fit a solar workflow. The fields, stages, and templates already reflect the solar industry’s specific requirements.
The trade-off is price opacity — Scoop Solar does not publish pricing publicly. You need to contact them for a quote, which typically signals pricing that starts higher than general CRM alternatives. It is also a smaller platform than HubSpot or Salesforce, which means the integration ecosystem and third-party app options are more limited.
Best for: Solar companies that want a purpose-built platform covering the entire customer lifecycle from lead to installation without any customisation work.
Not great for: Companies that need deep integrations with mainstream business tools, or those with tight software budgets.
Pricing: Custom pricing. Contact Scoop Solar
What solar businesses actually need from a CRM
Most generic CRM comparisons miss the specific requirements of solar sales and installation workflows. Here is what matters for a solar business specifically:
Long sales cycle management. Solar purchases involve multiple touchpoints over weeks or months. Your CRM needs to track every interaction, store proposal versions, and remind reps to follow up without manual effort.
Proposal and document management. Site assessment notes, roof measurements, shading analysis, and signed proposals need to live alongside each customer record. A CRM that just stores contact details is not enough.
Installation pipeline alongside sales pipeline. Once a contract is signed, the job does not end — it transitions to permitting, equipment ordering, installation scheduling, and inspection. The best solar CRMs handle both stages in one system.
Mobile capability. Solar sales reps spend time on rooftops and at customer sites. A CRM that does not work properly on mobile creates friction in the field.
Integration with solar proposal software. Tools like Aurora Solar, Solargraf, and OpenSolar generate proposals and system designs. Your CRM should either integrate with these or be flexible enough to store outputs from them.
How we compared these CRMs
Every CRM on this list was evaluated on solar-workflow relevance, pipeline management capability, mobile app quality, integration options, and value for money. We considered both the sales and installation sides of a solar business, not just the pre-sale pipeline.
The bottom line
For most residential solar companies, JobNimbus is the right choice. It is designed for the specific workflow of exterior contractors, covers both sales and installation management, and is priced reasonably for small to mid-size teams.
If you are just starting out and want zero-cost pipeline management, HubSpot CRM free is a solid starting point that you can build on as your business grows.
If you run a large commercial solar operation, Salesforce Energy Cloud is the only platform with the depth to support that level of complexity.
FAQ
What CRM do solar companies use most? JobNimbus and HubSpot are the most commonly used CRMs among residential solar companies. Salesforce is dominant among larger commercial installers and utility-scale developers. Scoop Solar is growing in adoption among companies that want a solar-specific platform.
Is HubSpot good for solar businesses? HubSpot’s free CRM is good for managing the sales pipeline and customer communication for solar businesses. It does not have solar-specific features and does not cover installation project management natively. For pure pipeline management at no cost, it is the best starting point available.
What is the best CRM for a small solar company? HubSpot CRM free for solo operators and very small teams. JobNimbus for small residential solar companies that also need project management alongside sales. Pipedrive for teams that want a dedicated sales tool at a low monthly cost.
Do I need a solar-specific CRM? Not necessarily. For small teams, a well-configured general CRM like HubSpot or Pipedrive covers most needs. Solar-specific CRMs like JobNimbus and Scoop Solar become more valuable as your installation volume grows and the coordination between sales and installation becomes more complex.
What is the cheapest CRM for solar businesses? HubSpot CRM is free forever for core CRM features. Pipedrive starts at $15/user/month. JobNimbus starts at $25/user/month. Zoho CRM is free for up to 3 users and $20/user/month beyond that.
Can I use a regular CRM for solar sales? Yes. General CRMs like HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Zoho can be customised to reflect a solar sales pipeline. The limitation is that they do not cover the post-sale installation workflow natively, which means you either manage that separately or use Zapier to connect tools.
Does Salesforce have a solar industry solution? Yes. Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud is designed for energy companies including solar installers, developers, and utilities. It is enterprise-grade software with pricing to match — approximately $150/user/month — and is most appropriate for large commercial and utility-scale operations.
