Location
Tap GPS or type in the place. From those coordinates the app pulls irradiation data for your roof specifically.
For iPhone, iPad & Mac · by ElMundi Labs
Is solar worth it on my roof?
Work through seven steps and you know what your roof can do. It runs on your roof geometry, your modules and yield data from the European Commission's PVGIS service.
Download on the App Store
Free · Pro is a one-off purchase
01
Seven steps
Seven steps
to the answer
Roof shape
Gable, hip, pyramid, pitched, flat, façade. Plus trapezoid and triangular surfaces for everything that isn't a rectangle.
Dimensions
Width and height per surface, each with its own name. The calculation won't be more accurate than the measurements you feed it.
Orientation
Hold up your phone and the compass gives you the direction. That becomes the azimuth for the yield calculation.
Tilt
Lay the iPhone flat on the roof and the inclinometer reads the angle. For façades the slider goes to 90°.
Modules
The module plan lays modules onto the roof, portrait or landscape, and leaves room around chimneys and skylights.
Economics
Enter your electricity price, feed-in rate and storage. Out comes what the system saves per year and when it pays for itself.
02
Counting modules,
Counting modules,
row by row
Square metres times a factor would be easy, but it rarely holds up. PV Wizard actually lays the modules onto the surface, including trapezoids, triangles and pyramid roofs, and counts every row.
- Gable roof
- Hip roof
- Pyramid roof
- Pitched roof
- Flat roof
- Façade
03
Every module
Every module
in its place
Drag the chimney, skylight and satellite dish to where they actually sit. Whatever ends up underneath drops out of the calculation.
0 usable
4 blocked
0.0 kWp
04
What comes out
What comes out
at the end
Example project from the app, calculated with PVGIS data from the European Commission.
0
Modules
0
kWp output
0
kWh per year
0
Years to payback
05
No roof?
No roof?
A railing will do.
Four steps and you know what your plug-in system will bring in. The app calculates DC and AC separately, clips at the inverter limit and knows the plug rules for your country.
- DC and AC calculated separately, clipping included
- Connection checklist to prepare your setup
- Region-aware feed-in and plug guidance
06
The Mac gets
The Mac gets
an app of its own
On the Mac you get a proper macOS app with a sidebar, a menu bar and windows that behave. You buy Pro once and have it on iPhone, iPad and Mac (Universal Purchase).
07
What sets PV Wizard apart
Real PVGIS yield data
Location-accurate yields from the EU Commission's PVGIS system (JRC), no blanket figures. Offline fallback included.
Roof, façade and balcony
Two wizards: roof system on gable, pitched or flat roofs, even as a vertical façade mount (90°). Or plug-in balcony solar up to 800 W inverter power.
Compass & tilt sensor
Point your iPhone or iPad at the roof: the built-in compass finds the orientation, the tilt sensor the roof angle. Measure instead of guess, no ladder maths.
Tariffs & subsidy notes
Tariffs and feed-in rates for the UK & Ireland (SEG/CEG) as well as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy, automatically by location. Plus notes on subsidy schemes per country (ECO4, SEAI, KPC, KLEIV, Detrazione), for information.
Cost & payback
Realistic cost estimate per kWp, from DIY through standard to premium, including installation and storage. Plus electricity price, feed-in tariff, total investment and payback period at a glance.
Shading & obstacles
Interactive module plan with drag & drop: chimney, skylight, satellite dish, plus a shading deduction per roof surface.
Battery storage
Simulate self-consumption and payback with storage, including a realistic, declining price estimate.
PDF & JSON export
Create a clean PDF report or save your projects as JSON, ideal for advice and archiving.
Private by design
No account, no ads, no analytics tools. All project data stays local on your device. Full control.
08
Start free,
Start free,
unlock once
Free
Free
- Full seven-step wizard
- PVGIS yield calculation
- Plug-in solar mode
- Request checklists
- Unlimited projects
Pro
Pro
One-off purchase
- PDF report & JSON backup
- Obstacles & shading
- Battery storage simulation
- Deactivate individual modules
- Installer request package
- Universal Purchase: iOS + macOS
Price shown in your local currency on the App Store.
A quote from an installer?
Check it before you sign.
Solar prices vary enormously right now: the same setup can cost thousands more at one company than another. PV Wizard holds the promised yield against real PVGIS data and the price against typical market costs per kWp. So you walk into the sales conversation informed and don't overpay.
-
Yield realistic?
Hold the promised kWh per year against real PVGIS figures for your location. -
Price fair?
Check the quoted price against typical market costs per kWp (standard and premium level). -
Worth it?
Work out the payback period with your real numbers, not with vendor optimism.
Before you start
What to have ready for a solar quote
Ten minutes of preparation pay off before you approach installers. Send the right documents and you get a quote faster, and a better one, because the company doesn't have to guess.
- Annual electricity consumption from your last bill; it determines the sensible system size
- Photo of the meter cabinet, so the installer sees straight away whether your meter needs replacing
- Photo of the roof: an overview is enough; dormers, chimneys and skylights are what matter
- Heritage protection or shading? A short note saves a surprise at the on-site visit
- Your key figures: roof dimensions, orientation, tilt, or let PV Wizard handle that
That is exactly what the request package in the app is for (PV Wizard Pro): a finished PDF with your roof data, module plan, yield forecast and payback calculation. Attach, send, done. The installer knows immediately what it is about.
Plug-in solar: better clarified before you buy
Plug-in solar is quickly ordered. These four points spare you from it sitting in its box for weeks afterwards.
- Is an outdoor socket available and within reach? Sounds trivial, but it is the most common stumbling block
- Clarify the plug standard and power limit that apply where you live; the app shows the rule for your location
- Prepare the registration with the relevant authority; the requirements differ from country to country
- Renting? Then get your landlord's consent first
The app works out in advance what your plug-in solar system will actually deliver at your location, with real yield data instead of manufacturer promises.
Frequently asked questions
Is balcony solar worth it in the UK?
It depends on orientation, shading, your electricity price and self-consumption, and that applies to both rooftop systems and balcony solar. Using real PVGIS yield data for your location, PV Wizard calculates how much electricity your system generates, how much of it you use yourself and after how many years it pays for itself. So you can see, for both options, whether and when the investment makes sense.
How do I spot an overpriced solar quote?
Check three things: first, the promised annual yield. PV Wizard gives you a realistic comparison value from real PVGIS data for your location. Second, the price: hold the quoted total against the typical cost per kWp (standard and premium level, including installation) that the app estimates. Third, the payback period with your real figures. If a quote deviates significantly on yield or price, it's worth asking questions or getting a second quote.
What subsidies are there for solar in my country?
Depending on your location, PV Wizard points to relevant schemes, for example 0 % VAT on solar installation in the UK (until 31.03.2027) and the ECO4 programme, the SEAI Solar Electricity Grant in Ireland, KPC/EAG investment support in Austria, KLEIV (Pronovo) in Switzerland or the Detrazione 50 % in Italy. These notes are for information and not yet factored into the economics calculation. A subsidy module is planned. The official scheme conditions always apply.
What is PVGIS and why is it more accurate?
PVGIS (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System) is a service of the EU Commission (Joint Research Centre) with many years of irradiance data. Instead of blanket rules of thumb, PV Wizard calculates with location-accurate monthly yields, making the forecast far more dependable.
Do I need an internet connection?
For the most accurate values the app queries PVGIS online. If you're offline, PV Wizard continues with a built-in fallback model. You still get a result.
What does the app cost?
The download is free and you can calculate unlimited projects. Pro features (obstacles & shading, battery storage simulation, PDF and JSON export) are unlocked with a one-off purchase. No subscription.
Which devices does PV Wizard run on?
On iPhone and iPad (iOS/iPadOS 17 or newer) as well as a native Mac app (macOS 14 or newer). One purchase unlocks Pro features on all your devices via Universal Purchase. Projects themselves are stored locally on each device, not synced.
Is my data tracked?
No. There's no account, no ads and no analytics tools. All project data stays local on your device. Details in the privacy policy.
Available in seven countries, each with its local tariffs and CO₂ factors
🇩🇪 Germany
🇦🇹 Austria
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇮🇹 Italy
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