Solar CRM vs Zoho,
for Indian EPCs.
Zoho is a strong, low-cost, flexible general CRM and suite. SuryaHub is solar-native and end-to-end. Here is an honest look at which one fits an Indian solar EPC.
By the SuryaHub team · Updated 18 June 2026
The short answer.
Zoho is a flexible, affordable general CRM with a huge app ecosystem. You can run a solar sales pipeline on it — but it is not solar-aware, so you would build the solar parts yourself.
SuryaHub is built for solar EPCs end to end — quoting, install, compliance and 25-year AMC on one record, on flat INR plans. Pick Zoho for a flexible general CRM you will customise. Pick SuryaHub to run a solar EPC without building the solar parts — see the solar CRM or pricing.
- Best for
- Zoho: a flexible general CRM
SuryaHub: a solar EPC - Solar-native
- Only SuryaHub
- Pricing model
- Zoho: per user
SuryaHub: flat plan - Starting cost
- Zoho: per seat/mo
SuryaHub: ₹4,500/mo
Is Zoho good for solar EPCs?
Zoho is a real, capable product, so let us be fair about what it does well — and where a solar EPC has to fill the gaps. Below is the honest split.
The short version: Zoho gives you a flexible base, but every solar-specific step — quoting in kW, BOM, net-metering, install proof, AMC — is something you design and keep updated yourself. See the solar CRM →
Zoho vs SuryaHub, line by line.
An honest, detailed comparison for running a solar EPC. A "—" means it is not built in; you can often build it in Zoho by hand.
- Leads & pipeline
- Customisation Solar-set
- kW pricing & BOM
- PM Surya Ghar / DISCOM / net-metering
- Solar AMC
- Field install photo proof
- GST invoices Add-on / Books
- Model Per user Flat plan
- Getting started Build it yourself Solar-ready
- Hosting Cloud Cloud or on-prem
Where Zoho wins
Let’s be fair — Zoho is a strong, affordable suite.
- A big, cheap ecosystem
Zoho One bundles 45-plus apps — CRM, Books, Desk, Projects, Mail — into one low per-seat price. Few suites give you this much for the money.
- Very flexible
Custom modules, fields, workflows and Deluge scripting mean you can shape Zoho to almost any process you can describe.
- Strong general CRM
Leads, deals, pipelines, email and reporting are mature and well-supported. For a general sales team, it works out of the box.
- Wide India presence
Zoho is an Indian company with local billing, GST input credit and a large partner network to help you set things up.
Where SuryaHub wins
The solar work a general CRM has to be built up to do.
- Solar-native, not adapted
kW pricing, BOM, the two-quote cycle, DISCOM and AMC are built in — not modules you design and maintain yourself.
- PM Surya Ghar & DISCOM built in
Subsidy and net-metering steps, DCR and DISCOM paperwork are part of the workflow, not custom fields you bolt on.
- Field install with photo proof
A 5-stage install flow with photo + GPS proof at each step. A general CRM has no concept of a site visit or commissioning.
- The AMC moat
Auto-scheduled visits and 90/60/30-day renewal reminders protect 25-year service revenue. You would build all of this in Zoho.
- Flat INR pricing, not per user
Plans are ₹4,500 / ₹14,500 / ₹29,000 a month for the whole team — not a per-seat bill that climbs as you hire.
- Solar-ready on day one
You configure your rate cards and go live in 2 to 4 weeks. No months of building the solar parts before you can quote.
Can Zoho run a full solar EPC workflow?
Zoho can hold a solar sales pipeline well. Leads, deals, follow-ups and reports are all there, and you can add custom fields for panel count or system size. The gap shows up past the sale. A solar job is not just a deal — it is a kW-priced quote, a bill of materials, a technical survey, a DISCOM and net-metering file, a staged install with photo proof, milestone payments and then years of AMC. Zoho knows none of that on its own.
You can build it. With custom modules, fields and Deluge scripts a skilled team can model a two-quote cycle, a BOM and an AMC schedule in Zoho. But that is a project — you design it, test it, and keep it updated as PM Surya Ghar and DISCOM rules change. SuryaHub ships the solar quotation engine, government workflows and AMC ready to use, so there is nothing to build first.
How does per-user pricing compare for a solar team?
Zoho charges per user per month. That is fair and flexible at a small size, but the bill grows every time you add a salesperson, a field engineer or an AMC manager. A solar EPC has a lot of field and back-office hands, and many of them only touch the system now and then — yet each one is a seat.
SuryaHub uses flat plans for the whole team instead — ₹4,500, ₹14,500 and ₹29,000 a month — so the price does not climb with headcount. Then weigh in the build: with Zoho you also pay, in time or money, to create and maintain the solar workflow. With SuryaHub that part is already done. Which is cheaper depends on your team size and how much custom work you would put into Zoho.
Move your Zoho data over in weeks, not months.
SuryaHub imports your leads, contacts and projects from Zoho during onboarding. You keep your Zoho data — nothing is lost. Most EPCs are live in 2 to 4 weeks.
- Go live2–4 weeks
- Migration (≤150 records)₹25,000
- Migration (>150 records)₹50,000
- Lite plan from₹4,500/mo
So, which should you pick?
Pick Zoho if…
- You want a flexible, low-cost general CRM and suite
- You’re happy to customise it for solar yourself
- You’ll keep that build updated as rules change
Pick SuryaHub if…
- ✓You want to run a solar EPC end to end
- ✓You want kW pricing, DISCOM and AMC ready to use
- ✓You prefer flat INR plans over a per-user bill
SuryaHub vs Zoho — your questions.
Is Zoho good for solar EPCs?+
Zoho is a strong, affordable and flexible general CRM and business suite, and you can run a solar sales pipeline on it. But it is not solar-aware out of the box: there is no kW pricing or BOM, no PM Surya Ghar, DISCOM or net-metering, no solar AMC and no field install flow. You would build and maintain all of that yourself. SuryaHub ships those solar parts ready to use.
How much does Zoho cost in India compared to SuryaHub?+
Zoho is priced per user per month, so the bill grows as you add people; Zoho CRM tiers and Zoho One are charged per seat in INR, plus GST. SuryaHub uses flat plans for the whole team — Lite ₹4,500, Elite ₹14,500 and Pro ₹29,000 a month — so cost does not climb with headcount. The right choice depends on team size and how much you would spend building the solar parts in Zoho.
Does Zoho have PM Surya Ghar, DISCOM or net-metering features?+
No. Zoho has no built-in PM Surya Ghar subsidy, DISCOM or net-metering workflow. You would model these as custom modules, fields and scripts and keep them updated yourself. SuryaHub builds PM Surya Ghar, DISCOM and net-metering steps into the project workflow for Indian solar EPCs.
Can Zoho handle solar quotations and AMC?+
Not natively. Zoho can hold a quote and a renewal date, but it has no kW pricing, BOM, two-quote cycle or auto-scheduled AMC with 90/60/30-day reminders. You would build that logic with custom modules and Deluge scripts. SuryaHub includes a solar quotation engine and an AMC module with renewal reminders and a customer portal.
Should I pick Zoho or SuryaHub for my solar business?+
Pick Zoho if you want a flexible, low-cost general CRM and suite, and you are happy to customise it for solar and keep that build updated. Pick SuryaHub if you want to run a solar EPC end to end — quoting, install, compliance and AMC — without building the solar parts yourself, on flat INR plans.
Can I move my data from Zoho to SuryaHub?+
Yes. SuryaHub imports your leads, contacts and projects from Zoho during onboarding. Migration is ₹25,000 for up to 150 records or ₹50,000 above that, and most EPCs go live in 2 to 4 weeks. You keep your Zoho data; nothing is lost in the move.