Buying Guide: Getting the Best Price (2026)
The 4 Main Ways to Buy Solar
1. The Marketplace Route (EnergySage)
Best Balance of Price vs. Service
Typical Price: ~$3.10 - $3.40 / Watt
You upload your utility bill once, and vetted local installers bid for your project. This reverse-auction model forces transparency in pricing while connecting you with local pros.
- Price Transparency: Quotes are standardized in $/Watt.
- Competition: Bidding drives prices down toward the "Cash Price" baseline.
- Local Service: You get local installers who can handle permitting nuances and offer personal support.
- Price Premium: Expect to pay 10-20% more than Tesla. You are paying for better service and flexibility.
- "Bait & Switch" Risk: Some installers bid low to win the click, then add "Change Orders" (e.g., $3,500 Main Panel Upgrade) after the site visit.
2. The Commodity Route (Tesla)
The "Retail Baseline"
Typical Price: ~$2.60 - $2.80 / Watt
Tesla operates as the "Walmart" of solar: highly standardized, vertically integrated, and volume-focused. They set the price floor for the entire industry.
- Retail Price Floor: Typically ~$2.60–$2.80/Watt.
- Integrated Tech: The Powerwall 3 ecosystem is arguably the best consumer hardware/software experience.
- Timeline: Expect 3-6+ months. Delays in permitting or utility interconnection often go unresolved for weeks due to understaffed support.
- Zero Flexibility: They use a "cookie-cutter" design. They will reject complex roofs, refuse to hide conduit in attics, and will not customize panel placement for aesthetics.
- Support: Post-install support is app-only; reaching a human for troubleshooting is notoriously difficult.
3. The Wholesale Route (Project Solar)
Lowest Price (Installed)
Typical Price: ~$2.20 - $2.40 / Watt
A tech-first "General Contractor" model. They design the system online and hire a local subcontractor to install it, removing all sales commissions.
- Wholesale Pricing: Often undercuts Tesla by 10-15%.
- Better Equipment: Unlike Tesla (String Inverters), they typically use Enphase Microinverters, which are better for shade/reliability.
- "General Contractor" Burden: You are effectively the project manager. If the subcontractor is late, you coordinate with Project Solar, who then calls the sub. High coordination friction.
- DIY Legwork: You must take your own site survey photos and measurements.
4. The "True DIY" Route (Signature Solar)
Absolute Lowest Price (DIY)
Typical Price: ~$1.00 - $1.50 / Watt
You buy the pallet of panels, inverters, and batteries directly. You act as the designer, permit runner, and installer.
- Wholesale Cost: You pay raw component cost. No labor markups.
- Cheap Storage: You can buy server-rack battery stacks (e.g., EG4) for ~1/3 the cost per kWh of a Powerwall.
- Extreme Difficulty: You act as the permit runner and installer. (Note: They often sell design services to help with the electrical diagrams).
- Zero Support: If you fail the City/County Building Inspection (e.g., for wrong wire gauge or missing labels), it's on you to fix it and pay for reinspection.
Recommended "Battle Plan"
Do not commit to a single channel immediately. Use the Retail Baseline to your advantage.
Establish the Baseline
Get an instant online quote from Tesla. Do not order yet. This number (e.g., $28,000 for 8kW + PW3) is your Retail Baseline. You now know the standard market rate for a "commodity" install.
Gather Market Quotes
Register on an aggregator (like EnergySage) to collect 3-5 competing bids from local installers. Do not speak to sales reps yet; just gather the data.
Evaluate the Options
Compare your quotes against the Tesla Retail Baseline:
- Local Premium: Decide if paying 10-20% more for a Marketplace installer is worth it for better service, faster timelines (2-3 months), and attic conduit runs.
- The "Project Solar" Check: If you are willing to take site photos yourself to save ~$3,000, compare a Project Solar quote. It is often cheaper than Tesla and uses superior Enphase microinverters.
- Support: Consider the value of having a direct line to a local installer vs. relying on Tesla's app-based ticketing system.
The "Tax Loophole" Check
Crucial Step: As of 2026, the Residential Tax Credit (30%) has expired for cash purchases. However, the Commercial Tax Credit is still active for leased systems.
How the "Prepaid Lease" Works
Instead of buying the system, you pay a 25-year lease upfront. Because the installer technically owns it, they claim the 30% Commercial Tax Credit and pass the savings to you.
- The Math: Does the Prepaid Lease Quote beat the Tesla Cash Quote?
- The Catch: Tesla does not offer prepaid leases.
- Availability:
- Project Solar: Offers "HDM Financing" (Prepaid) in CA, TX, and NV. Read more.
- Marketplace: Look for installers who are "Dealers" for Sunnova, EverBright, or Sunrun.
- The Holy Grail: Finding a reasonably priced installer who offers this Prepaid structure. This combines the 30% tax advantage with a competitive base price.
🚩 Common Quote Red Flags
- The "Dealer Fee" Trap: "Low interest" solar loans (e.g., 2.99%) often include a hidden 25-30% origination fee added to the principal. Always ask for the "Cash Price" to compare apples to apples.
- The "Premium Panel" Upsell: Installers may push "Premium" panels (e.g., Maxeon/SunPower) at a 50% markup.
The Engineering Reality: Premium panels are ~23-24% efficient vs. ~21-22% for standard Tier 1 panels (REC, QCells). Unless you are severely constrained by roof space, paying double for a 2% efficiency gain yields a negative ROI.