Solar Quote Review: What You Will Pay in 2026
Written by HyreSolar Research Desk Price compilation from published, dated sources
The short answer
Solar Quote Review depends mainly on putting every bid on the same basis, gross cost per watt, and this page gives the installed range from dated, sourced quotes to check yours against. Across 21 published, dated sources, residential systems run $2.58/W–$3.36/W before incentives.
A quote well above that range needs a reason in the line items: roof, electrical work, storage or a financing fee. No 30% federal credit applies to a system a homeowner buys: Section 25D ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025 (what changed).
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Keep learningInstalled price range (21 quotes, dated)
Installed price per watt: $2.58/W–$3.36/W, the median low to the median high across the 21 comparable published figures below. The full spread runs from $2.20/W to $4.00/W.
| Source | Published figure | Basis | Source date | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EnergySage | $2.60/W | EnergySage marketplace quotes, before incentives | 2026-06-30 (state table 2026-10-16) | 2026-10-21 |
| Fixr | $3.04/W | national average | 2026-01-30 | 2026-10-21 |
| SunHub | $2.50/W to $3.30/W | residential, before incentives | 2026-06-04 | 2026-10-21 |
| SolarSavingsHub | $2.85/W to $3.25/W | national average installed, gross | 2026-10-04 | 2026-10-21 |
| GreenEnergyCalc | $3.50/W | LBNL Tracking the Sun 2024 median, cash purchases (cited by page; also cites EnergySage $2.60) | 2026-10-02 | 2026-10-21 |
| Nedes | $2.20/W to $3.66/W | installed 2026, before incentives | 2026-08-27 | 2026-10-21 |
| ProHouseMaintenance | $2.58/W | citing EnergySage, before incentives | 2026-06-01 | 2026-10-21 |
| SolarReviews | $3.03/W | 7.2 kW cash, before incentives | 2026-10 | 2026-10-21 |
| EcoWatch | $3.33/W | EcoWatch analysis, appears pre-credit (page dating inconsistent) | not stated | 2026-10-21 |
| Arka360 | $2.59/W to $2.86/W | residential average; basis not stated | 2026-06-05 | 2026-10-21 |
| Portlandia Electric Supply | $2.50/W to $3.50/W | before incentives | 2026-06-06 (updated 2026-09) | 2026-10-21 |
| The Green Watt | $2.50/W to $3.20/W | installed, gross | 2026-04-15 | 2026-10-21 |
| NRG Clean Power | $2.58/W to $2.75/W | marketplace quotes (page also cites LBNL cash ~$3.50) | 2026-07-25 | 2026-10-21 |
| Solar Powered Tech | $4.00/W | LBNL 2024 median all purchases, before incentives (cash median $3.50) | 2026-09-24 | 2026-10-21 |
| RenCalc | $2.40/W to $3.70/W | before incentives | 2026-09-04 | 2026-10-21 |
| SolarWattCalc | $2.50/W to $3.50/W | US | not stated | 2026-10-21 |
| pv magazine USA (via Now.Solar), citing Wood Mackenzie/SEIA | $3.36/W | Wood Mackenzie/SEIA Q2 2026 turnkey residential | 2026-09-24 | 2026-10-21 |
| Jouleio | $2.50/W to $3.50/W | citing SEIA 2025 | 2026-05-18 | 2026-10-21 |
| SurgePV | $2.50/W to $3.39/W | before incentives | 2026-07-19 | 2026-10-21 |
| solar.com | $3.36/W | national benchmark per SEIA/Wood Mackenzie | not stated | 2026-10-21 |
| This Old House | $2.29/W to $3.66/W | state range, 10-kW system before tax credit (no national average given) | 2026-06-12 | 2026-10-21 |
Each row is a figure as the source states it, gross of incentives, not adjusted by us. The headline range is a HyreSolar calculation over these rows. No 30% federal credit is subtracted: Section 25D ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025.
Compare quotes from vetted solar installers Proposal analyzer
What makes two quotes differ
Most of the gap between quotes is scope, not margin. One bid includes a main panel upgrade, another leaves it as a change order; one prices microinverters, another a single string inverter; one includes a battery. Strip every non-generation item into its own line and the per-watt figures usually move much closer together.
Financing hides the rest. A financed price can include a dealer fee of a size that looks like a high installer margin.
Lease and PPA offers have no installed price at all, so compare them on payment, escalator and term (solar lease cost).
Any cash or loan proposal dated after 2025 that still subtracts a 30% federal credit is using a rule that no longer exists.
Production claims are the last thing to check. A quote can look cheap per watt and still overstate what the system will make. The estimate should name the tool used, the shading assumptions and the annual kWh, and that figure should be checked against your own twelve months of usage before you compare payback.
What to pull out of a quote before comparing
| Line item | Priced on | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Panels, inverter, racking, labor | Gross $/W on the DC rating | Cost per watt |
| Battery | Per kWh, separately | Solar battery cost |
| Main panel upgrade | Its own line | Panel upgrade |
| Roof work or reroof | Its own line | Solar and roof replacement |
| Loan dealer fee | Financed price minus cash price | Dealer fees |
How to check a quote
- 1Convert to gross cost per watt
Price before incentives, divided by the DC size in watts. The proposal analyzer does it from the proposal.
- 2Separate everything that is not generation
Battery, panel upgrade, roof work, trenching and EV charger come out before you compare.
- 3Remove any 30% credit from the math
Section 25D ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025 (what changed).
- 4Ask for the cash price on any financed offer
The difference is the dealer fee; the dealer fee calculator shows the real rate.
- 5Check the contract terms, not just the price
Workmanship warranty length, who does the install, production guarantee and cancellation terms. The contract red flags checker lists what to question.
Questions
How do I know if my solar quote is fair?
What should be in a solar quote?
What are red flags in a solar quote?
How many solar quotes should I get?
HyreSolar does not install or finance solar systems. The figures above are other publishers’ published prices, dated and linked; none is a quote for your property. Prices vary with location, roof, equipment, electrical work and financing.