Solar Cost Calculators & Guides for 2026
What solar really costs in 2026 — after the federal residential tax credit (Section 25D) expired. Honest payback math, lease vs. buy, and system sizing, with free calculators that show their work.
The 30% federal residential solar credit expired on December 31, 2025, so cash and loan buyers now get $0 in federal incentives — a change that reshapes payback math in every state. The calculators below estimate price, production, and break-even in your browser; the guides explain the trade-offs from first research to signing a contract.
Calculators
Free, no-email estimates computed in your browser from per-state data — with every assumption listed.
- Solar Panel Cost CalculatorStart here
Estimate solar system size, price, and payback with accurate post-25D tax logic. Analyze your actual roof via satellite.
- Solar Panel Sizing Calculator
How many solar panels do you need? Size a system from your electricity use and local sun hours.
- Solar Payback & Savings Calculator
When does solar break even? See payback period and 25-year savings against rising power prices.
Solar guides
Evergreen explainers grouped by topic and ordered from “just researching” to “ready to buy.”
Solar in 2026 — Life After the Tax Credit
3What changed when the 30% federal residential solar credit (Section 25D) expired on December 31, 2025 — and whether solar still pays off in 2026.
Solar Panel Costs & Pricing
1What solar costs in 2026 by system size, state, and equipment — with the math behind every number.
Lease vs. Buy & Financing
1Cash, loan, lease, or PPA — how each path changes who claims the tax credit and what you actually pay.
Payback & Savings
1When solar breaks even and what it saves over 25 years against rising electricity prices.
System Sizing
1How many panels and how many kilowatts you need for your home and electricity use.
Batteries & Storage
1Whether a home battery is worth it in 2026, especially under NEM 3.0-style export rates.
Net Metering & State Policy
1How your state credits the energy you export — the biggest swing factor in solar payback.
How Solar Works
2Plain-English explainers on panels, inverters, and how production actually adds up.
Equipment Comparisons
2Panel and inverter types compared on cost and performance.
Solar + Pool
1Where solar and pools meet — like heating a pool with solar panels.
SOLAR DATA UPDATED JUNE 30, 2026