What Plain Solar Guide is
Plain Solar Guide explains what it really costs to put solar panels on a U.S. home, how to pay for them, and whether the numbers still work now that the federal homeowner tax credit has ended. We write for homeowners who are comparing quotes, not for installers.
How we work
- We build our guides from primary and widely cited sources, and we link to them so you can check our work.
- We show the date each guide was last reviewed. Solar prices, incentives and utility rules change, and we update pages when they do.
- Our calculators use transparent assumptions that you can change.
- We explain the trade-offs of buying, financing and leasing, including the cases where solar is not worth it.
Read more in our editorial policy and our advertising and affiliate disclosure.
Who writes here
Plain Solar Guide is written by an independent editorial team. We research each guide from public sources, show those sources and the date we last reviewed the article, and correct mistakes when readers point them out. We do not sell solar installations or loans, and we do not take payment to rank a company.
What we are not
We are not a solar installer, a lender, a tax advisor or a financial advisor. Nothing here is personal financial, tax or legal advice. See our terms and disclaimer.
Contact
Questions, corrections or ideas? Use our contact page.