Sunrun vs Tesla Solar in 2026: Price, Service, and the Tax Credit That's Gone

Full transcript

I. The price gap

In twenty twenty-six, neither price comes with the thirty percent federal credit. Section twenty-five D expired for homeowner-purchased systems, so a cash or loan purchase from either company no longer qualifies for a federal credit.

II. Two business models

The two run different models. Sunrun offers a lease, a PPA, a loan or cash, sells through agents, and installs panels from several brands. Tesla offers cash or a loan, sells fully online, and uses its own panels. On panel efficiency, the page lists nineteen to twenty-two percent for Sunrun and twenty to twenty-two for Tesla, and both carry ten-year workmanship warranties.

III. The lease route

The lease is where the two part ways. Sunrun lists leases at zero down, roughly eighty to one hundred forty dollars a month on a twenty-year agreement. Tesla does not offer a lease or a PPA. The trade-off the page names: you pay monthly for twenty years rather than building equity in the system.

IV. Install timelines

Timelines differ too. Sunrun works through local installers, typically two to six weeks from contract, and the page notes installer quality can vary. Tesla uses its own employed crews for a more consistent result, with waits of eight to twenty weeks in busy markets.

V. Battery backup

For backup power, each company pairs its systems with its own battery line. Sunrun's Brightbox system uses LG Chem batteries, and Tesla's battery is the Powerwall three. The page reports that both provide whole-home backup capability.

VI. Battery and warranties

For storage, the page puts a Tesla Powerwall three at about nine thousand two hundred dollars installed, gateway included, and both companies pass through twenty-five-year panel maker warranties. The full comparison is free at Dreamy Leads Research. What state are you in, and how many weeks did your solar install take from signing to switch-on? Tell us in the comments.