Solar payback & ROI calculator
See how quickly solar pays for itself and what it returns over its lifetime. Enter system cost, incentives and your electricity rate to get a payback period and a 25-year ROI.
How it works
- Subtracts incentives from system cost to get your net price.
- Estimates annual savings from offset electricity.
- Projects payback years and lifetime return as rates rise.
What changes your result
- System cost after incentives
- Your electricity rate and how quickly it rises
- How much of your bill the system actually offsets
- Net-metering or export rates where you live
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical solar payback period?
For most homes, solar pays back in 6–12 years, depending on cost, incentives, your electricity rate and sun. After payback, the remaining 13–19 years of panel life is largely free electricity.
Is solar a good investment?
Often yes. With payback under 10 years and a 25-year warranty, solar can return well above its cost while hedging against rising power prices. The return is strongest where electricity is expensive and incentives are generous.
Do incentives really change the math?
Substantially. A 30% credit on an $18,000 system is $5,400 off, cutting years from payback. Federal, state and utility incentives stack in many regions — the panel page’s incentive finder links to the official databases.