Tesla also offers price matching to keep costs as low as any competitors. When it comes to cost, SunPower will typically be more expensive than Sunrun. All rights reserved. PVSC 2018). This is one major area where SunPower excels above Sunrun. You may want to do a little more research outside of this forum, a lot of people don't come here to praise Tesla when it comes to EV or solar, in fact they come here to complain. Sunrun is usually priced at or below average for the areas they are available, while SunPower comes in above the average. My solar roof process was kind of slow and painful but eventually it got installed, up and running without much fanfare or issues, yes there were long delays here and there but I got what I want especially I understand a bit more about solar now. The only way to find the sweet spot for your property is to evaluate quotes with varying equipment and financing offers. Good luck! Bottom line keep paying your utility company or generate your own power along with a big tax break., Customer service is poor. Choosing SunPower for your solar installation means committing to some of the highest-quality solar cells and technologies in the industry. Customer support is terrible, rack of knowledge and not being honest. They will repair and replace parts with no additional cost to the homeowner. I have contacted the installation manager who provided me with a number that does not work. Yehaw! As the cost of solar equipment has come down dramatically, the savings from owning a solar systemhave become very attractive The introduction of $0-downsolar loans which combine the benefits of a solar lease with the investment characteristics of owning a solar energy system looks set to further diminish the comparative attractiveness of solar leases in the years to come. The gave me tutorials all along, and the workmanship was excellent! Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More. The table below provides a quick comparison of these two brands from a high-level view. Tesla uses inefficient panels, with a short warranty, high degradation rate, and "wired cell" appearance. Negative reviews mention: SunPower has earned a 4.5/5 star rating from over 3,000 verified customer reviews. So there you have it, the differences between SunPower and Tesla solar. Sunpower offers a longer warranty and its panel are more efficient at generating power. This is one of the best warranties in the industry. Teslas roof warranty is great and their performance guarantee is helpful as well. Did SunRun come to your house to do the estimate? How are other energy industries having an effect on solar pv? However, we recommend taking the value-to-cost ratio into consideration. If you have offers from some of the big installers in solar, make sure you compare those bids with quotes from local installers to ensure you dont overpay for solar. First They put me with a rep that wouldnt call me back about getting the system transferred into my name because I purchased the house with it. While Sunrun does include roof leak protection for 10 years, the warranties overall dont last as long and will depend on the manufacturer of your panel. However, SunPower covers all 50 states, so from a service area standpoint, SunPower is the clear winner. JavaScript is disabled. After several calls with various reps, doubts are slowly seeping into my mind. In fact, the majority are poor, suggesting that Sunrun has sacrificed quality and consistency for scalability. There are both good and bad companies out there, but I find the best experience you could have is if you find that right local installer that really takes care of you. If I was forced to choose between Sunrun and Tesla I wouldn't hesitate to choose Tesla over Sunrun. Bottom line keep paying your utility company or generate your own power along with a big tax break., Customer service is poor. Sunrun has a very troubled history when it comes to customer reviews. Subsequently, Who is sunrun owned [] The bigger isnt always better mantra is one of the main reasons we strongly encourage homeowners to consider all of their solar options, not just the brands large enough to pay for the most advertising. The Maxeon 6 DC 440W and Maxeon 6 AC 440W can be up to 22.8% efficient, making these models the most efficient solar panels in the industry. I was hoping to read an ubiased article that also highlighted each of their warranties, because as you know, its extremely important to have great warranties. Tesla solar panels might be more long-lasting compared to Sunrun solar panels, but it is clear to see that Sunrun panels have a better real-world performance. SunPower has a much better reputation for customer service and warranty coverage than Sunrun, but both can come with their own downsides. In my personal experience I find that Tesla is much more willing to take care of issues. So Sunrun actually does build panels, just under the name of REC. The buy your power system option is a bit different, because you do not own the system yet. This articleaims to answer these questions, examining some of the biggest solar lease providers in the US SolarCity, Vivint Solar,Sunrun, SunPowerand Clean Power Finance. Sunrun installs equipment from solar brands including LONGi and Costco. Is there really such significant difference between these companies? However, SunPower solar panels are the far superior choice, providing better efficiency and higher quality. someone told me he can tell me why galvanized steel racks One year after install, 10.57 MWh and seemingly october was good month 1436kwh with 9.9kw system. If as you are making low monthly payments during your contract you decide you want to purchase the system, you can always pay it off early. charlesj Active Member Oct 22, 2019 1,594 372 Monterey, CA Oct 28, 2020 Do they have their own installers or do they contract with local installers? By collecting a diverse array of solar bids, you can compare costs and savings based on the different equipment packages available to you. Then when I did; I got a email back it said they couldnt help me. Why not also get quotes from SunPower and Vivint Solar? If you have offers from some of the big installers in solar, make sure you compare those bids with quotes from local installers to ensure you don't overpay for solar. For those looking to get quotes from local contractors today, check out our quote comparison platform. Keep getting quotes from energysage.com and ask each company to price match cost/watt. No Home Visits! No one from management will talk to me. Both SunPower ($4.15) and Sunrun's ($4.91) costs per watt are well over the $2.66 average. Need to call several people before anyone calls me back. Better quality, better warrantee, and better customer service. Sunrun is certainly pulling away from SolarCity in the review department, but let's check one more platform just to be thorough. Well include some customer reviews for each company in the sections below to give you an idea of the service you can expect from each. The financing is 0.99% / 10 yr. Tesla is cheap because they will use cheaper parts and will not use micro inverters when possible. Good customer support was essential to me. For the company that finances that system, it is a long-term investment. How efficient will it become? Did SunRun come to your house to do the estimate? Overall, we recommend the SunPower warranty over the Sunrun warranty. Bottom line, I am very happy with my roof and energy production from it, but you need to do more research yourself. They manufacture a Maxeon 3 and Maxeon 6 series which vary in wattage between 355W and 440W and in efficiency between 22% and 22.8%. Sunrun vs. SunPower: Which has lower costs? We invite you to compare a wide range of quotesfor free using theEnergySage Solar Marketplace. That also means youve probably run into companies like Sunrun and SunPower, two of the largest national solar providers in the U.S. 25-year performance, manufacturing and workmanship warranties, Sunrun was founded in 2007, and it has since become one of the largest and most recognizable names in renewable energy especially after purchasing. This has been the worst company to do business with. For additional information about the general disappointment among Sunrun customers, check out this video: SunPower generally gets better customer reviews than Sunrun, especially when it comes to customers being pleased with the production and dip in their electric bills. Your panels will produce far more energy over their lifetimes, generating far more long-term savings for your investment. SunPower has raised over $2 billion in venture capital. Does Sunrun or SunPower offer better warranties? In that case, SunPower is the clear winner. Although they might be competitors in some areas, Sunrun focused on the residential solar leasing market while Sun Power is a manufacturer of high efficiency panels that integrate and does other solar markets as solar farm project developments. Sunrun usually comes in around the average of $2.66 in most areas. Ogochukwu sounds like you have a vendetta against Vivint Solar having being employed by them! I received quotes from both Tesla and Sunrun and the quotes are coming in less than $1k apart for similar systems (~7500kWh annual production system & battery). As a thank you for your contribution, you'll get nearly no ads in the Community and Groups sections. The Tesla Powerwall has 13.5 kWh of energy capacity and the SunVault storage system has 13 kWh of energy capacity. All Online. Sunrun is a certified installer of the Tesla Powerwall and SunPower installs their own battery called SunVault. The best of EcoWatch right in your inbox. Copyright 2006-2022 Tesla Motors Club LLC. Sunrun solar panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.258 percent per degree Celsius, meaning the power output falls by 0.258 percent for every degree Celsius that goes above 25 degrees. Over 1,800 reviews have given Sunrun a 3.6/5 star rating and over 3,000 reviews have given SunPower a 4.5/5 star rating. I am in the early stages of shopping around. It has since moved manufacturing to its sister company, Maxeon Solar, in order to focus its resources into its residential installation network. Find out what solar costs in your area in 2022, Compare the top solar lease companies: Sunrun vs SolarCity, Vivint, SunPower & Clean Power Finance. In terms of the variety of solar panel brands offered, Sunrun takes the lead. $0-down solar loans or buying the solar system with cash may be better options for you than a solar lease. Tesla Solar has a Powerwall listed for $10,500. Whereas if you want a longer warranty that covers your entire solar system, SunPower is better. What happened to the degradation guarantee?? It may not display this or other websites correctly. 7 megs banked going into House built in the 60s with the meter and panel recessed My net-zero all-electric home in Maryland. The majority of customers rave about SunPowers professionalism and expertise, as well as the quality of its equipment. Of course, micro inverters do cost more, I am not even trying to start a debate on usefulness of them. This payment would be made monthly to a loan provider, but you would own the system as the homeowner and it would cost $0 upfront. I've generally not pushed it too hard to my friends and family. Discussion of solar photovoltaic systems, modules, the solar energy business, solar power production, utility-scale, commercial rooftop, residential, off-grid systems and more. Most solar customers are likely to consider these solar companies at some point in their decision process, so this article will serve as a guide to help homeowners decide which is right for them. Sunrun now does their own installations, financing, and now operate in South Carolina and New Hampshire as well. 1.64 m), 8% more energy per watt (based on PVSim runs for avg US climate), 0.5%/yr slower degradation rate (Jordan, et. That could be quite different depending on your area. Heres what well cover in this solar provider comparison: EcoWatch has helped thousands of homeowners find the best option for their own homes to go solar, saving them time, money, and headache in the process. While we typically only recommend cash payments and solar loans, however, leases and PPAs are viable options that make solar accessible to virtually all homeowners. Get quotes from local installers. Verdict: When comparing the two, SunPower panels have a higher output rating with better efficiency. They hired a roof contractor to fix the roof and they broke the original tiles replacing them with discolored tiles (do not match). Sunrun owns REC. SunPower is a good choice if you want a fully-integrated residential solar system that is designed to work together from the factory to your home. Have their own installers or sub -contractors? Are energy-efficient appliances worth it? SunPower has been serving the solar industry since 1985, so it has decades of experience and success behind it. It outsources many installations via its network of certified installers, which can detract from personalized customer service in some cases. In most cases the companies promise that you will save money on your power bills in the first year a win-win situation. Their battery has an energy capacity of 13 kWh. Overall, we strongly recommend SunPower over Sunrun. With that said, I would highly recommend checking with a local installer as well. Almost 2x as many reviewers gave SolarCity 0 stars as compared to Sunrun - 13% for Sunrun, 24% for SolarCity. Yes, I placed an order on tesla.com, and an tesla advisor follow up and sent me the price estimation, so the price from Tesla is accurate. SunPower and Tesla are two of the most reliable premium solar solutions companies that actively push the boundaries of solar power technology. However, I agree that more quotes would be a good thing. It Day 1 Install Underway!!! Any recommendations for a solar company that offers good customer service in Arroyo Grande, California? In any case, a quick glance reveals that there is clearly a choice between solar lease providers in most of the big solar states. Sunrun has earned a 3.6/5 star rating from over 1,800 verified customer reviews. It should be noted, though, that Sunrun panels are less reliable and fluctuate between 15-22%. Vivint is objectively the worst, by a wide margin. I dont recommend Sunrun as customer of Sunrun. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recommended that consumers compare as many solar options as possible to avoid paying inflated prices offered by the large installers in the solar industry. Sunrun services 22 U.S. states and territories total, including: SunPower claims to service all 50 states, although U.S. territories are not included. They generally offer 10-year warranties, which includes replacement and repairs on equipment, parts, and labor. SunPower vs. Tesla: The Bottom Line. Your email address will not be published. Vivints customer review far outweigh Sunrun. Sunnova Review Visit Website Houston-based Sunnova currently ranks as the third-largest residential solar company in the U.S. Humm! I been trying to get somebody out to my house for months and still nothing. Positive reviews highlight: Informative sales representatives Smooth installation process Significant savings on utility bills Great customer service As mentioned above, Sunrun will almost always be cheaper from an upfront-cost standpoint. Sunrun usually comes in around the average of $2.66 in most areas. But again, it's clear that the second round of the SunPower vs. Sunrun duel goes to SunPower, with the former having a slightly cheaper cost per watt average. You can see that 56% of reviewers gave Sunrun 10 stars, while about 36% gave SolarCity 10 stars. In terms of options, Sunrun is a better choice, as youll be able to pick from a few panel brands. Happy customers refer to: Of those reviews, 8% are 1-star. When youre choosing a company to install a multi-thousand-dollar solar energy system on your home, youll want one that will deliver good customer service and be responsive if you have issues after the installation. In reality, SunPower is a far better option for most people for a few different reasons. Maybe a little Bias? Many of the customer complaints for Sunrun mention poor customer service and slow response times, especially with regard to resolving complaints. you can find lots of video on Youtube. Over 25 years, the total cost is $32,700 . First, Sunrun offers a monthly lease. This problem is from June 21 - still going on Oct 21. There are so many solar companies right now, and it's important to have a value proposition somewhere. Then I finally got a hold of her; she put me on hold for a hour and hung up. Confusion among the sales and installation teams along with issues regarding warranty coverage are some other common problems mentioned in customer reviews. Out of curiosity what kind of price per watt are you being offered? SunPower also offers a couple of different financing options. As you might already know, solar warranties cover the equipment, workmanship, energy production or some combination of all three. This means you pay one upfront payment to Sunrun, which would be the equivalent of 25 years of energy cost. If you have spent any time at all shopping around for solar, you mayhave heard of at least one of the companies mentioned above. 2022 topsolarcompanies.com LLC - All rights reserved. As a solar and EV advocate, much of his work has focused on the potential of solar power and deregulated energy, but he also writes on related topics, like real estate and economics. Please visit the Account Upgrades page for more details. to create unbiased reviews that empower you to make the right choice for your home. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Vivint Solar has horrible quality and all the jobs from 20. Our Pick For Best Coverage Area SunPower, Solar Panel Performance: Sunrun Vs. SunPower, Our Pick For Best Panel Performance SunPower, The overall low price of Sunruns equipment, The affordable access to top-tier solar equipment, I started the Sunrun process in December of 2021 and was told I would have solar by April. REC is a panel manufacture. AZ CA CO CT DE DC FL HI MD MA NV NH NJ NM NY OR PA RI SC TX UT VT VA WA, AZ CA CO CT FL HI MD MA NV NH NJ NM NY PA RI SC TX UT VT VA, AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL HI MA MD NV NH NJ NM NY OR PA RI SC TX UT VT WI, AZ CA CO CT DE HI IN LA MA MD MO NJ NM NV NY OR PA TX, Solar leases in AZ CA HI NY; Dealer network covers all states. Tesla's installers removed my sunrun solar meters - Tesla not responding, Interesting Sunrun is allowing ESS to support the Grid during peak time, Learn from my mistakes lookback at my botched installation (NorCal PG&E Territory), Tesla offering plaid upgrade for $15k and 2 month earlier delivery. How do you see things pan out between Vivint and Sunrun going forward after the acquisition? Additional perks are available depending on the level of contribution. Both Sunrun and SunPower are massive companies, which means anyone can experience delays in response times or installations with either solar provider. However, SunPower only installs panels manufactured by its sister company, Maxeon. Nevertheless, SunPower's panels require 30% less . The interest rate they offered me was 1.99%. Copyright 2009-2022 EnergySage, Inc. Ask about our New 2022 Offers on SunPower A 400, 410, 420 watt Panels and $0 Down Loans and Leases! 3 Types of Solar Panels: Which Should You Buy? I work with Vivint for most of my installs (being a dealer) as they seem to exceed the standards on most of these, especially when it comes to the workmanship, they by far have the cleanest install process and the warranties they offer on theyre equipment. Enter your zip code to find out what solar panels cost from installers near you. We think its important to compare Sunrun and SunPower because these are two of the countrys largest and most well-known residential solar panel installation companies. However, since SunPowers Maxeon panels are much more efficient, its possible that they will save you more money in energy savings over time. There are also some customer reports that suggest that warranty claims with Sunrun arent as straightforward as they should be. Well include some pricing information for both Sunrun and SunPower in the sections below. Over 35 years of experience in the industry have earned them over 1,000 solar innovation patents and various awards, like the 2019 Sustainability Award from pv magazine. We work with a panel of solar experts to create unbiased reviews that empower you to make the right choice for your home. Very poor customer service, they just dont care.. SunPower designs and produces their own panels through Maxeon Solar Technologies. Yes I can agree! Overall, customers like SunPower better. They have the same ability to store energy for later use. However, I believe SunRun is currently the better buy. Sunrun offers four different financing options to work around any homeowners needs and budget. A 1970 built Catholic church achieves a self-sufficiency How I feel on cloudy days since my system got PTO. Is it Tesla, SunPower, LG or ?? SunPower panels range from $2.85 to $3.25 per watt in most cases, while Tesla's solar panels average around $2.50 per watt. Usually any residential company will drop the price up to 20%. All rights reserved. I then kept calling and finally got it worked out so I thought it was over. It also comes at a higher price than most other installers, but the equipment quality is outstanding. ENERGYSAGE is a registered trademark and the EnergySage logo is a trademark of EnergySage, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of either EnergySage, Inc. or our licensors and are used with permission. As a solar shopper, competition is your friend. Solar leasing works well for some customers looking for quick and affordable access to clean energy, but in the long run, this option benefits the company more than the customer. The last option available is a monthly loan. But 20-30% more expensive. Tesla Motors Club LLC (TMC) is an independent enthusiast organization and is not affiliated with Tesla Motors, Inc. or its subsidiaries. I have told others to choose a different company!, Antoinette via Better Business Bureau (BBB), The employees were helpful, prompt, knowledgeable, and friendly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING?Check out our guest posting guidelines if you have an idea for our blog. A recent report by the U.S. government found that large installers are $2,000 to $5,000 more expensive than small solar companies. Sunrun is a certified installer of the Tesla Powerwall. Sunrun provides its customers with the ability to track their energy production through the MySunrun website and app. We could not be more pleased with our experience with Sunrun. Maybe they can compete with eachother. Here is a short description of each company to help you decide: 1. Didnt call me back and no response. SunPower has been serving the solar industry since 1985, so it has decades of experience and success behind it. I signed a contract for my panels and paid the deposit and after almost five months I cant get any answers as to why I dont have panels on my roof. But the two companies should continue to outpace the equity markets going forward. Same with emails. A big reason for this is that the ZEP equipment is so straight forward. If you have the time it wouldn't hurt to interact with a couple to see if you really connect with one before choosing a large corporation. SunPower's purpose is "to change the way our world is powered." Sunrun Sunrun has earned a 3.6/5 star rating from over 1,800 verified customer reviews. Sunrun is horrible. Did you place a deposit with Tesla? The less expensive LG panels still operate at a respectable efficiency of 15-20%. Its panels will almost always be more affordable. Given those two specific companies, It seems to me like they are very similar in most ways, except sunrun still has a sales organization that is "supposed" to work with you. This battery has an energy capacity of 13.5 kWh. Positive reviews highlight: Of those reviews, 24% are 1-star. Since my order three weeks ago, I received several different calls from Sunrun. Sunrun might have panels that have better efficiencies (hint I don't care about wasting the sun) or a warranty that goes beyond 10 years (hint will Sunrun be around in 11 years?). There are a few downsides to working with Sunrun, including its history of mixed customer reviews, poor customer service and the push for leases.