Estimate what a home solar system might cost in 2026, before you talk to an installer. Enter your system size and a realistic price per watt, and this calculator returns an estimated installed cost plus an optional rough payback. Everything here is an estimate that varies by home, roof, equipment, region, and utility — and the federal residential solar credit (Section 25D) expired at the end of 2025, so 2026 buyers see no federal credit. Use it to sanity-check quotes, then get an itemized one.
Estimate, not a quoteNo 25D credit in 2026Enter your own rate
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Estimate your solar system cost
All numbers stay in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere. Costs vary by home, roof, equipment, region, and utility, so treat the output as a ballpark and get an itemized quote.
Estimated installed cost (before any incentive)
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System size
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Price per watt
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Estimated cost
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Rough payback
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This is a simple estimate (size × price per watt). It assumes no federal 25D tax credit, which expired Dec 31, 2025 for homeowner-owned systems. Payback ignores rate inflation, panel degradation, financing interest, and maintenance. Confirm everything with itemized installer quotes and a tax professional.
Compare itemized quotes
The most reliable way to know your real cost and payback is two or three written, itemized quotes that spell out system size, equipment, all-in price per watt, and any current local incentives.
This page is general information, not financial, tax, or engineering advice. Solar costs, savings, and payback vary by home, roof, location, utility, financing, and current incentives. Get a professional quote and consult a tax professional before deciding.
How to use the numbers honestly
A calculator can only multiply what you give it. Here is how to keep the estimate grounded.
Price per watt is everything. 2026 published ranges sit around $2.40 to $3.60 per watt installed before incentives; larger systems often land toward the lower end per watt. If you have a quote, divide its total by the system watts and use that real figure.
There is no federal 25D credit in 2026. The 30 percent residential clean energy credit expired December 31, 2025 for homeowner-owned systems, so this tool shows cost before any incentive and assumes no federal credit in the payback. Some lease or PPA structures may access a separate commercial credit — ask your installer and a tax professional.
Payback is a sanity check, not a promise. Dividing cost by your expected annual savings ignores rate changes, panel degradation, interest, and maintenance, and online calculators commonly overstate savings by pulling averaged rates. Use your own utility rate and treat the result as a rough band.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a solar panel system cost in 2026?
Published 2026 figures put installed residential solar at roughly $2.40 to $3.60 per watt before incentives, so a typical 7 to 9 kW system commonly lands around $17,000 to $32,000 depending on your state, installer, equipment, and roof. This calculator multiplies the system size you enter by the price per watt you enter, so the output is only as accurate as those inputs. Treat it as a ballpark and get an itemized quote for your home.
Is there still a federal solar tax credit in 2026?
For homeowner-owned systems bought with cash or a loan, the federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D, 30 percent) expired on December 31, 2025, so there is no federal 25D credit to claim in 2026. Some lease or power-purchase-agreement arrangements may access a separate commercial credit. This calculator shows cost before any incentive, and any payback estimate assumes no federal credit. Confirm current incentives with a tax professional and your installer.
How is the payback period estimated?
The rough payback shown here divides your estimated system cost by the annual electricity savings you enter (your expected first-year bill offset). It is a simple estimate that ignores rate inflation, panel degradation, financing interest, and maintenance, all of which move the real number. Published 2026 payback periods range widely, from about 5 years in high-rate states to well over 15 years in low-rate states. Use this only to sanity-check an installer's figures.
Why do online solar calculators often overstate savings?
Many calculators pull an averaged statewide electricity rate rather than your actual utility rate, and they may ignore soft costs, interconnection fees, and utility billing rules such as net-metering changes. That can overstate savings by a meaningful margin. This tool deliberately asks you to enter your own price per watt and your own expected annual savings so the estimate reflects your situation rather than a national average, but it is still an estimate, not a quote.
What price per watt should I enter?
If you have a quote, use its all-in price per watt (total price divided by system watts). If you are just exploring, 2026 published ranges of roughly $2.40 to $3.60 per watt are a reasonable starting band, with larger systems often landing toward the lower end per watt. The figure varies by region, installer, and equipment, so the safest approach is to gather two or three itemized quotes and compare their real per-watt pricing.