How to compare solar and battery quotes

To compare solar and battery quotes properly, get more than one in writing and line them up item by item: the exact products and quantities, the usable battery capacity, the warranties, what the installation includes, and how the rebate has been applied. The lowest total price is not always the best deal, and a quote you can't check line by line is hard to trust at all.

Start with more than one written quote

A written quote gives you something to compare and something to hold the business to. A price given over the phone is easy to change later.

Try to get quotes from businesses that have looked at your roof, switchboard and meter box, either in person or through clear photos and satellite images. A quote worked out from your postcode alone may leave out work that pushes the price up on the day.

If you use a quote website, check how it's paid and who your details are passed to. We explain our own arrangements at how we make money, and you can request quotes here.

Compare like for like

Two quotes for "a 6.6 kW system with a 10 kWh battery" can be very different products. Before you compare prices, make sure you're comparing the same things.

Exact models and quantities

A good quote names every major product by brand and model number, with the quantity:

• Panels: model, wattage of each panel, number of panels and total system size in kW.
• Inverter: model and size in kW. The inverter is the box that converts the direct current (DC) from your panels into the alternating current (AC) your home uses.
• Battery: model, number of modules and usable capacity in kWh.
• Extras: any backup gateway, monitoring device or new meter.

If a quote only says "tier one panels" or "premium battery", ask for model numbers. Without them you can't compare, read the warranty or check an approved list.

Usable capacity, not the headline number

Batteries can be described by total or usable capacity. Usable capacity is what you can actually draw out, and it's what the federal battery rebate is worked out on. Ask each business to confirm the usable kWh in writing.

Not sure what size you need? See what size battery do I need and what size solar system do I need.

Warranty terms

Put the warranties side by side:

• product warranties on the panels, inverter and battery
• the panel performance warranty (the output the maker promises over time)
• battery conditions, often a number of years, sometimes a limit on total energy cycled, and a minimum capacity the battery should keep
• the workmanship warranty, which covers the installation itself
• who you call if something fails

What the installation includes

Ask each business to spell out:

• how the panels will be mounted on your roof type, and whether tilt frames are included
• cable runs, conduit and isolators
• where the battery and inverter will go and how they'll be mounted or protected
• which circuits, if any, will stay on in a blackout (see will a battery work in a blackout)
• the network connection application, any meter change, commissioning and app setup
• removal of old panels or equipment, if you have any

Check the rebate is shown as a line item

The federal discount on solar panels and batteries comes from small-scale technology certificates (STCs). Your system creates these certificates, and the installer usually buys them from you by taking their value off your price. For more detail, read solar rebate STCs explained and how the federal battery rebate works.

A clear quote shows the price before the rebate, the number of STCs, the value used for each STC, and the price after. That lets you check it with our battery rebate calculator.

As a guide, a battery with 10 kWh usable capacity installed at the current factor of 6.8 creates 68 STCs. At $37 to $40 per STC, that's roughly $2,520 to $2,720 off. The factor drops to 5.7 from 1 January 2027, which would mean 57 STCs, or roughly $2,110 to $2,280.

Two things to confirm in writing:

• The date that sets the rate. It's the date on your certificate of electrical compliance, issued after the installation, not the date you sign. If the job could slip into January 2027, ask who covers the difference.
• Eligibility basics. For the battery rebate, the battery and inverter must be on the Clean Energy Council approved list, and a Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accredited installer must be on site.

State and territory programs change often, so check current rebates for your area before assuming any are included.

Switchboard upgrades and extra charges

Extra charges are a common reason quotes differ. Watch for:

• switchboard or meter box upgrades
• long cable runs or trenching
• steep, high or hard to reach roofs
• tilt frames on flat roofs
• network application or meter fees

Ask whether each business has actually checked your switchboard, what happens if the installer finds a problem on the day, and for the quote to say no extra work will be charged without your written agreement.

Payment terms and deposits

Compare how and when you pay, not just how much:

• the deposit amount and when it's due
• whether the final payment is due only once the system is installed, switched on and working, and the paperwork is done
• if you use finance, the interest rate, fees and total amount you'll repay, and whether the price changes compared with paying cash

Be cautious about paying a large share of the price well before an installation date is set. Don't sign anything saying the job is complete until it is. In 2026 the Clean Energy Regulator took action over false "complete" statements made by solar retailers. For more warning signs, see sales tactics to walk away from.

Installer or retailer: who are you dealing with?

Some businesses install with their own staff. Others are retailers that sell the system and send a subcontractor. Either can work well, but you need to know who holds your contract, who the SAA-accredited installer on site will be (employee or subcontractor), and who handles warranty claims and service calls later.

Accreditation checks

• Installer: ask for the name and accreditation number of the person who'll be on site, and check it with SAA.
• Products: check the battery and inverter against the Clean Energy Council approved list.
• Code of conduct: ask whether the business has signed the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC). The ACCC approved an updated version on 28 August 2026. Signatories must take responsibility for third parties doing their marketing, including lead sellers. The ACCC notes the code still has no external dispute resolution, so know your state fair trading office too.

For a battery, also confirm the installer will take the geotagged, time-stamped label photos the Clean Energy Regulator has required since 1 March 2026. Missing photos can delay or stop the rebate claim. More questions are in questions to ask a solar or battery installer.

A comparison checklist

Use this for each quote you get.

The short version

• Get more than one written quote from businesses that have checked your roof and switchboard.
• Compare exact model numbers, quantities, usable battery kWh and warranty terms, not just the total price.
• Make sure the rebate is shown as a line item you can check with the battery rebate calculator.
• Ask about switchboard upgrades and extras upfront, and tie the final payment to a finished, working system.
• Confirm an SAA-accredited installer, approved products and whether the business is a NETCC signatory.