Buy or lease solar panels? The escalator decides
On the defaults — a $23,000.00 system, no tax credit, $150.00 a year of maintenance, a $150.00-a-month lease with a 2.9% annual escalator, over 25 years — the buying total is $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), the leasing total is $64,771.81 ($150.00 a month, rising 2.9% a year), the gap is $38,021.81, and BUYING wins by $38,021.81. Leasing wins in the early years because there is no big upfront cost, and buying wins over the full term — the flip happens in year 12 at the defaults.
Five things about the model are worth stating plainly. First, the cost after credit is the system cost times (1 − credit) — $23,000.00 × 100% = $23,000.00. Second, the buying total is the cost after credit plus maintenance times the years — $23,000.00 + 25 × $150.00 = $26,750.00. Third, the leasing total compounds the escalator every year — 12 × $150.00 × ((1.029^25 − 1) ÷ 0.029) = $64,771.81. Fourth, the gap is the leasing total minus the buying total — $64,771.81 − $26,750.00 = $38,021.81 — and a positive gap means buying wins. And fifth, the escalator is the line that decides everything: a $150.00-a-month lease with a 2.9% escalator costs $64,771.81 over 25 years, but the SAME lease with a 0% escalator costs $45,000.00 — and even that flat lease costs more than the $26,750.00 buying total; all listed in Accuracy & limitations.
This calculator is part of the X vs Y comparisons library — the same compare-both-sides format as the buy vs lease car and lease vs buy calculators.
The worked example, line by line
Setup: $23,000.00 system, 0% credit, $150.00 a year of maintenance, $150.00 a month lease, 2.9% escalator, 25 years.
Line 1 — the cost after credit. The cost after credit is $23,000.00 × (1 − 0%) = $23,000.00.
Line 2 — the maintenance total. The maintenance total is 25 × $150.00 = $3,750.00.
Line 3 — the buying total. The buying total is $23,000.00 + $3,750.00 = $26,750.00.
Line 4 — the leasing total. The leasing total is 12 × $150.00 × ((1.029^25 − 1) ÷ 0.029) = $64,771.81.
Line 5 — the gap. The gap is $64,771.81 − $26,750.00 = $38,021.81 — positive, so buying wins.
Line 6 — the flip year. At 10 years leasing costs $20,540.20 against $24,500.00 to buy — leasing wins by $3,959.80. At year 12 leasing costs $25,401.01 against $24,800.00 to buy — buying wins by $601.01. The flip happens between year 11 and year 12.
Every branch, checked
System cost $18,000.00: System $18,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $21,750.00 ($18,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $43,021.81 (BUYING wins by $43,021.81) — An $18,000.00 system costs $21,750.00 to buy — buying wins by $43,021.81, even more than at $23,000.00.
Lease payment $100.00/month: System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $100.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $43,181.20, gap $16,431.20 (BUYING wins by $16,431.20) — A $100.00-a-month lease costs $43,181.20 over 25 years — buying still wins, by $16,431.20.
Escalator 0% (flat lease): System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 0%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $45,000.00, gap $18,250.00 (BUYING wins by $18,250.00) — A flat lease with no escalator costs $45,000.00 — buying still wins by $18,250.00, because $150.00 a month for 25 years is $45,000.00.
Maintenance $300.00/year: System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $300.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $30,500.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $7,500.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $34,271.81 (BUYING wins by $34,271.81) — $300.00 a year of maintenance makes buying $30,500.00 — buying still wins, by $34,271.81.
Horizon 10 years: System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 10 years: buying $24,500.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $1,500.00 maintenance), leasing $20,540.20, gap -$3,959.80 (LEASING wins by $3,959.80) — Over 10 years leasing costs $20,540.20 against $24,500.00 to buy — leasing wins by $3,959.80. Short horizons favour leasing.
Tax credit 30% (installed in 2025): System $23,000.00, credit 30%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $19,850.00 ($16,100.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $44,921.81 (BUYING wins by $44,921.81) — A 30% credit (installed in 2025) drops the cost after credit to $16,100.00 and buying to $19,850.00 — buying wins by $44,921.81.
Lease payment $200.00/month: System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $200.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $86,362.41, gap $59,612.41 (BUYING wins by $59,612.41) — A $200.00-a-month lease costs $86,362.41 over 25 years — buying wins by $59,612.41.
The reverses, worked backwards
Lease payment where the 25-year totals tie: $61.95/month — the exact payment is 61.9482. At the displayed $61.95 the leasing total is $26,750.76 — $0.76 over the $26,750.00 buying total; at $61.94/month the leasing total is $26,746.44 — $3.56 under. The exact tie is $61.9482 a month. The star is DOLLARS.
System cost where buying ties leasing: $61,021.81 — the exact cost is 61021.8100. At the displayed $61,021.81 the buying total is $64,771.81 = the leasing total, gap $0.00 — a Tie; at $61,021.82 the buying total is $64,771.82 and leasing wins by $0.01. The star is DOLLARS.
Escalator where leasing ties buying at a $60.00/month lease: 3.14% — the exact escalator is 3.1432%. At the displayed 3.14% the leasing total is $26,738.56 — $11.44 under the $26,750.00 buying total; at 3.15% the leasing total is $26,773.83 — $23.83 over. 3.15% is the first 0.01pp step that crosses the tie. At 0% escalator the $60.00 lease costs $18,000.00 over 25 years — $8,750.00 under buying. Note this reverse is stated at a $60.00 lease, NOT the $150.00 default — at $150.00 a month even a 0% escalator lease costs $45,000.00, more than the $26,750.00 buying total, so no escalator makes them tie. The star is PERCENT.
Smallest whole year where the cumulative leasing total reaches the cumulative buying total: year 12 is the shortest year where buying wins (buying $24,800.00, leasing $25,401.01, gap +$601.01); year 11 is the longest year where leasing still wins (buying $24,650.00, leasing $22,935.87, gap −$1,714.13). The flip happens between year 11 and year 12. The star is YEARS.
Maintenance per year where buying ties leasing: $1,670.87/year — the exact maintenance is 1670.8724. At the displayed $1,670.87/year the buying total is $64,771.75 — $0.06 under the $64,771.81 leasing total; at $1,670.88/year the buying total is $64,772.00 and leasing wins by $0.19. The exact tie is $1,670.8724 a year. The star is DOLLARS.
Lease payment where BUYING wins by exactly $10,000.00 over 25 years: $85.11/month — the exact payment is 85.1065. At the displayed $85.11/month the leasing total is $36,751.52, gap $10,001.52 — $1.52 over the $10,000.00 target; at $85.10/month the leasing total is $36,747.20 and buying wins by $9,997.20 — $2.80 under the target. The star is DOLLARS.
What the defaults assume
The defaults are a $23,000.00 system, 0% tax credit, $150.00 a year of maintenance, a $150.00-a-month lease with a 2.9% escalator, over 25 years — buying total $26,750.00, leasing total $64,771.81, buying wins by $38,021.81. With an $18,000.00 system, System $18,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $21,750.00 ($18,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $43,021.81 (BUYING wins by $43,021.81) — An $18,000.00 system costs $21,750.00 to buy — buying wins by $43,021.81, even more than at $23,000.00. With a $100.00-a-month lease, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $100.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $43,181.20, gap $16,431.20 (BUYING wins by $16,431.20) — A $100.00-a-month lease costs $43,181.20 over 25 years — buying still wins, by $16,431.20. With a 0% escalator, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 0%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $45,000.00, gap $18,250.00 (BUYING wins by $18,250.00) — A flat lease with no escalator costs $45,000.00 — buying still wins by $18,250.00, because $150.00 a month for 25 years is $45,000.00. With $300.00 a year of maintenance, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $300.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $30,500.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $7,500.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $34,271.81 (BUYING wins by $34,271.81) — $300.00 a year of maintenance makes buying $30,500.00 — buying still wins, by $34,271.81. Over 10 years, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 10 years: buying $24,500.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $1,500.00 maintenance), leasing $20,540.20, gap -$3,959.80 (LEASING wins by $3,959.80) — Over 10 years leasing costs $20,540.20 against $24,500.00 to buy — leasing wins by $3,959.80. Short horizons favour leasing. With a 30% tax credit, System $23,000.00, credit 30%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $19,850.00 ($16,100.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $44,921.81 (BUYING wins by $44,921.81) — A 30% credit (installed in 2025) drops the cost after credit to $16,100.00 and buying to $19,850.00 — buying wins by $44,921.81. With a $200.00-a-month lease, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $200.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $86,362.41, gap $59,612.41 (BUYING wins by $59,612.41) — A $200.00-a-month lease costs $86,362.41 over 25 years — buying wins by $59,612.41. With a $0.00 system, System $0.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $3,750.00 ($0.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $61,021.81 (BUYING wins by $61,021.81) — buying is maintenance only. With a $0.00 lease, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $0.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $0.00, gap -$26,750.00 (LEASING wins by $26,750.00) — free power beats any purchase. With a 10% escalator, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 10%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $177,024.71, gap $150,274.71 (BUYING wins by $150,274.71) — the lease compounds to $177,024.71. Over 1 year, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 1 years: buying $23,150.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $150.00 maintenance), leasing $1,800.00, gap -$21,350.00 (LEASING wins by $21,350.00) — leasing wins by $21,350.00, because buying pays the whole system in year one. With a $50,000.00 system, System $50,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $53,750.00 ($50,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $11,021.81 (BUYING wins by $11,021.81) — buying still wins, by $11,021.81. With a $50.00-a-month lease, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $50.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $21,590.60, gap -$5,159.40 (LEASING wins by $5,159.40) — leasing wins by $5,159.40. With $0.00 maintenance, System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $0.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $23,000.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $0.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $41,771.81 (BUYING wins by $41,771.81) — buying wins by $41,771.81.
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|
| System cost | input | $23,000.00. |
| Tax credit | input | 0%. |
| Maintenance per year | input | $150.00. |
| Lease payment per month | input | $150.00. |
| Annual escalator | input | 2.9%. |
| Horizon | input | 25 years. |
| Cost after credit | system cost × (1 − tax credit) | $23,000.00. |
| Maintenance total | maintenance per year × years | $3,750.00. |
| Buying total | cost after credit + maintenance total | $26,750.00. |
| Leasing total | 12 × lease × ((1 + escalator)^years − 1) ÷ escalator | $64,771.81. |
| Gap | leasing total − buying total | $38,021.81. |
| Winner | gap > 0: buying wins; gap < 0: leasing wins; gap = 0: tie | BUYING wins by $38,021.81. |
| Lease payment where the 25-year totals tie | exact 61.9482 | $61.95/month → $61.95/month. |
| Below the revr1 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $61.94/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $26,746.44, gap -$3.56 (LEASING wins by $3.56). |
| Above the revr1 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $61.96/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $26,755.07, gap $5.07 (BUYING wins by $5.07). |
| System cost where buying ties leasing | exact 61021.8100 | $61,021.81 → $61,021.81. |
| Below the revr2 star | neighbor | System $61,021.80, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $64,771.80 ($61,021.80 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $0.01 (BUYING wins by $0.01). |
| Above the revr2 star | neighbor | System $61,021.82, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $64,771.82 ($61,021.82 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap -$0.01 (LEASING wins by $0.01). |
| Escalator where leasing ties buying at a $60.00/month lease | exact 3.1432 | 3.14% → 3.14%. |
| Below the revr3 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $60.00/month, escalator 3.13%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $26,703.35, gap -$46.65 (LEASING wins by $46.65). |
| Above the revr3 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $60.00/month, escalator 3.15%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $26,773.83, gap $23.83 (BUYING wins by $23.83). |
| Smallest whole year where the cumulative leasing total reaches the cumulative buying total | exact 12 | 12 years → 12 years. |
| Below the revr4 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 11 years: buying $24,650.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $1,650.00 maintenance), leasing $22,935.87, gap -$1,714.13 (LEASING wins by $1,714.13). |
| Above the revr4 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 13 years: buying $24,950.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $1,950.00 maintenance), leasing $27,937.64, gap $2,987.64 (BUYING wins by $2,987.64). |
| Maintenance per year where buying ties leasing | exact 1670.8724 | $1,670.87/year → $1,670.87/year. |
| Below the revr5 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $1,670.86/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $64,771.50 ($23,000.00 after credit + $41,771.50 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $0.31 (BUYING wins by $0.31). |
| Above the revr5 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $1,670.88/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $64,772.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $41,772.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap -$0.19 (LEASING wins by $0.19). |
| Lease payment where BUYING wins by exactly $10,000.00 over 25 years | exact 85.1065 | $85.11/month → $85.11/month. |
| Below the revr6 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $85.10/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $36,747.20, gap $9,997.20 (BUYING wins by $9,997.20). |
| Above the revr6 star | neighbor | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $85.12/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $36,755.84, gap $10,005.84 (BUYING wins by $10,005.84). |
| System cost $18,000.00 | same model | System $18,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $21,750.00 ($18,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $43,021.81 (BUYING wins by $43,021.81). |
| Lease payment $100.00/month | same model | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $100.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $43,181.20, gap $16,431.20 (BUYING wins by $16,431.20). |
| Escalator 0% (flat lease) | same model | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 0%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $45,000.00, gap $18,250.00 (BUYING wins by $18,250.00). |
| Maintenance $300.00/year | same model | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $300.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $30,500.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $7,500.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $34,271.81 (BUYING wins by $34,271.81). |
| Horizon 10 years | same model | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 10 years: buying $24,500.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $1,500.00 maintenance), leasing $20,540.20, gap -$3,959.80 (LEASING wins by $3,959.80). |
| Tax credit 30% (installed in 2025) | same model | System $23,000.00, credit 30%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $19,850.00 ($16,100.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $44,921.81 (BUYING wins by $44,921.81). |
| Lease payment $200.00/month | same model | System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $200.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $86,362.41, gap $59,612.41 (BUYING wins by $59,612.41). |
Who uses this
- The homeowner quoted $23,000 to buy: they learn buying costs $26,750.00 over 25 years against $64,771.81 to lease — and they check the $61.95 reverse to see the lease payment that would tie the two.
- The homeowner weighing a cheap lease: they learn a $50.00-a-month lease wins by $5,159.40 — and they check the 3.14% reverse to see the escalator that ties buying at a $60.00 lease.
- The homeowner planning to move: they learn leasing wins until year 11 and buying wins from year 12 — and they check the 10-year branch to see leasing win by $3,959.80 over a short horizon.
- The homeowner with a 2025 installation: they learn a 30% credit drops buying to $19,850.00 — and they check the $85.11 reverse to see the lease payment where buying wins by exactly $10,000.00.
Accuracy & limitations
The math is first-principles: the cost after credit is the system cost times (1 − tax credit), the buying total is the cost after credit plus maintenance times the years, the leasing total is 12 times the monthly lease times ((1 + escalator)^years − 1) divided by the escalator (or 12 times the lease times the years when the escalator is 0%), and the gap is the leasing total minus the buying total — each total rounded to cents half-up, and the gap computed from the rounded totals. The winner is decided from the rounded gap; a rounded gap of exactly $0.00 is a tie. What the model cannot do is price YOUR roof: the 30% federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for systems whose installation was completed after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) — so the credit defaults to 0% for a 2026 purchase; the lease total ignores the residual electric bill you still pay; the buy total ignores an inverter replacement, typically once in the system’s life; a leased system does not add home value the way an owned one does, and selling a home with a lease means the buyer must take over the lease or you must buy it out; the leasing company, not you, keeps any available incentives; production varies by roof, shade, and weather, so the same system earns different savings on different homes; and lease terms, buyout prices, and escalator caps vary by company. Use it to find the lease payment, escalator, or year where the winner flips — then get a real quote for your roof before you decide.
Cite this calculatorBright Side Kit. “Buy vs Lease Solar Panels Calculator: Which Saves More?” brightoolbox.com, 2026. Method: cost after credit = system cost × (1 − tax credit ÷ 100); buying total over the horizon = cost after credit + maintenance per year × years; leasing total over the horizon = 12 × monthly lease payment × ((1 + escalator ÷ 100)^years − 1) ÷ (escalator ÷ 100) when the escalator is above 0, or 12 × monthly lease payment × years when the escalator is 0%; gap = leasing total − buying total (positive means leasing costs more, so BUYING wins; negative means buying costs more, so LEASING wins). Each total is rounded to cents first; the gap is computed from the rounded totals; a gap of exactly $0.00 is a Tie. Sourced facts: the 30% federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for systems whose installation was completed after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21); a typical 7–9 kW residential system costs roughly $18,000–$26,000 to buy outright; solar lease payments typically run $50–$250 a month, and most leases include an annual payment escalator, commonly 2–3% a year; lease terms are usually 20–25 years. Reverses: the lease payment where the 25-year totals tie is $61.95/month (exact 61.9482; at $61.95/month the leasing total is $26,750.76 — $0.76 over the $26,750.00 buying total; at $61.94/month it is $26,746.44 — $3.56 under); the system cost where buying ties leasing is $61,021.81 (at $61,021.81 the buying total is $64,771.81 = the leasing total — a Tie; at $61,021.82 leasing wins by $0.01); the escalator where leasing ties buying at a $60.00/month lease is 3.14% (exact 3.1432%; at 3.14% the leasing total is $26,738.56 — $11.44 under buying; at 3.15% it is $26,773.83 — $23.83 over; at 0% escalator the $60.00 lease costs $18,000.00 — $8,750.00 under buying); the smallest whole year where the cumulative leasing total reaches the cumulative buying total is year 12 (at year 12 the gap is +$601.01 — buying wins; at year 11 the gap is −$1,714.13 — leasing still wins); the maintenance per year where buying ties leasing is $1,670.87/year (exact 1670.8724; at $1,670.87/year the buying total is $64,771.75 — $0.06 under the leasing total; at $1,670.88/year it is $64,772.00 and leasing wins by $0.19); the lease payment where BUYING wins by exactly $10,000.00 over 25 years is $85.11/month (exact 85.1065; at $85.11/month the gap is $10,001.52 — $1.52 over the target; at $85.10/month buying wins by $9,997.20 — $2.80 under). Defaults: System $23,000.00, credit 0%, maintenance $150.00/year, lease $150.00/month, escalator 2.9%, 25 years: buying $26,750.00 ($23,000.00 after credit + $3,750.00 maintenance), leasing $64,771.81, gap $38,021.81 (BUYING wins by $38,021.81) Bright Side Kit. "Buy vs Lease Solar Panels Calculator: Which Saves More?" https://brightoolbox.com/buy-vs-lease-solar-panels/ Accessed October 26, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to buy or lease solar panels?
Buying wins by $38,021.81 on the defaults. Buying a $23,000.00 system costs $26,750.00 over 25 years; leasing at $150.00 a month with a 2.9% escalator costs $64,771.81.
What lease payment ties buying over 25 years?
$61.95 a month. At $61.95 a month the leasing total is $26,750.76 — $0.76 over the $26,750.00 buying total; the exact tie is $61.9482 a month.
What escalator makes a $60 lease tie buying?
3.14% a year. At 3.14% the leasing total is $26,738.56 — $11.44 under buying; at 3.15% it is $26,773.83 — $23.83 over. At the $150.00 default lease no escalator ties buying.
When does buying start winning?
Year 12 on the defaults. At year 11 leasing still wins by $1,714.13; at year 12 buying wins by $601.01 — the flip happens between year 11 and year 12.
Does the 30% federal tax credit still apply?
No, for systems installed after December 31, 2025. The 30% residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21); the 30% branch shows the 2025-installed case.
What maintenance makes buying tie leasing?
$1,670.87 a year. At $1,670.87 a year the buying total is $64,771.75 — $0.06 under the leasing total; at $1,670.88 a year leasing wins by $0.19.
Is leasing ever cheaper over 25 years?
Yes, at a low monthly payment. A $50.00-a-month lease costs $21,590.60 over 25 years — leasing wins by $5,159.40. At $150.00 a month, buying wins by $38,021.81.
What does the comparison leave out?
The residual electric bill, an inverter replacement, and home value. The lease total ignores the electric bill you still pay; the buy total ignores an inverter replacement; and a leased system does not add home value the way an owned one does.