Is solar still worth it in 2026?

The short version

Buying solar is a weaker deal than it was a year ago. Going solar at $0 down is still a good one for a lot of homes. Same panels, very different math, and the difference is who owns the system.

Why buying got harder

Three things happened at once, and they all push the same way.

First, the federal tax credit for homeowners ended after December 31, 2025. A system that netted around $21,000 for a buyer last year now costs the full $30,000. That is about 43% more out of pocket for the exact same equipment. The full breakdown is in the federal solar tax credit is gone.

Second, financing got more expensive. The 2.99% solar loan is gone. Well-qualified borrowers are looking at 6% to 10% APR, with a dealer fee of 15% to 30% quietly added to the system price before you even start paying interest.

Third, and least talked about, utilities keep cutting what they pay you for the power you send back to the grid.

The net metering story is the real one

For years the pitch was: make more power than you use, sell the extra back, and let the meter run backward. That pitch is fading fast.

• In Texas, retail buyback plans have thinned out, and what a provider pays for exports varies a lot and keeps dropping.
• In California, NEM 3.0 cut export credits by roughly 75%, which is why nearly 7 in 10 new California solar homes now add a battery.
• In Illinois, incentive structures have been scaled back as well, part of a national pattern rather than a local quirk.

When exported power is worth less, the value of solar moves from selling your production to storing and using it. That is the whole reason the battery went from a nice add-on to the center of the system. We cover that shift in are home batteries worth it and is solar worth it without a battery.

So what still makes solar worth it?

The reasons to want your own power did not weaken, they got stronger. Utility rates are not going down. The grid is not getting more reliable. And a home that makes and stores its own energy is worth more, not less, in that environment.

What changed is the smart way to get there. Paying full price to own a $50,000 solar-plus-battery system with no credit against it is a heavy lift. Getting the same solar and battery installed at $0 upfront, with a flat energy rate and backup power, and letting someone else carry the maintenance and replacement risk, is the path that still pencils out for most homes.

How to actually decide

Worth it is not a national number, it is a your-home number. It depends on your roof, your usage, and your utility. The fastest way to get a real answer is to have someone look at your specific situation rather than average quotes from strangers on the internet.

See how the no-cost model works on our Solar VPA page, or tell us about your home and we will tell you honestly whether it makes sense for you.