We believe that clean solar power should be affordable for everyone. That’s why SolarCity offers several payment options to fit your financial goals. For instance, you can pay in cash, get a line of credit, or go solar for $0 down and save money from day one by financing direct from SolarCity.
Other solar installers make you work with a third party to finance solar—which adds cost and complexity. No middlemen required with SolarCity! We take care of you directly every step of the way for the ultimate in accountability.
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Depending on your state and utility provider, SolarCity offers different pay-as-you-go service options, SolarLease™ or PurePower™. During your free solar consultation, your SolarCity advisor will explain which type of plan best fits your situation and create a customized proposal based on your solar system design. You can get a quick estimate now by using our Solar Calculator.
Cash Purchase Benefits
The economics of a solar cash purchase have never been better. As of January 2009, the federal tax credit alone covers 30% of the solar system cost, and combined with additional state and utility rebates, your net cost of a solar system can be 50% or more off the retail price!
You own the solar system and its expected useful life is 30+ years. On average, top tier electricity prices have increased about 5% per year for the last 30 years. When you choose solar, you lock in low electricity prices and are no longer dependent on foreign oil or a volatile energy market. As utility rates continue to rise in the future, your investment becomes increasingly valuable.
SolarLease Benefits
SolarCity's award-winning and first-of-its-kind SolarLease makes it possible for you to switch to clean, solar power for $0 down and a low monthly payment. Your fixed monthly lease payments are typically lower than what you currently pay for electricity, so you can save money every month!
A SolarLease has a better Return on Investment (ROI) than a cash purchase because you do not have a big upfront payment, you save money every month on electricity bills, and you can be cash flow positive from day one.
In addition, SolarLease includes several premium services: proactive monitoring and repair service for the life of the lease; a performance guarantee that if your system does not perform as we promise, we will pay you the difference!
PurePower Benefits
In some states and utility districts, SolarCity's offers a PurePower service where you pay purely for the power you produce and use each month. There is no upfront cost to purchase the solar equipment—instead you "host" the system on your home and pay only for the solar electricity it produces.
PurePower is a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), commonly used by many businesses, including Intel, Walmart and Whole Foods. We’ve brought these same benefits to homeowners with PurePower—so you too can avoid the high upfront cost to purchase the equipment and not have to worry about ongoing maintenance expenses.
PurePower includes our premium services. SolarCity owns the equipment and is responsible for continually monitoring your solar system and for any repairs, like inverter replacement.
Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) Benefits
You can leverage the equity in your home to finance your solar system. With today's favorable interest rates a HELOC can be an attractive option. You can apply for a loan from your bank or one of SolarCity's financing partners. Banks typically offer different packages that allow you to pay back the line of credit at your own pace. Our financing partners can assist you in including the cost of your solar system in a home refinance—let your SolarCity advisor know if that is of interest to you.