Exclusive vs Shared Solar Leads: What Installers Need to Know

If you have ever bought solar leads, you have probably been asked: "Do you want shared or exclusive?" Most lead providers frame it as a simple trade-off: shared leads are cheaper, exclusive leads cost more. Pick your budget.

That framing is misleading. The per-lead price is only half the equation. What actually determines your return on investment is how many of those leads turn into signed jobs, and that is where the two models diverge dramatically.

This guide breaks down the real differences between exclusive and shared solar leads, based on what Australian installers are actually experiencing in 2026, not what lead providers want you to believe.

Too many installers evaluate leads purely from their own perspective: cost, conversion rate, ROI. But the homeowner's experience determines whether they buy from you, and shared leads create a terrible first impression.

Picture this from the homeowner's side. They fill in one form on a website. Within 10 minutes, multiple solar companies call them. Their phone will not stop ringing. They did not expect this. They feel ambushed.

It is worth noting that not every case of "5 companies called me" means the lead was sold 5 times. When a homeowner starts researching solar, ad platforms detect that intent and start serving them solar ads from every installer in their area. The homeowner might fill in 2 or 3 different forms without realising they are contacting separate companies. But from the installer's perspective, the effect is the same: you are one of many, and the homeowner is already fatigued.

By the time you call (even if you are second or third), the homeowner is defensive, short with you, and already comparing you to the first caller. The conversation starts from a place of irritation rather than genuine interest. That is a hard position to sell from.

With an exclusive lead, the homeowner fills in a form and gets one call from one company. The experience feels personal and professional. They are more relaxed, more willing to have a real conversation, and more likely to book a site visit. The entire sales dynamic changes.

This is not just anecdotal. Installers consistently report that exclusive leads produce not only higher close rates but also smoother sales processes, fewer price objections, and better post-sale reviews. The homeowner had a good experience from the start, and that carries through the entire relationship.

Same budget, 5x the result. That is not a marginal improvement. It is the difference between a struggling business and a profitable one.

And the benefits compound. Those 5 happy customers generate reviews, referrals, and word of mouth that feed your pipeline for free. The single customer from shared leads, if they had a frustrating experience being called by five companies, is less likely to refer you to friends.

I am not going to pretend shared leads are always the wrong choice. There are situations where they can work.

If you are a new installer building your pipeline from scratch and cannot yet access exclusive leads, shared leads give you volume while you establish a track record. The key is to treat them as a temporary strategy, not a permanent one.

If you are the fastest closer in your market and can consistently call within 60 seconds of receiving a lead, you can beat the other 4 installers to the punch. Speed to contact is the single biggest lever with shared leads. The first caller wins a disproportionate share of the business.

If you are in a regional area where shared leads only go to 2 installers instead of 5, the competitive dynamics are less brutal. Two-way shared leads are meaningfully better than five-way shared leads.

In every other situation, exclusive leads are the better investment. For a detailed breakdown of lead pricing across all types, see our solar leads cost guide.

Exclusive solar leads cost a similar amount per lead as shared leads but convert at 2 to 3 times the rate. The result is a dramatically lower cost per acquisition, less wasted sales time, happier customers, and a more sustainable business.

The shared lead model exists because it is profitable for the lead provider, not because it delivers the best outcome for installers or homeowners. A single inquiry sold to five companies generates 5x the revenue for the provider. The fact that four of those installers are wasting their money is not the provider's problem.

If you are ready to try exclusive leads, our solar leads program delivers pre-qualified, exclusive residential and commercial leads to installers across Australia. No lock-in, pay per lead, with city-level targeting in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and more.