How much do solar panels cost in Australia in 2026?

System size is the biggest single driver of what you pay. The table shows fully installed prices, which should cover the panels, inverter, mounting, wiring, labour and the grid connection paperwork, then the federal STC rebate on each size and what is left after it. The rebate runs from STC Zone 4 (Melbourne and Hobart) up to Zone 1 (Alice Springs), so the low end of the after-STC price pairs the cheapest quote with the biggest rebate and the high end pairs the dearest quote with the smallest.

• 5 kW

  10 to 12 panels, ~20 kWh a day. 1 to 2 people, moderate use.

  Installed

  $4,500 to $6,500

  STC rebate

  $1,102 to $1,520

  After STCs

  $2,980 to $5,398

  5 kW price guide

• 6.6 kW

  Most popular

  12 to 15 panels, ~26 kWh a day. Most homes, 3 to 4 people.

  Installed

  $5,500 to $8,000

  STC rebate

  $1,482 to $2,014

  After STCs

  $3,486 to $6,518

  6.6 kW price guide

• 8 kW

  15 to 18 panels, ~32 kWh a day. Larger families, pool or home office.

  Installed

  $7,000 to $10,000

  STC rebate

  $1,786 to $2,432

  After STCs

  $4,568 to $8,214

  System sizes guide

• 10 kW

  18 to 22 panels, ~40 kWh a day. Large households, an electric car.

  Installed

  $8,000 to $12,000

  STC rebate

  $2,242 to $3,078

  After STCs

  $4,922 to $9,758

  10 kW price guide

• 13 kW

  24 to 30 panels, ~52 kWh a day. Big homes, pool, EVs, a future battery.

  Installed

  $10,000 to $15,000

  STC rebate

  $2,926 to $3,990

  After STCs

  $6,010 to $12,074

  13 kW price guide

Installed prices are indicative ranges for good quality equipment from an accredited installer, and vary by location, installer and equipment. The rebate is worked from the current certificate price ($38) and the 2026 deeming period of 5 years, and it steps down on 1 January 2027.

Why 6.6 kW is the most popular size

Many networks cap a single-phase home at a 5 kW inverter. Clean Energy Council design rules, which the STC scheme follows, let the panel array be up to a third larger than the inverter, so a 5 kW inverter can carry 6.6 kW of panels. Panels rarely reach their rated output on a hot roof anyway, so the extra panels lift production in the morning, the late afternoon and through winter without paying for a bigger inverter. This is also what most people mean by the 20% rule for solar, which the FAQ below explains. For help choosing a size, see our solar system sizes guide and what size solar system do I need.

Bigger systems cost less per kW

A 10 kW system does not cost twice what a 5 kW one does. The fixed parts of a job, the site visit, the switchboard work, the paperwork and the travel, are much the same whatever the size, so the installed price per kW falls as the system grows: about $1,100 per kW at 5 kW against about $962 at 13 kW, at the middle of the ranges above. If an electric car, a heat pump or a battery is likely in the next few years, sizing up now is usually cheaper than adding panels later. Our 10 kW system pricing guide breaks down the economics of larger installations, and adding panels to an existing system covers inverter compatibility, export limits and what upgrading later costs.

A fully installed price should cover everything needed to get the system generating and connected to the grid. A legitimate quote names each of these:

Panels

The brand, the model, the wattage of each panel and how many, which together give the system size.

Inverter

The brand and model (a Fronius Primo, a Sungrow SG5.0RS or Enphase IQ8 microinverters, for example), which converts the panels' DC power into AC for the house.

Mounting

Rails, clamps and brackets suited to your roof, whether tin, tile or flat.

Wiring and protection

The DC and AC cabling, conduit, isolators and the connections between the panels, the inverter and the switchboard.

Labour

Mounting the panels, running the cables and commissioning the system safely.

Grid connection

The application to your distributor (the DNSP) to connect the system and allow exports, and the meter change to record them.

The STC rebate

Shown as a line-item discount, with the number of certificates and the price per certificate, so you can check the sum.

Anything outside that list, such as a switchboard upgrade, an export limiting device or access equipment for a two-storey roof, should be listed separately with a price rather than left for the day. If a quote gives one number with no breakdown, ask for one. A reputable installer will be happy to explain every line, and one who will not is telling you something.

Warranties are part of what you are paying for. A quote should state the panel product and performance warranties, the inverter warranty and the installer's own workmanship warranty, which is the one that matters when a roof leaks or a connection fails. Our guide to reading solar quotes shows what to compare line by line.

Every after-STC price on this page has the federal rebate taken off, because that is what you actually pay. It is worth understanding how the rebate works, because it shrinks every year and that affects your timing.

The rebate is a certificate scheme, the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. When you install solar, the system creates Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). How many depends on three things: the size of the system, your postcode's STC zone (sunnier zones create more) and the deeming period, the number of years of generation counted up front. Your installer creates the certificates, sells them on the open market for around $38 each and takes the value off your quote.

A worked example

A 6.6 kW system installed in 2026 in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide (Zone 3): 6.6 kW × the Zone 3 rating of 1.382 × 5 years = 45 certificates, rounded down. At $38 each that is $1,710 off the quote. The same system creates fewer certificates in Melbourne (Zone 4) and more in Alice Springs (Zone 1).

The critical detail is timing. The deeming period drops by one year every 1 January until the scheme ends on 31 December 2030, so the same system creates fewer certificates each year you wait. On 1 January 2027 a 6.6 kW system loses $304 to $418 of rebate, depending on zone, and after the scheme ends you pay the full unsubsidised price.

That does not mean you need to rush. It does mean the old advice to wait for prices to drop no longer holds: panel prices have stopped falling, the rebate shrinks each year and the value you earn back through feed-in tariffs has narrowed too. For the full phase-out timeline, read our federal STC rebate guide.

Where you live makes a real difference. Three things drive it: the number of installers competing for work (more competition means lower prices), your STC zone, which sets the rebate, and travel costs on regional jobs. As a rule of thumb, metro installations come in 10 to 20% cheaper than regional ones for the same system. The table shows capital city quotes with each city's own STC zone applied.

Sydney quotes sit toward the top because labour costs more there, even though it is the biggest market. Brisbane and Perth are the most competitive capitals, with good sun on top. Adelaide has the highest electricity prices in the country, which gives it some of the fastest paybacks, and Melbourne's smaller Zone 4 rebate is offset for eligible households by the state's panel rebate. Hobart and Darwin quotes tend to run above these ranges, with fewer installers and more travel, while Canberra prices track Sydney's.

What each state adds

State help now mostly goes to batteries or comes as loans. Only Victoria still pays a broadly available state rebate on panels. The table shows what each state adds on top of the federal STC rebate, with the average size of the systems installed there over the last year.

Panel quality is the main reason two 6.6 kW quotes can be a few thousand dollars apart. Here is what you get at each tier. The prices per watt are for the panels alone, not the installed system.

The difference in first-year output between budget and premium panels is small. The gap opens in years 10 to 25: a premium panel still producing close to 90% of its rating at year 25 generates noticeably more than a budget panel limping along at 80%, and over the life of the system that adds up to thousands of dollars of power. For most households, mid-range panels are the best balance of price and long-term performance.

A warranty is only as good as the company behind it, so check that the manufacturer has an Australian office that handles claims. For a ranked comparison of brands, see our best solar panels in Australia guide and the solar panel comparison.

The inverter is the second biggest cost variable. It converts the DC electricity from the panels into AC for the house, and it is the part most likely to need replacing during the life of the system. There are two main types, and the price difference is significant.

Which should you choose? On a straightforward roof, with one or two faces, little shade and a standard pitch, a quality string inverter such as a Fronius or Sungrow is perfectly fine and saves $1,500 to $2,000. On a roof with several orientations, shade from trees or neighbouring buildings, or if you want panel-level monitoring and a 25-year warranty, microinverters are worth the premium. Optimisers sit between the two: a string inverter with a small device behind each panel, which adds panel-level monitoring and shade tolerance for less than a full microinverter system.

If a battery is likely in the next few years, ask about a hybrid inverter, which runs the panels and a battery from one unit. It costs more than a basic string inverter today but can save buying a second inverter later. Our microinverter vs string inverter comparison and best solar inverters cover the brands and the trade-offs, and battery costs covers what adding storage costs.

The headline price on a solar quote is not always the final price. These are the extras that catch people out when a quote does not deal with them up front.

Ask every installer whether the quote includes switchboard work, the meter change and any roof access charges. A good installer flags these at the site inspection. If the answer is that it will be sorted out on the day, that often means an unexpected invoice after the installation. If your home may need three-phase work for a larger system, our guide to three-phase power and solar explains when it is worth it, and export limits by state covers the caps each network sets.

You have seen the ads: 6.6 kW of solar fully installed for $3,999. They turn up on Facebook, in letterbox drops and at the front door, and the appeal is obvious when the next quote is a couple of thousand dollars more.

What those ads do not tell you is that at that price the numbers do not work for a business that intends to be around in ten years. Take out the panels, inverter and mounting, the labour, the insurance and the overheads, and the installer is working on almost no margin, or losing money on every job and relying on volume to keep going.

Businesses priced like that are the most likely to cut corners in four places. They fit the cheapest components, often from manufacturers with no Australian presence, which makes a 25-year warranty close to worthless. They rush the installation, skimping on wiring, mounting and waterproofing to save labour time. They leave out essentials such as switchboard work, meter changes and proper conduit, then add them as extras after you have signed. And they are the most likely to close within two or three years, leaving you as a solar orphan with nobody to call when something goes wrong.

Our register lists 279 Australian solar companies that have collapsed, each leaving its customers without the business that installed their systems. The pattern is almost always the same: race-to-the-bottom pricing, cheap solar leads sold to five competitors at once, margins that cannot last, then closure. The owners left behind face repair bills that often cost more than they saved on the original quote. Check a company against the register before you sign, and read how to vet a solar installer for how to check accreditation, ABN history and reviews.

A fair price is not the cheapest quote. It is a price that matches good equipment and an installer who will still answer the phone in ten years. Four steps get you there.

1. 01

   Choose the installer first

   This matters more than the number on the quote. Look for Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accreditation, at least five years trading, a solid run of Google reviews and equipment from manufacturers with Australian offices. With 279 solar companies collapsed, an established installer with a proven record protects the investment for the long term.

2. 02

   Compare like for like

   Each quote should name the exact panel and inverter brand and model and say what is included. A $5,500 quote with budget panels and a basic string inverter is not comparable with a $7,500 quote with premium panels and Enphase microinverters. You need the same components, or at least the same tier, for a fair comparison.

3. 03

   Ask what is not included

   Ask directly: does this price include switchboard upgrades, the meter change and any roof access charges? A transparent installer answers clearly. If they dodge the question or say they will assess it on the day, allow $500 to $1,500 for extras when you compare.

4. 04

   Check the installer, not just the price

   Before you sign, confirm the accreditation, check the age of the ABN on abr.business.gov.au and read the reviews. A company trading for five years or more under the same ABN with solid reviews is worth a modest premium over a newcomer with no track record. Our vetting guide walks you through it step by step.

The sweet spot, going by what owners consistently report on r/AusSolar and Whirlpool, is a mid-range quote from an installer who has traded for at least five years, uses panels and inverters from manufacturers with Australian offices and has a steady trail of reviews. That combination rarely wins on price on the day, but it gives the lowest total cost over 25 years. Every installer we match has earned the Why Solar approval, which checks the same ground: credentials, staying power, proof of work, who actually does the job, what goes on the roof and how they handle trouble.

If the upfront cost is the obstacle, solar payment plans and our article on solar affordability during the cost-of-living crunch cover finance options. And if you are worried about common misconceptions, solar myths debunked clears them up.

Payback is the out-of-pocket cost divided by what the system saves each year. The savings depend less on the system than on how you use it: power you use yourself is worth your full retail rate, while power you export earns only the feed-in tariff, which in most states is a fraction of it.

If you are out all day and export most of what you make, expect payback toward the top of the range or beyond it. Running the dishwasher, washing machine, pool pump and hot water in the middle of the day, or adding a battery later, pulls it back down. The payback calculator works it out for your own bill, is solar worth it in 2026 covers the savings side in more depth, and 10 ways to cut your power bill with solar covers the habits that shorten payback.