Solar panel cost per watt in 2026: retail vs installed

Two different prices

People mix up two numbers. A panel-only price is what the modules cost per watt. An installed price is the whole contract: panels, inverters, racking, labor, permits, interconnection, sales and overhead. Installed price is several times the panel price, so a cheaper panel does not automatically mean a cheaper contract.

Installed-system benchmarks

The gap between $2.60 and $3.36 is real: a marketplace where installers compete for quotes is a different population from the national average. LBNL's cash-versus-loan gap shows how dealer fees embedded in financing can add a lot to the total.

Illustration, not a quote

8,000 W × $2.60 = $20,800. 8,000 W × $3.36 = $26,880. That is simple arithmetic on the benchmarks above, before any incentive, tax or financing cost. Your own quotes decide.

What changed recently

Installed prices have been roughly flat while equipment got cheaper. SEIA reported residential system pricing of $3.39/W in Q4 2025, down about 1% year over year, while module prices fell about 10%. EnergySage's September 2026 report says overall median pricing rose about 3% from the second half of 2025 to the first half of 2026, but also that solar-only pricing held flat; the rise reflects solar-plus-storage jobs, which carry more labor. Do not read that as "all rooftop solar got 3% dearer".

Tariffs: what is coming on December 4, 2026

A presidential proclamation signed August 6, 2026 sets minimum import prices on covered polysilicon products (including $0.38/W for modules and $0.22/W for cells) plus a general 15% additional duty, with exceptions and country-specific treatment. It takes effect December 4, 2026, so it is not yet in force. It governs imports, not what a homeowner pays at retail, and the effect on your contract depends on your installer's inventory and contracts. Panels are only part of an installed price, so expect an indirect, lagged effect rather than a dollar-for-dollar one.

We have seen reports of imported-module quotes already repricing ahead of the date, but we could not verify the specific figures against a primary source, so we do not quote them.

Buying panels only (DIY)

Retail panel prices change by the day and by quantity, minimum order, freight and stock, so we do not publish a price list. Calculate your own: divide the delivered total by rated watts, and compare like for like (same wattage class, same warranty). Portable and flexible panels cost noticeably more per watt than bulk rigid panels, because you are paying for portability and packaging. Check the warranty too: some portable and flexible panels carry far shorter coverage than rooftop modules (see lifespan and warranty).

What about leases and PPAs?

Because the homeowner credit ended, more installers are quoting leases and PPAs. EnergySage reports the share of installers quoting third-party ownership rose from 14% to 41% in six months. A business that owns the system may be able to claim a business credit under Section 48E, but that is the owner's credit, not yours, and whether it lowers your payment depends on the contract. The 2025 law's new lease restriction covers only solar water heating and small wind, not solar panels, so a leased or PPA system can still qualify if the owner meets the deadlines (in service by December 31, 2027 unless construction began by July 4, 2026) and the foreign-entity sourcing rules. Compare options in our lease calculator and the incentives guide.

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