The Best Solar Batteries of 2026

Many solar.com customers now add a home battery to their solar system. There's a reason: a battery can keep your lights on in an outage, cut your bill by storing cheap solar for expensive evening hours, and make you less dependent on your utility.

There's no single "best" battery. The right one depends on what you want it to do. Below are our 2026 picks, what they actually cost when installed with solar on our marketplace, and what thousands of homeowners say about battery projects once the installer leaves.

Our 2026 picks at a glance

	Tesla Powerwall 3	Enphase IQ Battery 5P	FranklinWH aPower 2
Best for	Best overall	Bill savings on a budget	Whole-home backup
Usable capacity	13.5 kWh	5 kWh (stackable)	15 kWh
Continuous power	11.5 kW	3.84 kW	10 kW
Warranty	10 years	15 years	15 years
Typical installed price with solar*	~$15,000	~$10,650	~$17,250
Price per usable kWh*	~$1,110	~$2,130	~$1,150
Works with existing solar?	Yes (best with new)	Best with Enphase systems	Yes, with almost any inverter

*Median installed price when the battery is added to a new solar system, from the current price lists of installers on the Solar.com marketplace (Sept 2026), before rebates. Your price depends on your home, your utility, and how many batteries you need. See your real price for your address.

Disclosure: Solar.com is a Tesla Certified Installer. We compare every battery here on the same specs and on real installed prices from our marketplace.

Also worth a look: the Enphase IQ Battery 10C (about 10 kWh, median ~$14,250 installed with solar) is the step up for Enphase homes that want real backup, and consumption-only (no-backup) versions of the IQ 5P run about $6,125 if you only care about bill savings. More on that below.

What a home battery can do for you

Start with the problem you're solving. It decides the size and type of battery you need, and whether you need one at all.

• Bill savings (time-of-use shifting). The battery stores your midday solar and runs your home in the late afternoon and evening, when utility rates are highest. Under California's current net-billing rules (NEM 3.0), this is where most of a battery's financial value comes from. Why NEM 3.0 changed the math.
• Self-consumption. Where your utility pays little or nothing for the solar you send back, a battery soaks up the extra and uses it later.
• Backup power. Without a battery (or a special "sunlight backup" setup), solar panels shut off during a grid outage for line-worker safety. A battery keeps essentials, or the whole house, running.

Not sure which matters most for your home? Our interactive battery explainer walks through a day of solar and battery use on your utility's rates.

The best solar batteries of 2026

Tesla Powerwall 3: best overall

The Powerwall 3 packs a lot into one box: 13.5 kWh of storage, 11.5 kW of continuous power (enough to start most central air conditioners), and a built-in solar inverter, so with a new system you don't need a separate one. Tesla's app is the most polished in the category.

• Price on our marketplace: median ~$15,000 installed with solar; the middle half of installers price it between ~$13,950 and ~$16,200.
• Watch for: supply was tight after launch. That's largely resolved in 2026, but ask your installer for a delivery date in writing. And pick the installer carefully (see what reviews say below): most Powerwall complaints we read are about the install and the service afterward, not the battery.

Full Tesla Powerwall guide

Tesla Powerwall 3
Usable capacity	13.5 kWh
Continuous power	11.5 kW
Peak power	185 LRA motor start
Round-trip efficiency	~90%
Warranty	10 years

Enphase IQ Battery 5P: best for bill savings

The 5P is a smaller, modular battery: 5 kWh per unit, stackable when you want more. For homes that mainly want to shift solar into expensive evening hours, one or two units often do the job at a lower total price than a large battery. Enphase's app and its 15-year warranty are strong.

• Price on our marketplace: median ~$10,650 installed with solar for a backup-capable unit; the no-backup (consumption-only) version is ~$6,125.
• Watch for: per kWh, it's the most expensive of our picks (~$2,130/kWh), so it wins on total price, not on capacity. If you need several units, compare the price against one Powerwall 3 or FranklinWH.
• Stepping up: the IQ Battery 10C (~10 kWh, median ~$14,250) is the Enphase choice for real backup.

Enphase IQ Battery 5P
Usable capacity	5 kWh
Continuous power	3.84 kW
Peak power	7.68 kW (3 sec)
Round-trip efficiency	~90%
Warranty	15 years

FranklinWH aPower 2: best for whole-home backup

The aPower 2 is a 15 kWh battery with 10 kW of continuous output, run by FranklinWH's aGate controller. It works with almost any solar inverter, which makes it a strong pick if you already have solar and want to add storage, or if you're replacing a battery from a company that's gone out of business (we read many reviews from former SunPower customers who did exactly that).

• Price on our marketplace: median ~$17,250 installed with solar, the most expensive pick up front, but close to the Powerwall 3 per kWh (~$1,150).
• Watch for: FranklinWH is a younger, privately held company. No known financial issues, but long-term app and warranty support is the question to weigh with any newer battery maker.

Full FranklinWH review

FranklinWH aPower 2
Usable capacity	15 kWh
Continuous power	10 kW
Peak power	15 kW (10 sec)
Round-trip efficiency	~89%
Warranty	15 years

What 8,000+ homeowner reviews say about battery projects

We read 158,781 published Google and Yelp reviews of California solar installers for our installer rankings. 8,124 of them talk about a battery. Two things stood out.

1. Battery installs draw about twice the complaints, and it's rarely about the battery.

Share of reviews that complain about…	Reviews that mention a battery	All other reviews
Delays, permits, or utility approval	11.4%	4.8%
System problems or service after install	10.5%	5.3%
1- or 2-star reviews overall	14.1%	11.3%

Batteries add equipment, permits, utility sign-off, and software setup. Each step is a place for an installer to drop the ball. The most common complaint in low-star battery reviews is getting service after the install: a battery offline for weeks, and nobody returning calls.

2. Homeowners mention the Powerwall most, by far.

Battery	Reviews mentioning it	Installers mentioned with it	Average review rating
Tesla Powerwall	1,773	247	4.5 ★
Enphase batteries	248	115	4.7 ★
FranklinWH	173	68	4.8 ★

These ratings describe the installer's whole job, not the battery itself. So don't read them as "FranklinWH is a better battery than Powerwall." Read them as: who installs your battery matters as much as which battery you pick.

What to do with that: before you sign, check your installer's track record on battery jobs specifically. Every installer in our California rankings is scored from its own customers' reviews, including communication, timelines, and service after install, and no installer can pay to change its score.

Battery features, explained

AC-coupled vs DC-coupled

Solar panels make DC power, batteries store DC, and your home runs on AC. Each conversion loses a little energy. DC-coupled batteries store solar power directly and convert once, so they're a bit more efficient. AC-coupled batteries convert more often but are usually easier to add to an existing system.

Round-trip efficiency

How much of the energy you put in, you get back out. Most home batteries land around 89–90%. If your battery cycles every day for bill savings, a few points add up over the years.

Usable capacity

How much energy you can actually draw, in kWh. This is the number to compare, not the "nameplate" size.

Continuous vs peak power

Continuous power is what the battery can supply for hours, and it decides how much of your home runs in an outage. Peak power covers short surges, like an AC compressor starting.

Backup vs consumption-only

Backup hardware and wiring are expensive. Consumption-only batteries skip them and just store solar for later, for less: about 15–40% less on our marketplace, depending on the model. A no-backup Enphase IQ 5P, for example, is ~$6,125 versus ~$10,650 for the backup version. If outages aren't a concern where you live, it's the cheapest way to add battery savings. What is a consumption-only battery?

Battery chemistry

All of our picks use lithium chemistry; most newer home batteries use lithium iron phosphate (LFP), which lasts longer and runs cooler. Types of solar batteries

Warranty

Battery warranties typically guarantee about 70% of original capacity after 10–15 years or a set amount of use, whichever comes first. Read the throughput limit, not just the years.

How much does a solar battery cost in 2026?

On our marketplace, a battery added to a new solar system typically runs $1,100–$2,100 per usable kWh installed, before rebates:

Battery (installed with solar)	Typical price range*	Median
Enphase IQ 5P, no backup	~$5,200–$6,700	~$6,125
Enphase IQ 5P	~$9,250–$13,700	~$10,650
Enphase IQ 10C	~$13,000–$15,600	~$14,250
Tesla Powerwall 3	~$13,950–$16,200	~$15,000
FranklinWH aPower 2	~$14,700–$18,100	~$17,250

*Middle 50% of prices on current installer price lists on the Solar.com marketplace, Sept 2026.

Adding a battery at the same time as solar is cheaper than adding it later, because permits, inspection, and labor are shared. More on battery prices

Is there still a federal tax credit for batteries?

If you buy your battery (cash or loan), there's no federal tax credit in 2026. The homeowner credit ended at the end of 2025. The way to still capture that value is a Prepaid TPO (a prepaid lease): a partner owns the system for the first five years, claims the business credit, and passes it to you as an upfront discount on your price. You own it after year five. How the Prepaid TPO works

Some utilities and states also offer battery rebates, such as California's SGIP program when funding is open. Your installer should check what applies at your address.

How to choose the right battery for you

1. Start with your goal. Bill savings points to smaller or consumption-only batteries. Whole-home backup points to larger ones with high continuous power.
2. Match the system. Enphase batteries fit best with Enphase microinverters; the Powerwall 3 replaces the solar inverter on a new system; FranklinWH works with almost anything.
3. Compare price per usable kWh, not sticker price.
4. Check the installer's battery track record. Our review data says that's where most battery projects go wrong. Start with the California installer rankings.
5. Get a real price for your home. See your real solar and battery price in about 90 seconds, no sales calls.

Solar battery FAQs

What is the best solar battery in 2026?

Our top pick overall is the Tesla Powerwall 3, for its capacity, power, built-in inverter, and price per kWh. The Enphase IQ Battery 5P is the best fit for bill savings on a budget, and the FranklinWH aPower 2 is our pick for whole-home backup.

How much does a Tesla Powerwall 3 cost installed?

On the Solar.com marketplace, the median is about $15,000 when installed with a new solar system (Sept 2026), before rebates. Most installers fall between about $13,950 and $16,200.

Is a solar battery worth it?

It depends on your utility rates and your goals. Where evening rates are high or your utility pays little for exported solar, as in California under NEM 3.0, a battery often pays for itself through bill savings. In areas with frequent outages, the backup value can matter more than the payback math.

Can I get a tax credit for a solar battery?

Not if you buy it. The federal homeowner credit ended at the end of 2025. Through a Prepaid TPO, the credit value still reaches you as an upfront discount.

How long do solar batteries last?

Most carry 10–15 year warranties guaranteeing about 70% of original capacity. Many will run longer. Check the warranty's throughput limit as well as its length.

What's the difference between lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries?

Lithium batteries are lighter, more efficient, and last much longer, which is why nearly every modern home battery uses them. Lead-acid costs less up front but wears out faster and needs maintenance.