BEST OF

Solar Panel Loans: Compare Solar Financing Options

Solar loans fund solar panels and installation. You can use an unsecured personal loan, home equity financing or cash-out refinancing.

Annie MillerberndApr 19, 2021
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

If you want to save on your utility bills and shift to a sustainable source of energy, solar panels can be a cost-effective option.

The average solar panel system, including installation, can cost between $15,000 and $25,000, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy, but systems can last 25 to 30 years and save you thousands of dollars in electric bills over their lifetimes.

One financing option is unsecured personal loans, which have fixed interest rates and terms of two to seven years. The short repayment terms on unsecured solar loans make them one of the quickest ways to pay off the purchase so you can start saving.

You can also consider a home equity loan or line of credit or cash-out refinancing to pay for solar panels. Federal and state tax benefits are also available to help you get some of the money you spend back. If you’re not ready to commit to solar panels of your own, leasing is also an option.

Here are five lenders that offer unsecured solar loans, as well as details about other financing options.

Summary of Solar Panel Loans: Compare Solar Financing Options

Our picks for

Solar loans

Lightstream
Check rate

on LightStream's website

LightStream

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Lightstream

Est. APR

3.99 - 19.99%

Loan Amount

$5,000 - $100,000

Min. Credit Score

660
Check rate

on LightStream's website

Min. Credit Score

660

Key facts

LightStream offers low-rate personal loans with repayment terms up to seven years.

Pros

  • No fees.

  • Competitive rates among online lenders.

  • Offers .5% rate discount for setting up autopay.

  • Special features including rate beat program and satisfaction guarantee.

Cons

  • No option to pre-qualify on its website.

  • Requires several years of credit history.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 660.

  • Several years of credit history; excellent-credit borrowers have at least five, according to LightStream.

  • Multiple account types within your credit history, like credit cards, a car loan or other installment loan and a mortgage.

  • Strong payment history with few or no delinquencies.

  • Investments, retirement savings or other evidence of an ability to save money.

  • Enough income to pay existing debts and a new LightStream loan.

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: None.

  • Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Your loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. AutoPay discount of .50% points is only available when selected prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay will be .50% points higher. To obtain a loan, you must complete an application on LightStream.com which may affect your credit score. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 6.14% APR with a term of 3 years would result in 36 monthly payments of $304.85. Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. ©2021 Truist Financial Corporation. SunTrust, Truist, LightStream, the LightStream logo, and the SunTrust logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.

Read Full Review
Upgrade
Check rate

on Upgrade's website

Upgrade

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Upgrade

Est. APR

5.44 - 35.47%

Loan Amount

$1,000 - $50,000

Min. Credit Score

580
Check rate

on Upgrade's website

Min. Credit Score

580

Key facts

Upgrade offers personal loans plus credit-building tools; you'll need strong cash flow to qualify.

Pros

  • Allows secured, co-signed and joint loans.

  • Offers rate discount with direct payment to creditors on debt consolidation loans.

  • Offers a .5% rate discount for setting up autopay.

Cons

  • Charges origination fee.

  • Charges late fee.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 580.

  • Minimum annual income: $35,000; average borrower income is $87,000.

  • Minimum credit history: 3 years.

  • Minimum number of accounts on credit history: 2.

  • Minimum monthly free cash flow: $800.

  • Maximum debt-to-income ratio: Varies between 55% and 65% including the loan you’re applying for and mortgage payments. To see your post-loan DTI, calculate your monthly payments on a personal loan, and then add them to your debt-to-income calculation.

  • Average loan amount is $10,000.

  • Average repayment term is 40 months.

Available Term Lengths

3 to 5 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: 2.9% to 8%.

Disclaimer

Personal loans made through Upgrade feature APRs of 5.94%-35.97%. All personal loans have a 2.9% to 8% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.98% APR (which includes a 14.32% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $343.33. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,359.97. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early. Personal loans issued by Upgrade's lending partners. Information on Upgrade's lending partners can be found at https://www.upgrade.com/lending-partners/. Accept your loan offer and your funds will be sent to your bank or designated account within one (1) business day of clearing necessary verifications. Availability of the funds is dependent on how quickly your bank processes the transaction. From the time of approval, funds should be available within four (4) business days. Funds sent directly to pay off your creditors may take up to 2 weeks to clear, depending on the creditor.

Read Full Review
Lending Club
Check rate

on LendingClub's website

LendingClub

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Lending Club

Est. APR

8.05 - 35.89%

Loan Amount

$1,000 - $40,000

Min. Credit Score

600
Check rate

on LendingClub's website

Min. Credit Score

600

Key facts

LendingClub offers personal loans for borrowers with fair credit. Joint or single applications are accepted.

Pros

  • Offers co-signed and joint loan options.

  • Offers direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.

  • Soft credit check with pre-qualification.

Cons

  • Borrowers can only choose from two repayment term options.

  • Rates are high compared to other fair-credit lenders.

  • Charges an origination fee.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score of 600. LendingClub uses FICO 8 credit scoring model.

  • Minimum credit history of three years.

  • Debt-to-income ratio of less than 40% for single applications, 35% combined for joint applicants.

Available Term Lengths

3 to 5 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: 1% to 6%.

  • Late fee: Greater of $15 or 5% of payment after 15-day grace period.

Disclaimer

A representative example of loan payment terms is as follows: you receive a loan of $13,411 for a term of 36 months, with an interest rate of 12.16% and a 5.30% origination fee of $711, for an APR of 15.99%. In this example, you will receive $12,700 and will make 36 monthly payments of $446.46. Loan amounts range from $1,000 to $40,000 and loan term lengths are 36 months or 60 months. Some amounts and term lengths may be unavailable in certain states. APR ranges from 8.05% to 35.89% and is determined at the time of application. Origination fee ranges from 3% to 6% of the loan amount. Lowest APR is available to borrowers with excellent credit. Advertised rates are subject to change without notice. Loans are made by LendingClub Bank, N.A., Member FDIC (“LendingClub Bank”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of LendingClub Corporation, NMLS ID 167439. Loans are subject to credit approval and sufficient investor commitment before they can be funded or issued. Certain information that we subsequently obtain as part of the application process (including but not limited to information in your consumer report, your income, the loan amount that your request, the purpose of your loan, and qualifying debt) will be considered and could affect your ability to obtain a loan from us. Loan closing is contingent on accepting all required agreements and disclosures at Lendingclub.com. “LendingClub” is a trademark of LendingClub Bank.

Read Full Review
SoFi
Check rate

on SoFi's website

SoFi

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
SoFi

Est. APR

5.99 - 18.85%

Loan Amount

$5,000 - $100,000

Min. Credit Score

680
Check rate

on SoFi's website

Min. Credit Score

680

Key facts

SoFi offers good-credit borrowers flexible payment options and unemployment protection that lets you defer your loan payments if you lose your job.

Pros

  • No fees.

  • Offers co-sign and joint loan options.

  • Offers .25% rate discount for setting up autopay.

  • Offers unemployment protection.

  • Provides mobile app to manage your loan.

Cons

  • No secured loan option.

Qualifications

  • Must legally be an adult in your state.

  • Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or visa holder.

  • Must be employed, have sufficient income or have an offer of employment to start within the next 90 days.

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: None.

  • Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Fixed rates from 5.99% APR to 18.85% APR (with AutoPay). SoFi rate ranges are current as of February 25, 2021, and are subject to change without notice. Not all rates and amounts available in all states. See Personal Loan eligibility details. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. If approved for a loan, to qualify for the lowest rate, you must have a responsible financial history and meet other conditions. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including evaluation of your credit worthiness, income, and other factors. See APR examples and terms. The SoFi 0.25% AutoPay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account.

Read Full Review
Discover
Check rate

on Discover's website

Discover® Personal Loans

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Discover

Est. APR

6.99 - 24.99%

Loan Amount

$2,500 - $35,000

Min. Credit Score

720
Check rate

on Discover's website

Min. Credit Score

720

Key facts

Discover personal loans can be a smart way to consolidate or refinance debt for borrowers with excellent credit.

Pros

  • No origination fee.

  • Offers direct payment to creditors.

  • Offers mobile app to manage loan.

  • Able to fund loans within one business day.

  • Wide variety of repayment term options.

Cons

  • Charges late fee.

  • No co-signed, joint or secured loan options.

  • No rate discount for autopay.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 720; borrower average is 750.


  • Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

  • Must be at least 18 years old.

  • Must have a minimum household income of $40,000.

Available Term Lengths

3 to 7 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: None.

  • Late fee: $39.

Disclaimer

This is not a commitment to lend from Discover Personal Loans. Your approval for a loan is determined once you apply and is based on your application information and credit history. Your APR will be between 6.99%-24.99% based upon creditworthiness at time of application for loan terms of 36-84 months. For example, if you get approved for a $15,000 loan at 6.99% APR for a term of 72 months, you’ll pay just $256 per month. Our lowest rates are available to consumers with the best credit. Many factors are used to determine your rate, such as your credit history, application information and the term you select. Not all applications will be approved.

Read Full Review

» MORE: Best home improvement loans

What to look for in an unsecured solar loan

Unsecured loans with low rates and short repayment terms can help you pay off your solar panel system quickly. In contrast, you may be making smaller payments on a home equity line of credit for 10 or more years.

Annual percentage rate: The APR is the total cost of your loan, including interest and fees. Rates on personal loans range from about 6% to 36%, with the lowest rates reserved for good- and excellent-credit borrowers with little debt. When comparing loans, be sure to compare APRs, rather than just interest rates, to make a sound comparison.

» MORE: Calculate your solar loan payments

Fees: Some lenders charge an origination fee, which can be 1% to 6% of the cost of the loan, and is usually taken off the amount you’re given.

Terms: The amount of time you have to repay your loan helps to determine your monthly payments. With longer repayment terms, you have lower payments but you’ll pay more total interest.

Pre-qualify for a solar loan

Take the steps to pre-qualify for a personal loan to see what rates and terms are available to you. This process requires a soft credit check, which doesn't impact your credit score.

» GET STARTED: Pre-qualify with multiple online lenders on NerdWallet

Solar panel tax benefits

For people who purchase and install a solar panel system, the federal government provides a 26% tax credit for solar panel installation through 2022. That credit will lower to 22% in 2023, and there isn’t a tax credit for residential solar systems scheduled after that.

For example, you could receive a $4,400 credit on a $20,000 system in 2021 with the federal tax credit alone.

You can take advantage of tax benefits as long as you own your system, no matter how you fund it.

The federal tax credit is nonrefundable, meaning if you don’t owe taxes — or owe less than the 26% credit will get you — you won’t get that money back in a refund. You can, however, carry the credit over to a future tax year.

Some states also offer tax benefits and other incentives for solar installation. You can look up your state’s offerings in the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency.

Other types of solar loans

In-house financing

Some solar companies offer financing through third-party lenders. These loans can be similar to home improvement loans — unsecured with no down payment required. The payment plans could have lower rates than personal loans and longer repayment terms, making your monthly payment lower.

Compare a quote from your solar company with other products to find the most affordable one.

Home equity loan

If you already know how much your solar panels will cost, you can apply for a home equity loan. Since borrowers take on more risk by putting the home up as collateral with a home equity loan, it has lower rates and longer repayment terms than unsecured loans.

Home equity line of credit

A HELOC is another low-rate option that is secured by your home. It’s more flexible than a home equity loan because you can draw on funds as you need them for the project, and you often have the option to only pay interest during the initial portion of the loan.

» MORE: Best home equity lines of credit

If you’re considering a home-equity option, learn the pros and cons of each before you choose.

Cash-out refinance

A cash-out refinance can get you a new mortgage at a lower rate that includes the cost of solar panels and installation. It’s a good option if current mortgage rates are lower than what you’re paying and if you can keep closing costs low.

Closing costs on a cash-out refinance can be 2% to 5% of the mortgage’s cost. That means, on the high end, a $250,000 mortgage can come with $12,500 in closing costs — which is almost the same cost as some solar panels.

Leasing or getting a power purchase agreement

If you don’t want to make a large upfront payment or are ineligible for federal and state tax credits, consider a power purchase agreement or leasing solar panels.

In both cases, you pay little or no upfront costs to essentially rent the solar panels. The owner of the panels collects rent from you and receives any available tax incentives from the government. You’re also not responsible for maintenance.

The U.S. Department of Energy has more details about the difference between a lease and power purchase agreement.

Things to consider with solar panels

Calculate your sun exposure, costs and savings. In some parts of the country, solar panels will save more money and add more value to your home than in others. For example, someone in Seattle might not get the same value from solar panels as someone in Phoenix because of the disparity in sunshine.

To estimate your savings, you first need to know how many kilowatt-hours you use and how much you’re paying for them. The average household pays about 13 cents per kilowatt-hour for 877 kilowatt-hours each month, according to 2019 data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Then, figure out what size system you’ll need. You can use the Solar-Estimate calculator to see how many panels your home would need and how much energy they would generate.

» MORE: Will solar panels save you money?

Expect to make your money back over years, not months. The Center for Sustainable Energy estimates it takes  six to nine years to recoup the cost of adding solar panels to your home. So your utility bill savings won’t immediately put more money in your pocket.

How long it’ll take you to make the cost of the panels back depends on the system you choose, which government funding programs are available, where you live and how you decide to pay for it.

Last updated on April 19, 2021

Methodology

NerdWallet's ratings for personal loans award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including soft credit checks, no fees, transparency of loan rates and terms, flexible payment options, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. We also consider the number of complaints filed with agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This methodology applies only to lenders that cap interest rates at 36%, the maximum rate financial experts and consumer advocates agree is the acceptable limit for a loan to be affordable. NerdWallet does not receive compensation of any sort for our reviews.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Solar Panel Loans: Compare Solar Financing Options