# Solar Leads: What They Cost, and Why Bought Lists Burn Crews

Solar leads in 2026, priced honestly: aged vs shared vs exclusive vs self-generated, why bought lists close at 2-5%, and the channel order that builds your own flow.

By Karan Vij · Published Aug 10, 2026
Canonical: https://myleadsfactory.com/blog/solar-leads

Solar has the most brutal lead economics in home services: five-figure tickets, long consideration cycles, and a lead-selling industry that grew up around reselling the same homeowner to every installer in the county. If your pipeline runs on bought lists, your closers are paying the price. Here is what solar leads actually cost in 2026, what each type really closes at, and the order to build channels you own.

## The four types of solar leads, priced honestly

| Type | Sticker price | Reality |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aged leads (30-90+ days) | $5-15 | Resold repeatedly; contact rates under 10%; close rates near 1% |
| Shared real-time | $20-60 | Sold to 3-5 installers; a phone race that starts the moment the form submits |
| Exclusive real-time | $80-150+ | Yours alone, but quality varies wildly by vendor; verify sourcing |
| Self-generated | $60-120 typical | Exclusive by definition, intent you control, and the asset compounds |

The sticker price is the least important column. A $30 shared lead closing at 3% is **$1,000 per closed deal** before setter costs. A $100 self-generated lead closing at 12% is $833, and every dollar also builds an account, a review base, and a brand that keeps producing ([the honest math, worked through](/blog/real-cost-per-lead-calculation)).

## Why bought solar leads close at 2-5%

The marketplaces (Modernize, SolarReviews, EnergySage and the aggregators feeding them) are not scams; their incentive is simply to sell each homeowner as many times as possible. By the time your rep dials, the homeowner has had four calls, two texts, and a knock. Speed-to-lead decides shared leads: if you keep any, answer inside five minutes with a dedicated setter, or you are donating the fee.

Aged lists are worse. Solar intent decays in days, not months; a 60-day-old "lead" is a cold call with a surcharge.

## The channel order that builds owned flow

**1. [Local Services Ads](/blog/google-local-services-ads-guide), where solar qualifies.** Google runs LSA categories for solar energy contractors in many US metros. You pay per lead, not per click, the [Google Screened](/blog/google-screened) badge does the trust work, and placement sits above every standard ad. Ranking is earned with reviews and answer speed, not bids.

**2. Google Search on high-intent terms.** "Solar installers near me," "solar panel cost," "solar tax credit [state]": exact and phrase match, disciplined [negative keywords](/blog/google-ads-negative-keywords-essential) (block DIY, jobs, and renter queries), and call tracking wired to sat appointments, not form fills. Lead with financing: "$0 down" and monthly-payment math outperform panel specs in ad copy every time.

**3. Google Business Profile + reviews.** "Solar companies near me" surfaces the map pack first. A complete profile and a review ask built into every installation completion feeds both the map pack and your LSA ranking ([GBP vs ads, compared](/blog/google-ads-vs-google-business-profile)).

**4. A referral program that pays real money.** Referred solar customers close at 3-4x paid-lead rates, and a $500-1,000 referral fee is still your cheapest acquisition. Systematize the ask at PTO (permission to operate), the moment of peak customer satisfaction.

**5. Marketplaces last, deliberately.** Keep them only while their cost per *closed deal* beats your owned channels, measured monthly. For most installers we see, that stops being true within two quarters of building the stack above.

## Commercial solar is a different playbook

Fewer, larger, slower: 3-12 month cycles, CFO math instead of kitchen-table math. Google Search on commercial-intent terms, LinkedIn to facilities and finance leaders, case studies with real payback periods, and incentive/rebate content that captures businesses mid-research. Do not point residential lead budgets at commercial keywords or vice versa; the auctions and the buyers are different.

## The two numbers that keep you honest

**Cost per sat appointment** ($150-350 is healthy for self-generated residential) and **cost per closed kW**. Track them by channel, monthly. Per-lead prices are how bad channels hide; current Google Ads ranges by industry are on our [benchmarks page](/benchmarks).

The full home-services structure, trade by trade, is in our [contractor playbook](/blog/contractor-leads) and [home-services guide](/industries/home-services). If you want the stack built and tracked properly, LSAs verified, Search structured for financing intent, appointment tracking wired to bidding, [book a free audit](/book). A senior strategist will show you what your current lead sources really cost per closed deal, and where the budget should move.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much do solar leads cost?

Depends entirely on the type. Aged solar leads (30-90+ days old, resold many times) run $5-15. Shared real-time leads from marketplaces like Modernize or SolarReviews run $20-60 and are sold to 3-5 installers. Exclusive real-time leads run $80-150+. Self-generated leads from your own Google Ads typically land at $60-120 per lead in most metros, and they are exclusive by definition. Judge every source on cost per closed deal, not cost per lead: a $30 shared lead closing at 3% costs $1,000 per sale before you pay your setter.

### Are purchased solar leads worth it?

Rarely as a foundation. Shared solar leads close at roughly 2-5% because the same homeowner is being called by four installers within minutes, and aged leads close lower still. They can work as a supplement if you have aggressive speed-to-lead (calling within five minutes) and a dedicated setter, but installers who shift that budget to their own Google Ads and Local Services Ads almost always report a cheaper cost per closed deal within one to two quarters.

### What is the best way to generate solar leads?

Own the demand instead of renting it: Local Services Ads where solar qualifies in your metro (pay per lead, Google Screened badge), Google Search campaigns on high-intent terms like 'solar installers near me' and 'solar panel cost' with call tracking wired to appointments, a Google Business Profile with a steady review cadence, and a referral program that pays meaningfully, since a referred solar customer closes at 3-4x the rate of any paid lead. Layer financing-focused ad copy: monthly-payment math is what converts fence-sitters.

### How do I get commercial solar leads?

Commercial solar is a different motion from residential: longer sales cycles (3-12 months), multiple decision makers, and the buyer searches differently. The channels that work are LinkedIn outreach to facilities and finance leaders, Google Search on commercial-intent terms (commercial solar installation, solar for warehouses), case-study content with real payback math, and utility-program and incentive pages that capture businesses researching rebates. Expect fewer, larger leads: a commercial pipeline measured in deals, not dials.

### What is a good cost per solar appointment?

For self-generated residential leads in most US metros, $150-350 per sat appointment is a healthy range, driven by lead cost and your setter's contact rate. From shared purchased leads the effective number is usually worse than it looks: a $30 lead with a 10% appointment rate is $300 per appointment before quality issues. Track cost per sat appointment and cost per closed kW as your two north-star numbers; per-lead prices are how bad channels hide.