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Comparison · Updated August 2026
SolarAmerica vs EnergySage
Written by one of the two companies, so read it as such — the framework at the bottom works on us as well as on EnergySage.
Ranked #1 by Solar Power World · Inc. 5000 · 20,000+ installations
What each one is
EnergySage
A quote marketplace rather than an installer. Homeowners submit their details and receive competing quotes from installers who pay to participate.
SolarAmerica
A residential solar company ranked #1 by Solar Power World and listed on the Inc. 5000, with more than 20,000 completed installations. We design systems and manage projects; licensed partner contractors perform the installation. We offer purchases and $0-down power purchase agreements, and we publish utility rates with the date they were published.
The actual difference
This is not a like-for-like comparison. EnergySage does not install anything and does not carry a warranty — it introduces you to companies that do. SolarAmerica is one of the parties that would be on the other side of a marketplace introduction. Using a marketplace is a reasonable way to gather quotes; just know that the marketplace is not accountable for the installation.
Comparing them properly
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who owns the system? | Purchase, loan, lease and PPA are four different products. A loan puts debt in your name; a PPA does not, but you do not own the equipment or the credits. |
| Who physically installs? | Get the contractor's legal name and license number before scheduling, whichever company you choose. |
| What rate is the comparison against? | A savings figure computed against a national average rate is not a savings figure. Insist on your utility's published number. |
| What is the escalator? | Under a PPA or lease, the annual increase in your payment. It is the most consequential number in the document after the rate. |
| How is the federal credit described? | 25D ended for systems purchased after 31 December 2025. In 2026 a homeowner buying a system gets no residential credit. Under third-party ownership, 48E goes to the owner. |
| What happens if you move? | Third-party agreements transfer with the home subject to their terms. Read the transfer clause. |
The residential federal tax credit (25D) ended for systems purchased after December 31, 2025.
You will still see ads promising a 30% credit that “ends December 31.” Read the date on them. If you buy a system today as a homeowner, you cannot claim that credit. What remains under 48E applies to the owner of the system — which, under a PPA, is us. SolarAmerica does not provide tax advice; talk to your tax professional about your situation.
Who you would be working with
SolarAmerica
We design your system and manage the project; installation is performed by vetted licensed partners in your area. SolarAmerica is not itself the installing contractor.
Questions
The things people actually ask
Is SolarAmerica or EnergySage better?
They are not the same kind of thing in every case — EnergySage operates as a marketplace. The useful comparison is the specific agreement in front of you: who owns the system, who installs, what the escalator is, and what rate the savings figure was computed against.
Does EnergySage install solar?
No. EnergySage operates as a marketplace and does not perform installations.
What should I compare first?
The ownership structure, then the escalator, then the rate the comparison was built on. Panel brand matters far less than any of those three.
Compare either of us against your actual rate
About 60 seconds. No cost, no obligation, and we will tell you if solar does not make sense for your home.
Ranked #1 by Solar Power World · 20,000+ installations · Licensed installers