EnergySage pits solar companies against each other in a battle for your business.
Our EnergySage review covers what you need to know about using the solar marketplace and how it affects your solar buying experience.
What you need to know about EnergySage before signing up
EnergySage is a good starting point if you’re in the market for solar panels. It has lots of educational articles about solar energy. You may even end up buying your solar on the platform.
EnergySage’s website offers two distinct services to residential homeowners: Educating solar shoppers on a wide variety of industry-related topics and providing quotes from multiple solar companies.
Researching Solar In The Learning Hub
The EnergySage learning hub has topical articles broken down into the following categories:
Deciding which equipment and financing options are best requires you to trust your salesman or do the research yourself. Ideally, it’s a combination of both.
EnergySage articles are easy to digest and understand, covering various topics. You can make a sound decision if you arm yourself with basic knowledge.
How The Energysage Marketplace works
When you’re done diving into the solar curriculum, please take advantage of their free quoting service. To get started, sign up for an account, and you’ll be getting quotes in no time.
Registering Your Property Profile
After registering, go to the My Marketplace tab to create your property profile. Enter your address and your energy usage. Uploading your utility bill or entering it manually helps produce more accurate quotes.
Once your project info is entered, a solar advisor will review the application and assign it to several prequalified solar installers. You’ll receive quotes soon after.
The quote format is standardized across the EnergySage platform, a key benefit of using the Marketplace. This allows you to compare your quotes in an easy, apple-to-apples format.
You can review each quote in detail and compare it with the other quotes. You can also get free advice from a “Solar Advisor” that helps you review the quotes.
Their easy quote comparison tool and free solar power savings calculator help automate decision-making. The quote comparison tool visually lays out key metrics to compare, such as pricing, equipment, production, warranty, and installer rating.
When you choose an installer, you can lock the quote online, like a solar Priceline. The installer will reach out to you to complete the contract paperwork process.
What Are The Benefits Of Using The Energysage Service?
- Access to an extensive network of over 400 pre-screened solar installers who compete for your business
- Quotes are very competitive to win side-by-side comparisons; 20% less on average
- Get the quotes upfront. No unwanted calls or sales pitches from salesmen. You control the process
- The service is free and includes comparison tools, along with help from solar advisors to review quotes
- Customers are encouraged to write honest reviews and even create a case study of their experience
Solar companies’ main benefit is access to thousands of affordable solar leads. Contractors pay a fee to EnergySage whenever they quote a customer. That’s how EnergySage makes money.
What Are The Drawbacks Of Using Energysage?
Yes, there are drawbacks for homeowners using the service that may not be obvious at first:
- You have no choice of what companies will be quoting you. Many of the best solar companies don’t participate in the EnergySage program because of the competitive pricing model.
- There may not be many installers in your area, especially if you’re rural.
- While you receive rock-bottom pricing, top-of-the-line features like attic runs may cost extra. Don’t expect a top-of-the-line installation when you get bargain basement pricing.
- It’s a cookie-cutter approach. Even though it’s a breeze to get multiple quotes quickly, an old-fashioned in-home consultation allows the sales rep to check your main service panel, roof, and shading and discuss your power usage in detail. This can produce a more customized and accurate quote but will be time-consuming.
- A face-to-face meeting allows you to check out the company’s representative at a more tangible level than just cold numbers on a computer screen.
For installers, the main drawback is that bids are won in a race to the bottom, price-wise. They must remove the bells and whistles to present their cheapest offering upfront. This is the opposite of traditional sales, where they front-load the offer and remove items when negotiating.
ENERGYSAGE Rating: ★★★★★
EnergySage offers a wealth of information to homeowners who are shopping for solar. Whether you want to research solar panels, inverters, or financing options, EnergySage is a great place to start. However, their information is designed to convince you to buy solar and get quotes from their partner installers. The companies that send you solar quotes pay a fee for your info, and that’s how EnergySage makes money.
And don’t forget that EnergySage doesn’t install solar panels or design plans, but they’ll hook you up with companies that do. They’re the top online marketplace for solar shoppers. That’s a result of their massive online presence for people researching solar. People looking for solar information end up on Energysage.com, and EnergySage provides a flawless path from researching solar to purchasing it from their partners.
Finally, we have the information you need to find a great solar installer. Check out our unbiased list of the best solar companies in California. In addition, if you want to know how to pick the best solar company or know more about the best national solar companies, we got you covered with our ultimate guides!