ADT Solar Review (2024 Cost, Panels & More)

What We Like About ADT Solar

ADT Solar gets a lot of things right. The most valuable thing that differentiates ADT, in our opinion, is its warranty coverage.

ADT’s solar warranty includes a comprehensive 25-year warranty that protects the panels themselves, their performance and the labor to install them. Most companies don’t cover the labor for this long, so ADT provides greater peace of mind that you won’t run into roof leaks or damages stemming from poor installation technique.

ADT Solar is also well regarded in the industry. The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, helping to establish ADT as a trusted authority. They provide even more peace of mind that you’re getting a safe, professional and reliable installation from a certified electrician.

Additionally, the company offers a decent range of services. Some companies — like Blue Raven Solar — only install solar panels, but ADT installs panels and solar batteries from top brand names in the industry. This provides you with some room to customize your system and get the maximum value from your solar project.

What We Don’t Like About ADT Solar

As we mentioned above, ADT is a massive company. It’s great that it provides service to 21 states, but sometimes being a large company means customer support isn’t as good as it should be. You could run into issues with communication throughout the installation process, as well as delays from time to time based on demand and your local branch.

We’re also not thrilled that ADT Solar doesn’t accept leases or PPAs. These financing options are far less beneficial than cash purchases and solar loans for you as the customer, but they also help make renewable energy accessible to more people. Customers who can’t afford a cash purchase and don’t have the credit score required for a solar loan might not be able to go solar with ADT.

Companies like SunPower that prioritize cash purchases and loans but still offer leases and PPAs are a little better, in our opinion, as they keep solar widely accessible.

It’s worth mentioning that leases and PPAs are very likely to become more prevalent in the near future as the net metering landscape changes. California rolled out net metering 3.0 in 2024, which decreased the credit for exported electricity and more or less made batteries necessary for solar customers to see significant long-term savings. Most states will likely follow in the same direction, which means ADT might need to adapt and start offering these low-cost financing options to keep its products and services accessible.

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What Solar Panels Does ADT Use?

ADT installs solar panels from several major manufacturers, including QCells, Canadian Solar and Silfab. The company used to focus on installing LG solar panels, but LG has since stopped manufacturing them.

All of these panel brands are tier-one panels with excellent efficiency ratings. While they’re not quite as efficient as Maxeon panels from SunPower, all three options max out at 21.4% efficiency, which is above average, and have great durability.

Of the three options, QCells is likely going to be the least expensive, as it averages around $3.33 per watt, while the others average between $3.50 and $3.75 per watt. These numbers are based on consumer reports and data from commercial sites like EnergySage and Consumer Affairs.

Still, all of these options should provide the performance you need to offset your electric bills and enjoy serious energy savings over time.

The table below includes a quick look at how these panel options compare to each other.

*Please note: these prices are based on industry averages and data pulled from consumer reports, commercial sites like EnergySage and Consumer Affairs, as well as the Tracking the Sun report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which includes cost data from solar installers across the country.

Does ADT Solar Offer Any Other Solar Products?

Yes. In addition to solar panels and related equipment — like mounting equipment and wiring — ADT Solar installs batteries for backup power and to pave the way for adding electric vehicle (EV) chargers to your system in the future.

ADT installs both the Tesla Powerwall and the Enphase IQ batteries. It also offers free solar monitoring through the Enphase app, whether you get the Enphase battery installed or not. We’ll get into more detail about these add-on products below.

ADT Solar Batteries

ADT provides access to two of the most in-demand solar storage solutions in the industry: the Tesla Powerwall and the Enphase IQ.

The Powerwall is the most sought-after backup battery in the industry. It has a capacity of 13.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh), a large size, and it is pound-for-pound one of the most affordable battery options on the market – coming in at $11,500, on average. This price includes the cost of a Powerwall, as per the Tesla Direct site, and it accounts for between $2,000 and $2,500 for the installation labor, which is average in the industry based on consumer reviews and other commercial sites.

ADT also offers the Enphase IQ battery, which comes in a 3 kWh model and a 10 kWh model. These batteries are more expensive both on a per-battery basis — $14,500 each — and a per-kWh basis — $1,400 per kWh. These are some of the most expensive batteries available. The prices for these are based on costs pulled from direct-to-consumer sites like EcoDirect, as well as customer reports, and they include the estimated labor cost for the installation.

ADT Solar Monitoring App

ADT exclusively installs Enphase inverters and Enphase microinverters, which are the most popular inverter options in the industry. Enphase offers a free solar monitoring app, which ADT installers can set you up with after your system is installed.

The app shows you real-time energy production and consumption for your panels and home. If you have a battery installed as well, the app will also show you your battery capacity, how and when you pull energy from storage and more. If you get an Enphase battery from ADT, the app also lets you allocate energy based on your demands and expected savings.

How Much Does ADT Solar Cost?

For the average U.S. solar customer who needs a 9 kW system, we expect the total installation cost from ADT to be around $29,970. After the federal solar investment tax credit, your net cost comes to about $20,979. It’s important to note that your numbers can vary based on many different factors, especially the size of the system you need, so general pricing information often isn’t universally accurate.

Some cost factors include your monthly energy demands, the size of your home, shading on your roof, the direction your roof faces and more, so the numbers above are just averages. They assume you have the average home size, use an average amount of energy and have a south-facing roof with good sun exposure.

It’s also worth noting that ADT doesn’t post pricing information online. Instead, we have read through dozens of reviews and have estimated that ADT Solar is about average in price, with an estimated installation cost of around $3.33 per watt.

Keep in mind that these prices don’t include batteries, so if you don’t have access to net metering, or you live in a state that has adopted or will adopt net metering 3.0, you can expect to pay an additional $10,000 to $20,000 to add batteries to your system, on average.

ADT Solar Financing Options

ADT Solar accepts cash and solar loans only, so it’s not a good installer to choose if you’re looking for a solar lease or a PPA.

Overall, we recommend paying cash for your solar project if you can afford it. But buying your system with cash is the least accessible option because it requires that you pay the total at once. However, you own your panels immediately, see the shortest payback period — an average of 11 years — and enjoy the highest lifetime energy savings over time — an average of $31,513.

If, like many solar customers, you can’t comfortably afford a cash purchase, a solar loan is the next best option. With a loan, you usually have no down payment, so the initial cost is $0. Instead, you pay for your system in monthly installments. Those installments will include interest, though, so your overall system cost will be higher — around $5,000 more, on average.

With a solar loan, you’ll own your panels outright after an average of 15 years, so your overall savings will be lower — closer to $25,000 as opposed to $31,500 or more.

ADT Solar doesn’t accept leases or PPAs. However, we don’t recommend these options because, unlike cash purchases and loans, they don’t let you take the federal solar credit. They also lead to lower long-term savings.

How Can You Save Money with ADT Solar?

Although ADT Solar’s pricing is around average, the total cost to convert to clean energy with the provider is still expensive. Most solar customers look for ways to save on their conversion costs. There are a few things you can do to keep initial and overall costs down with ADT Solar, which we’ll discuss in the following sections.

Take Advantage of Solar Incentives

Taking advantage of solar incentives is, in our opinion, the best way to keep your conversion costs down.

All taxpayers in the U.S. have access to the federal solar investment tax credit, which can reduce your income taxes by 30% of the value of your entire system installation cost. That averages out to potential savings of over $7,000. This is super easy to file for and just requires a single page filled out with your taxes, including information about your system and installer.

Many states, municipalities and electric companies also have more localized incentives that can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. These include the below:

• State tax credits
• Instant solar rebates
• Solar renewable energy credits (SRECs)
• Property tax exemptions
• Sales tax exemptions

We recommend you check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) for more information on local tax incentives, solar programs and rebates. Most incentives are easy to file for and can help you save big on solar equipment from ADT. If you go with ADT as your installer, the company will also help you navigate the world of incentives and make sure you take advantage of the benefits you qualify for.

Choose a More Affordable Panel Brand

As we mentioned above, ADT primarily installs three panel brands: Canadian Solar, Silfab and QCells. QCells is the most affordable panel option installed by ADT, and choosing these panels can mean savings of around $0.40 per watt versus the average. On a typical 9 kW system, that’s a total savings of $3,600.

Choosing a specific panel brand is as easy as asking your ADT sales rep for that particular brand. However, we do recommend asking some additional questions, like whether or not the efficiency rating of QCells panels is sufficient for your home’s energy needs.

Getting the ideal panel brand for your home isn’t all about savings, so we recommend starting the conversation with pricing but also discussing efficiency, long-term performance, warranty coverage and more.

Consider Installing a Battery

Installing a Powerwall or an Enphase IQ battery with ADT will add over $10,000 to your installation costs, on average, so it will bump up your initial price. However, batteries can offer some impressive benefits that can end up saving you thousands of dollars over time.

If you live in an area where you don’t have access to net metering, then the energy your panels generate during the day won’t offset what you pull from the electric grid at night or on cloudy days when production drops below consumption. With just panels installed, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll eliminate your energy bills without net energy metering.

Installing a battery, however, gives you access to most of the benefits of net energy metering, and it allows you to get the maximum value for the solar electricity your panels generate. A battery can offset consumption costs at night and on cloudy, rainy days. This is especially helpful in areas where energy rates are above-average.

Opt for a Cash Purchase

Finally, you can save money over time by opting for a cash purchase over a solar loan with ADT Solar. Although paying in cash means paying more upfront, you’ll avoid paying interest on your system cost, which will save you an average of around $5,000.

Given that you save money on interest by paying in cash, you also see higher long-term energy savings and a shorter payback period. Plus, cash purchases don’t require a credit check, so it’s a good option if you have below-average credit but have the funds to pay for your system upfront.

ADT Solar Installation Process

Going solar with ADT is a similar process to what you’d expect from most other installers. In general, we expect you to be pleased with the service and quality of the products that you receive, as most ADT customers are. However, you might run into some delays in communication.

We’ll include a list of steps to go solar with ADT below, and we’ll explain where the solar company is known to differ a bit from other providers in how it handles customer service.

Step 1: Property Assessment

The first step you’ll need to take is requesting a property assessment from ADT. You can do this online at ADTSolar.com by providing some contact information. An ADT sales rep will reach out to you shortly thereafter to get some more information. There are rarely delays with this process, as ADT is quick to respond to requests for estimates.

Step 2: System Design and Quote

Next, ADT’s design team will design a system that will meet your energy demands and fit on your roof. This process is also usually very fast with ADT, so you should have a formal solar estimate in just a few days despite it being customized for your property.

Step 3: Permitting

Once you approve the quote, ADT will begin pulling permits for your system. There can be delays with this step, but the ADT team is typically quick, so any hiccups are usually on the part of your building department. This process can take as little as a few days or as long as a few weeks. During this phase, ADT will also order equipment for your system if they don’t have it in stock.

Step 4: Installation

Next, ADT will schedule the actual installation. The installation team typically works very quickly and should have the work done in a single day. We like that ADT uses an in-house team of installers, which helps ensure the work is all done up to code and safely.

Step 5: Inspections and System Activation

It’s at this point that you might start to experience some delays if you go solar with ADT. Your salesperson will need to schedule final inspections with your local building department to close out your permits. They also need to schedule an inspection with your electric company to get “permission to operate” before your system can be activated and start producing power for your home. Some solar customers have experienced small delays on the part of ADT, so this process can take a few weeks in some cases.

Step 6: Solar Monitoring, Incentives and Warranty Claims

Finally, ADT will set you up with your monitoring app, and your project manager should file for incentives for you. There usually aren’t delays here, but you might run into some delays if you have issues with your panels and need to file a warranty claim. This is where most homeowners have problems with response times with ADT, which is unfortunate.

This is not to say that the company won’t honor its warranty; rather, you might have to deal with decreased production for a few weeks if the company can’t get out to fix the damaged or underperforming panel in a timely manner.

ADT Solar Warranty

ADT Solar offers outstanding warranty coverage that is better than what you’ll get from most installers. ADT Solar provides a comprehensive 25-year warranty, which covers manufacturer defects, the performance of the panels and the installation itself.

The manufacturer’s warranty is in line with the industry standard. This coverage protects you from unexpected performance issues or potentially dangerous situations that arise from mistakes made during the manufacturing process.

The power production guarantee also lasts for 25 years, and this is a little longer than the industry standard of 20 years. This coverage guarantees that your panels won’t lose more than a specified percentage of their starting efficiency. Ultimately, having a guarantee for the panel efficiency means you can be certain your solar panel system will continue to produce power and offset your energy bills, thereby guaranteeing long-term savings.

The installation warranty lasts for 25 years, which is 2.5x the industry average of 10 years. This is outstanding and provides peace of mind that you’re getting a professional and safe installation that won’t damage your system or your home.

Until recently, ADT’s warranty was tied for the best in the industry with SunPower. SunPower recently bumped up its warranty coverage to 40 years, but ADT is still solidly in second place and provides plenty of coverage to ensure your system pays for itself and maximizes your solar energy savings, especially since it lasts for the minimum expected life of panels.

Does ADT Solar Offer Any Other Services?

ADT is perhaps best known for its home security products and services, which it still offers. It installs and monitors home security cameras, smart home devices, home automation devices (like smart thermostats) and life safety equipment (like panic buttons for seniors and smoke and CO detectors).

As far as solar goes, ADT also offers solar monitoring and battery backup installations. These are common services in the industry, but it is nice to see services beyond panel installation. Plus, with net metering changing for the worse across the country, the availability of batteries from ADT is great to see.

Unfortunately, if you’re looking for things like electric vehicle (EV) charger installation, off-grid solar power systems or other energy-efficient home improvements, you’ll have to choose a different provider.

Where Is ADT Solar Available?

ADT Solar currently services 21 states, which is more than most companies in the country. Below are all of the states where ADT provides solar panel and battery installation services:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia

ADT Solar Customer Reviews

Generally speaking, the customer reviews for ADT Solar are positive. It’s clear that the company does its best to provide high-quality service and equipment, and in most cases, it succeeds. Much of its business comes from referrals, which says a lot about the overall customer experience.

However, its size does sometimes get in the way of fast response times, so there have been delays for some customers, particularly to phone calls or warranty claims after the installation is completed.

In the following sections, we’ll take a look at the overall sentiment among ADT Solar customers.

Positive Reviews of ADT Solar

Most of the reviews for ADT Solar are positive. Customers have mentioned fast response times to requests for estimates, professional and knowledgeable technicians and overall quality service.

Many customers specifically point out how comfortable they feel not only with ADT Solar’s certifications, experience and reputation but also with the warranty coverage they get with their solar energy system. Customers typically feel they are getting a good deal on their system and warranty, despite the generally high cost of going solar.

Overall, it seems that customers are more pleased with the service they get from ADT than most other companies.

Negative Reviews of ADT Solar

Of course, no solar installer is without its negative reviews, and there are some online for ADT. The majority of the negative reviews note that there are delays and even breaks in communication from ADT.

Some customers have run into delays on the part of ADT in the permitting and scheduling process. It is a large company, though, and it seems like the delays you might run into depend on your particular branch and the demand in your area. Still, you should know that the installation might take longer with ADT than with another provider, which means your solar energy savings could be delayed.

A lot of negative reviews also mention slow response times to warranties. It seems as though ADT is quick to get new work and complete installations but can be much slower to respond to warranty claims. To be clear, very few people have mentioned that their warranties aren’t honored. We trust that ADT does eventually get to the work, but it definitely can be slow.

In total, the negative reviews for ADT are fewer in number than you’ll find from most national providers.

ADT Solar vs Other Solar Providers

We feel very comfortable recommending ADT Solar, and we believe it’s a better option than most providers. We think SunPower is the best solar company overall, but ADT is quite close, especially if you’re looking to keep installation costs down and don’t mind sacrificing when it comes to panel efficiency.

Aside from SunPower, ADT Solar is about as good as you can get from a national provider, in our opinion.

The table below provides a quick look at how ADT compares to other major providers in the U.S. This should help you determine if ADT is the best option to handle your solar project.

Bottom Line: Will ADT Solar Work for You?

In our opinion, ADT Solar is an excellent choice for a solar installation company. It has one of the best warranty packages in the industry, installs high-quality equipment, and, generally speaking, provides excellent customer service. Its prices are also below the industry average. We feel comfortable recommending ADT as long as you’re okay with limited financing options and the chance of some delays when it comes to the company responding to warranty claims.

Even if ADT Solar seems like the ideal option, we recommend getting quotes from a few providers. That way, you can compare prices and quality to get the best deal possible. You can use the tool below to get estimates from the top providers in your area.

The cost information presented in this article is derived from a comprehensive analysis, incorporating data from multiple industry sources. The average cost per watt per state was calculated based on figures from Consumer Affairs, Energy Sage, and Berkeley Lab’s Electricity Markets & Policy Department. Additionally, monthly energy consumption and the average monthly cost of electricity were sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, ensuring a well-rounded and accurate representation of the information presented.

Methodology: How We Reviewed ADT Solar

Our solar installer review process goes in-depth to find the best installation companies for solar customers like you. We look at six main factors, which are weighted based on how critical they are to your overall experience and savings on your utility bills. We use these factors to compare providers and make reliable recommendations.

We’ll explain our methodology in greater depth below.

• Reputation (20%): The first thing we consider is a company’s reputation. We looked at ADT’s ratings on Google Reviews, Yelp, TrustPilot and the BBB to get a sense of what customers and other professionals think about ADT in general. Most of the reviews and ratings for ADT are positive, and the company clearly has a good reputation for quality of equipment and service. Additionally, it offers outstanding warranty coverage, which speaks volumes about the company’s reputation and professionalism.

• Cost and financing (20%): Next, we consider the average cost of going solar with the provider and the payment options it has available. ADT comes in around average in terms of pricing, with a typical installation cost of around $3.33 per watt. It doesn’t accept leases or PPAs, and while we don’t recommend these anyway, we did deduct some points in our ADT review because this limits how accessible solar energy systems are from the provider.

• Services (20%): The services provided by a company help us determine how likely it is to be able to serve a wide base of customers. ADT installs solar panels and batteries, offers solar monitoring and has a full suite of home security equipment and services. This is slightly above average in the industry, as most installers only offer solar panels and batteries.

• Installation process (20%): Next, we read through reviews to get an idea of how communicative and professional each installer is throughout the installation process. ADT is known for its professional and knowledgeable technicians, although it does have a tendency to run into some delays and communication issues from time to time.

• Customer experience (10%): The overall customer experience is something we ascertain by reading through dozens of customer reviews. We look for areas where companies excel and fall short. Most of the reviews for the provider are positive and mention things like high-quality service and excellent system performance. There are some negative reviews as well, for which the company lost some points. Most of these discuss delays in ADT’s responses to warranty claims, which left systems underproducing for weeks in some cases.
• Availability (10%): Finally, we look at the service area of the provider, as companies that service more states will naturally appeal to more solar customers. ADT provides solar installation services to 21 states. This is more than the industry average, although it’s not quite as good as nationwide companies like SunPower and Tesla.