Sunrun
check_circleverifiedThere are many solar companies out there, but which one actually provides the most value and best customer service? We've made it our mission to find out.
After conducting exhaustive research on the solar industry and gathering hundreds of Sunrun reviews, we've weighed the good and the bad and discovered Sunrun to be one of the top installers of solar panels based on a variety of criteria points.
Sunrun, which is the nation’s largest residential solar, storage, and energy service company, has installed over 1,600 megawatts of solar power and helped hundreds of thousands of consumers in 19 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico to gain energy independence.
Sunrun is the pioneer of the solar-as-a-service model and continues to drive innovation of solar generation, storage, and energy services and technologies. The rooftop solar provider's mission is to create a planet run by the sun.
The Good
- Payment Flexibility
- Customized Solar Systems
- Simple Solar Process
- 25-Year Maintenance
- Roof Warranties and Coverage for Solar Panels
- Customer Care Team
- Battery Storage Options
- High Level of Transparency with Customers
- Installation Experience
- Extensive Availability
- Helpful Website
Payment Flexibility
To fit customer needs, Sunrun offers several financing options, including solar leases, Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), prepayments, outright purchases, and loans.
Sunrun solar lease and PPA options give customers the chance to reap the benefits of a home solar system for zero to little upfront cost.
The prepayment option features all of the same benefits as the lease option, except the customer doesn't have to worry about the hassle of monthly payments.
Purchasing a Sunrun solar system outright provides customers with long-term savings, while financing a Sunrun solar system through a loan allows customers to make payments to own their system, which provides long-term benefits.
Customized Solar Systems
Sunrun understands that every customer's home, lifestyle, and savings goal is unique.
As a result, the company customizes every system it installs to the customer's needs using its own proprietary Automated Site Modeling design technology. With just a few pieces of information and satellite imagery of the rooftop, Sunrun’s Automated Site Modeling software quickly designs a custom solar system to maximize energy production.
Simple Solar Process
Sunrun strives to make switching to clean energy as simple and hassle-free as possible for its customers. The rooftop solar provider saves time by taking care of everything from scheduling to permitting and allowing people to follow their installation progress through the mySunrun mobile app. The design and installation process is as follows:
- Step 1: Sunrun's experienced technicians will visit, measure, and evaluate the home; ensure that a solar system is the right fit; and design a customized solar plan.
- Step 2: Sunrun's design experts will review and make any adjustments to the custom evaluation.
- Step 3: Sunrun submits the design plans to the local city government for permitting.
- Step 4: After the permit is granted, Sunrun's installers will come out to the home, go over the custom design with the customer, receive approval, and get to work.
- Step 5: Once the system has been installed, the city or county will perform the final inspection.
- Step 6: Sunrun will submit documents to the utility company and "Permission to Operate" will be granted.
25-Year Maintenance
If customers choose to lease or obtain a PPA, Sunrun will own the system and, therefore, is responsible for all maintenance and repairs of the system. Additionally, Sunrun will refund customers if the panels installed on their roof ever underperform.
Roof Warranties and Coverage for Solar Panels
Other benefits of Sunrun's product include a 10-year warranty on systems that are purchased and up to a 25-year warranty on systems that are leased. Each solar customer's Sunrun contract also includes a roof warranty, which protects the roof from leaks or holes.
In addition, Sunrun provides its solar customers with daily system monitoring for no additional fee. The company's monitoring team oversees all all Sunrun systems and keeps an eye on production levels. If something happens or if performance dips, Sunrun will contact you as soon as possible to get things fixed.
Customer Care Team
Sunrun provides a U.S.-based customer care team that is ready to answer questions and help resolve any issues that may arise.
Battery Storage Options
Sunrun offers a battery storage option that can be purchased or leased called Brightbox. With Brightbox, customers can enjoy safe, clean, and reliable backup power in the event of a blackout.
Brightbox also helps customers manage electricity costs by seamlessly optimizing when a home uses electricity generated by solar panels, stored in the battery, or from the grid.
High Level of Transparency with Customers
Sunrun provides an abundance of helpful information on its website and strives to be very transparent with its customers. The company's website includes detailed solar education and FAQ sections, a helpful Guarantee page, and an informative "Plans and Services" page that will help customers better understand Sunrun's products and how to start taking advantage of solar power.
Installation Experience
When it comes to solar installation, Sunrun is one of the most experienced companies in the solar industry. In fact, the company is one of the few solar installers that has installed over 1,600 megawatts of solar energy.
As a result, Sunrun has offset 3.7 million tons of carbon emissions and helped more than 240,000 customers to control their electricity bills.
Extensive Availability
Sunrun currenty offers solar energy services in the following states and territories:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Vermont
- Washington, D.C.
- Wisconsin
- Puerto Rico
Helpful Website
Sunrun's website includes a variety of articles and helpful, easy-to-digest resources, including information on solar panels, plans and services, the cost of solar, warranties, installations, rebates and incentives, net metering, local information, solar education, and more.
The Bad
- Outsourcing Installations for Remote Homes
Outsourced Installations for Remote Homes
A majority of Sunrun's installations are performed in-house, meaning that Sunrun employees will install the solar systems themselves, which is ideal. Occasionally, the company will contract other installers to work on homes that are too remote for Sunrun itself to reach.
While Sunrun does train and approve these third-party contractors before they work on a home, this outsourcing strategy has often led to inconsistencies in performance upon installation. Consequently, customer satisfaction concerning the installation quality and overall experience varies.
The Bottom Line
Overall, Sunrun is highly recommended to homeowners who are looking to go solar. Sunrun's high quality solar energy systems, variety of financing options, lengthy maintenance coverage and warranties, and customer service and transparency are attractive features that make breaking away from your utility company and switching to solar simple and affordable.
Interested in going solar with Sunrun? Find out more. Want to learn more about Sunrun? Check out the Sunrun solar reviews from real customers below.
Why Can I Trust Bestcompany.com arrow_drop_down
Sunrun Frequently Asked Questions
How does going solar with Sunrun work?
After you sign your Sunrun agreement, you’re ready for solar panel installation. The best part? You don’t have to lift a finger because we take care of everything from scheduling to submitting permits, to working with the city and utility, and securing your solar panels to your roof. Naturally you’ll have questions, and we’ll be right there with you answering them every step of the way.
Once you’re approved for a Sunrun solar installation, your home will undergo a site assessment and an expert solar technician will visit your home to confirm your system design.
After that, our solar design experts make any necessary adjustments to your design and get your final approval. Once you’ve approved your system design, we submit your design to the city for permitting. From there, either Sunrun or one of our local certified partners perform your solar installation. We only partner with the top-rated solar installers, so know you’ll have the highest quality solar installation available.
When your installation is complete, the city or county will perform a final inspection on your system. Once it’s approved, it will be connected to the grid, and we’ll submit your documents to the utility company. After your utility company grants Permission to Operate, you’re ready to start powering your home with the sun.
How much does a solar energy system from Sunrun cost?
Solar home solar system prices vary by home, your utility company, and your location. Contact Sunrun for a quote today.
What solar panels does Sunrun use in its installations?
Sunrun uses standard and high-performance solar panels in its installations.
How long does it take for Sunrun to install solar panels?
The process of having a home solar system installed on your roof can be relatively quick. Many Sunrun installations are completed in one day.
But before our crew comes to your house, we take a few weeks to prepare your project so that you have the smoothest installation day possible. You will have a team of experts working for you during this time who handle the tasks necessary for a smooth solar installation and keep you updated along the way. Our customer app also allows you to see your installation status during this time:
- Conduct a site survey to look at your roof, attic and electrical panel
- Finalize your custom design
- Apply for permits and wait for approval
- Collect other necessary approvals and documentation that is specific to your neighborhood, such as HOA approval
Your project coordinator will be in touch with you throughout this time to keep you up-to-date on your progress. When it comes time to install the system, your installation coordinator will let you know how long the construction process will take for your home.
How long is a Sunrun agreement?
In general, our Sunrun agreements last for up to 25 years. Contact a Sunrun solar advisor for more information.
What happens at the end of a Sunrun agreement?
When you reach the end of your Sunrun agreement, you have three options:
- You can purchase the solar system at the fair market value (excluding New York homeowners).
- You can renew your lease with us on an annual basis.
- Sunrun can remove the system at no cost to you.
When you reach the end of your agreement, the Sunrun Customer Care team will help you with moving forward however you choose.
Does Sunrun offer a warranty?
All of our solar equipment is backed by robust warranties. When you choose BrightSave, your solar system will also come with 24/7 monitoring and maintenance. So if it breaks, we’ll fix it, free of charge. Contact us to learn more about our Comprehensive Home Solar System Support.
Does Sunrun offer solar monitoring?
Yes! We have a monitoring team dedicated to keeping an eye on your home solar system. Here’s how it works:
- We record production (in real-time) — Your Sunrun meter counts your kilowatts as they’re produced.
- We collect your production data (every six hours) — Four times a day, your Sunrun meter sends your production data to our Denver-based monitoring team, where all production data is collected, stored, and analyzed.
- We evaluate your production (every day) — We compare your production to the estimates included in your contract to confirm that your system is working as expected. We also check the weather and other systems in your neighborhood to make sure you’re harvesting just as much sunshine as your neighbors.
- We fix what needs fixing (if necessary) — If your system isn’t working as expected, we will identify the issue and rectify the situation. If we cannot fix your system with remote troubleshooting, we may need to send a technician to take a look at your system in person.
How many states is Sunrun in?
Sunrun currently offers residential solar service in 22 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Sunrun states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin.
User Reviews
Star Rating
1,446 Reviews
Review Breakdown
Sentiment Criteria
Verified Customer
Our system has been down since July 22, customer service is unresponsive to our calls. We have lost a month of power and still are paying our lease.
Verified Customer
Fulfillment of their promise to price. We were quoted one price, and subsequently the sales rep left, however Sun Run made good on his commitments.
Verified Customer
Had two problems with leaks as a result of panel mount installers missing roof studs. Had to pay for a service call to fix one of the leaks. Otherwise OK.
Verified Customer
submited wrong plan to city to get stamped/approved; two years later i still can't get them to property set up my inverter which should have been done during installation.
Verified Customer
The salesperson and installers were very professional
Verified Customer
One of the panels was not working and it took them longer to fix it than I would have liked.
Verified Customer
no recent activity to talk about. Which is good. in the past equipment repair took too long to respond
Verified Customer
Salesman offered me extra incentive but I was given the runaround before actually getting it.
Verified Customer
They are okay. They don't have a fix for running their website on firefox. You have to use IE.
Verified Customer
Friendly, easy to work with, no complaints, and I don't have to worry about how much my electric bill will be.
Verified Customer
Overall a good experience. Very responsive when there was an issue, but took them a while to notice the issue. Also, I don't think they sized my system properly.
Verified Customer
i love the back up battery, the system works well.
Verified Customer
Excellent service. Outstanding customer service.
Verified Customer
Mike the sales rep was really informative and always called back
Verified Customer
The only problems I have had involved confusion with the electric utility (Eversource)
Verified Customer
So far no problems. The system has been operating in great conditions. I will recommend to my friencs.
Verified Customer
it's been a positive exsperince every step of the way
Verified Customer
Complete service that minimizes excess inconvenience, and time
Verified Customer
Easy system for payment and good service as needed
Verified Customer
From start to finish they were excellent. Now that we are getting Kw from the sun our electric bill is noticeably lower. Great decision to go with SunRun.
Verified Customer
I had a problem arise with my system and it is taking 2 weeks before I can get anyone to even come out and look at problem I am very, very unhappy with c/s. My sales rep was great...
A little over 2 years ago I purchased a new home. I had considered solar and a Sunrun rep came knocking on my door one day offering a system that would reduce my power bill by 97% with no money down and low monthly lease rates. This all sounded great but the system the salesman tried showing me first was like 4 or 5 solar panels. I voiced my concerns that it wouldn't generate enough power and he came back some time later with a 10 panel system and said that I would be set to save 97% off of my power bill. After the system was installed, I was paying MORE with Sunrun on my house than going with only NV Energy...I was shocked and dismayed. I got a lesson in solar and how it works from NV Energy and they informed me just two months after having Sunrun installed, is too small to offset my power bill by any significant amount. I called Sunrun right away to voice my concerns and they told me that couldn't do anything for me until I hit the 1 year mark to do a "Savings Analysis"..... It's been over a year and the system saved me $26.83 for the whole year, next year the amount of the lease goes up and I will save absolutely nothing and as the Sunrun lease goes up in price every year, I will be PAYING to have Sunrun on my home for 20 years. Keep in mind that my power bill WITH a solar rate was $1,227.11 for the year and saving 97% of that does not equal out to be $26.83 According to Sunrun's "Savings Analysis" they feel that they have fulfilled their end of the contract (a contract that I did not sign I have to mention). They "make no claims of saving customers money" and the customer has no recourse or action even when it is clear they sold me into a bad deal. The representatives from Sunrun were deceptive from the beginning, their Customer Service is not committed to helping their customers and unless you know everything about solar before talking to them, they will take advantage of you by talking you into a system that will not have a significant impact on your power bill but you will be paying on for 20+years. I would say stay away from Sunrun because deceptive business practices, forgery and an unwillingness to make things right for their customers.
Verified Customer
Got the installation done in a short period of time. No problems.
Verified Customer
Very neat. They put on booties when climbing in the attic. The first year the true up was very low like they said but every year its gone up almost double.
Verified Customer
They came and installed it all in one day. Haven't had any problems so I think it's pretty solid equipment.
Verified Customer
I think it's great. Haven't had any issues. I would like for them to consider letting you buy a battery as a separate stand alone.
Verified Customer
Every Time I've had a question I've emailed and got an answer within a day. I haven't had any problems, what more can you ask!
Verified Customer
Everybody was very respectful and they took care of business. The system was up and running before they had promised. They were here on the day they told me they would be here and the installation was complete on that day.
Verified Customer
It looks great it's working great and I have had no problem. They did an awesome job. Very quick and professional. I wasn't sure I wanted to do this but after the results I got I'm very happy I choose solar with Sun Run.
Verified Customer
Very cooperative and helpful. I'm very pleased.
Verified Customer
I have been trying to work with my representative for the last couple weeks and have been unable to connect with him. I think it's a great company but the after care has been less than.
Verified Customer
Always kept us informed and did what they said they would do. They put the panels up in day. The equipment is very good.
Verified Customer
Seems to be generating the results as promised. Installation was a problem because they weren't working properly and eventually they had to take them all off and install new brackets.
Verified Customer
Quick and they cleaned up after themselves. I love that my electricity bill is very low.
Verified Customer
No problems. It has never failed except for when PG&E does.
Verified Customer
I'm extremely happy. They're very responsive and very helpful. There was a foot of snow on the roof when they installed. They shoveled the roof and it took a couple days but they got it done. I leased so Sun Run takes care of the maintenance and the details.
Verified Customer
No complaints with them. They've been good to me. It's kind of confusion trying to figure out how much gas and how much electricity I'm using each month.
Verified Customer
Sun Run was one of two solar companies I looked into. I picked them because of their affiliation with Costco. Whenever there's been an issue people got back to me promptly and resolve any issues. The only thing is I was under the impression that our utility company was going to pay us for excess production. Now that's been called into question and I asked Sun Run to look into it but nobody's gotten back to me.
Verified Customer
Once I saw they were partnered with Costco they stood out. I had lots of questions and got knowledgeable responses quickly. They did an assessment, installation, and inspection. It was longer than I thought but very efficient. I'm extremely satisfied.
Verified Customer
I saw Sun Run was rated one of the highest. The equipment is in my garage. It works very well, there's nothing wrong with it and it saves a lot after all.
Verified Customer
Because of the gap between the roof and the solar panel now pigeons are nesting underneath the solar panels. They should enclosed the perimeter of the solar panel with screens so birds cannot nest. I don't mind my electricity is really low so it does benefit to have the solar panels.
Verified Customer
Sometimes we don't always get an answer right away. Installation was quick. It's doing the job.
Verified Customer
Some good experiences with them and some not so good. It's been three years now without a problem.
Verified Customer
Haven't paid an APS bill since it was installed. Installation happened all in one day and went very smoothly.
Verified Customer
Everybody was very nice and helpful and answered all my questions so I'm pretty happy.
Verified Customer
A friend recommended them. It was so simple and everything was explained. I just wish I wouldn't have waited so long.
Verified Customer
They installed it and got everything done as quickly as possible. It was quick, efficient, and no hassle to me.
Verified Customer
The customer support was diligent. SunRun is a good company.
Verified Customer
Installation was quick. They were there for a day and they cleaned up everything. They did clean work and there wasn't a mess.
Verified Customer
The installation was very smooth, very professional.