Sun First Solar
5.0
7.6
Overall Score
Author: Kaitlyn Short
LAST UPDATED: October 18th, 2025
The Good
- Time in Business
- Reputation
- Variety of Payment Options
Time in Business
Sun First Solar has been around for over three decades. Compared to many solar companies that have only been in business for a few years, Sun First Solar has the history and reputation to put customers at ease.Reputation
In its 32 years in business, Sun First Solar has received a lot of positive feedback. Additionally, the majority of the reviews Sun First Solar receives on independent sites like Yelp and SolarReviews are very positive. "I cannot rate the service that I've received to date with Sun First Solar highly enough, and if I could give them six stars, I would." - Ravi K. Novato, CA "Sun First came through for us on a difficult job.....guiding us smoothly to the final hookup. All staff were polite, efficient and professional. We would recommend their services without hesitation." - Rob J. San Rafael, CAVariety of Payment Options
Sun First Solar allows customers to pay with cash, to finance, or to lease their solar systems. Paying cash results in the best return for investment, but if a customer doesn't have the funds at the moment, he or she can either finance or lease the system. Financing ultimately allows a customer to own the system at the end of the contract. Leasing essentially replaces a monthly electronic payment for a lower monthly solar lease payment until the end of a contract period.The Bad
- No Monitoring App
- Limited Information Available from Customer Service
No Monitoring App
Sun First Solar does not have a company app for customers to monitor their energy usage. Instead, customers are encouraged to use the app available through the inverter manufacturer.Limited Information Available from Customer Service
As with most solar energy companies, a lot of detailed information was not available on the Sun First Solar website. The customer service rep that we spoke with on the phone was polite and helpful, but didn't know a lot of answers to questions, such as efficiency ratings or warranty information.The Bottom Line
Although some important key information is not readily available unless a customer is willing to go through the process of receiving a detailed quote, Sun First Solar has a sterling reputation with customers over its more than three decades in business. The company has much of the same standard offerings as competitors when it comes to panels, inverters, warranties, etc.; however, its customer service seems to be what sets Sun First Solar apart. Additionally, there's little risk of going out of business or dramatically changing the company structure since Sun First Solar has proven to be a robust and thriving solar company since 1984.
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What people are saying on Google
Sam Ramji
Braden has a "non-sales" approach focused on providing information. He ensured that I could get what I needed on time for PG&E regulatory changes, and he was very easy to communicate with via email, text, phone, and in person. Best of all, he was unbiased and equally attentive in communicating with my wife. If you're serious about getting solar power, you should talk with Braden.
From start to finish, Sun First Solar distinguished themselves with insight into solar design, installation, and maintenance. Their services team was professional and hardworking. Very good communication, great documentation, and a great result.
8 months ago
elizabeth huntington
Very professional and informed! Service and the quality of the installation was top-notch. I was in the industry for 7 years, and SunFirst has always been a strong company with years of experience and integrity. Many local solar companies (like ours) have come and gone, but SunFirst has remained steadfast. It's important to go with a local installer with a good reputation! Braden walked us through the net metering labyrinth at PG&E, and provided practical options for storage. He wasn't trying to sell us, but rather inform us.
10 months ago
Keith Buckingham
Sun First Solar have been very responsive and efficient to work with. They worked fast to get our contract in before the NEM3.0 deadline in 2023. They interfaced very well with the roofing company to remove old panels, and install the new panels after the new roof was installed. They have also interfaced very well with the electrical contractor as our main panel was being replaced and there was a new set of conduits/gutters to interface to.
They also worked with the fire department to have our installation approved so that setbacks and skylight clearances were negotiated and approved to give us the maximum installation area.
Aran and his team have helped me to understand some of the other choices and tradeoffs regarding batteries, and implemented the equipment to make it easy to add additional equipment later as I assess my needs.
Overall, I would certainly recommend them.
1 year ago
Peter Jozwik
Sun First was outstanding with my solar system installation which included 2 Tesla batteries. The crew worked efficiently installing 21 panels and exterior conduit with great workmanship and teamwork. Courteous and responsive to a few special requests.
Armando and Jose followed up with the batteries, control panels, internal wiring and operating instructions. Their quality of work was excellent and their skills matched. A fairly complex configuration which required extraordinary physical efforts from Jose to access various crawl space locations. Armando's skills in electrical, plumbing, construction and solar engineering knowledge backed up by Jose instilled in me a high degree of confidence that the work is of the highest quality.
Braden did a thorough and detailed presentation. Breelyn, Rey and Kim provided courteous and responsive office support.
Sun First deserves 5 stars!
1 year ago
