Sunrun Vs. Sunpro (ADT Solar): Which Company Is Better? (2024)

Cost Comparison: Sunrun Vs. ADT Solar

There’s no getting around the fact that buying or financing solar panels is expensive. Most homeowners will want — or need — to consider the installation cost of a company carefully before committing. We’ll discuss how Sunrun and ADT Solar stack up against each other in terms of pricing below.

Costs & Financing Options

While you might think prices for solar systems would be about the same from installer to installer, they can actually differ by thousands of dollars. In most cases, the factor making the biggest difference in prices is the brand of the solar products being offered, with high-quality and high-efficiency panels and those with great warranties tending to cost more.

Labor charges can also make a significant difference in the pricing between installers. Each company can charge unique prices for handling the permitting, installation, and post-installation services.

Finally, the financing options available can cause significant price swings. Companies that only deal with cash purchases and loans will require you to lay out the most cash up front but will save you more in the long run than those that accept leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Which Company is Cheapest, Sunrun or ADT Solar?

Sunrun is more affordable and more accessible cost-wise than ADT Solar. This is partially due to the fact that Sunrun installs lower-quality panels than ADT Solar. Sunrun installs the following brands:

• LONGi
• Costco
• Enphase
• Tesla

These are all top-tier brands, but they aren’t quite as impressive as the LG and Panasonic offerings from ADT Solar, which are considered some of the best solar panel brands.

Sunrun also accepts cash purchases and loans as well as more affordable options like leases and PPAs. ADT Solar only accepts cash and finance deals.

Our Pick for Best by Cost – ADT Solar

Sunrun is the clear winner in terms of cost only. However, we’d still choose ADT Solar over Sunrun ourselves, primarily because the quality for the price is better. If you can swing a cash purchase or solar loan, we’d recommend ADT Solar.

Best for Leasing

4/5

Expansive service areaMany financing optionsBBB Status: A-

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Warranties Offered: Sunrun Vs. ADT Solar

Solar warranties are another crucial factor you need to consider. They protect your equipment, guarantee power production and protect you in case your panels are installed improperly and cause damage to your property.

If you buy or finance panels from Sunrun, you’ll get a 10- to 25-year warranty for equipment, plus a 25-year guarantee for energy production. If you lease from Sunrun, you get an outstanding 25-year warranty that covers the equipment, efficiency, workmanship, and even roof leaks.

ADT Solar provides an industry-leading product warranty on all systems. It covers the equipment, workmanship, and power production for 25 years, which rivals the most sought-after coverage for SunPower (Maxeon Solar brand) solar panels.

Our Pick for Best Warranties – ADT Solar

Both companies provide excellent warranty coverage. However, since Sunrun’s coverage for purchased and financed systems is lacking, ADT Solar definitively comes out on top for warranty coverage.

Coverage Area: Sunrun Vs. ADT Solar

Of course, the coverage area of any solar company you’re considering is an important factor, as it determines whether or not the provider can service your location at all.

Sunrun currently serves Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and 20 states across the country. These include:

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Texas
• Vermont
• Wisconsin

Sunpro now uses ADT’s massive reach to service 23 states, including:

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

Additionally, ADT Solar has plans to expand to five additional states, including Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia.

Our Pick for Best Coverage Area – ADT Solar

ADT Solar currently has a more impressive coverage area that serves more homeowners across the country. It is also still rapidly expanding, with plans to spread to five additional states.

Best for Leasing

4/5

Expansive service areaMany financing optionsBBB Status: A-

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Solar Panel Performance: Sunrun Vs. ADT Solar

Sunrun installs inverters and microinverters from Enphase and Tesla Powerwalls from Tesla Solar, and its panel selection includes LONGi and Costco. These panels are considered tier-one, although they aren’t quite as efficient or reliable as options from SunPower, LG, or Panasonic, for example.

It should be mentioned also that Sunrun is in the process of being certified to install Tesla’s solar roof shingles as well.

ADT Solar installs LG and Panasonic panels only, which are both tier-one monocrystalline panels with a reputation for great durability and energy efficiency. These solar equipment brands are more likely to suit your energy needs and lead to reduced monthly payments for utilities, especially if you purchase them.

Our Pick for Best Panel Performance

ADT Solar takes the lead in terms of panel performance. LG and Panasonic are two of the best brands available for home solar energy systems, and they’re offered at rather affordable prices from Sunpro (ADT Solar).

Customer Experience: Sunrun Vs. ADT Solar

Customer service and overall experience can vary wildly among installers. Generally speaking, smaller local companies provide superior customer service. They can also typically provide more help taking advantage of solar incentives — like the federal tax credit — and offer more system customization options.

As large national solar panel installers, both Sunrun and ADT Solar have had and continue to experience issues with customer service. We’ll discuss how customers view both companies in the sections below.

What Customers Say About Sunrun

Unfortunately, Sunrun has a long history of poor customer service, and it doesn’t help that its largest acquisition — Vivint Solar — had many dissatisfied customers due mostly to poor experiences with the third-party installers Vivint used.

Many of Sunrun’s negative reviews mention aggressive and sometimes misleading sales tactics. There have also been issues with communication, particularly after installations are completed and issues crop up.

Some customers are pleased with Sunrun’s work and service, so your experience seems to depend heavily on the installer you get and the project manager assigned to your file.

Below are some reviews of Sunrun from customers online:

“First sales guy lied and made false promises. They sent a second sales guy who was more forthcoming. The contract and installation process was very smooth while working with him. Then I got a roof leak at the very first rain due to the installation being done incorrectly. Panels only worked properly for 1 month before the inverter stopped working. I’m very disappointed and angry.  I’ve been trying to contact them to get the inverter replaced for 5 months and get no response at all.” — Alba M. via Yelp

“I got Sunrun installed back in December of 2019 and I did a prepaid PPA because I wanted the cheapest price and best warranties! This gave me the best of both worlds. I loved that I didn’t have to worry about the tax credit and my system is covered by Sunrun for 25 years on everything (bumper-to-bumper warranties). They even insure the system and do a production guarantee! I love Sunrun! And the app is awesome too 🙂 I would definitely recommend Sunrun!” — Erica P. via Yelp

Sunrun has also gotten some bad press in the past. This video provides a quick look at some of the issues this company has had with poor installation and customer service:

What Customers Say About ADT Solar

Sunpro Solar also has its fair share of negative reviews from customers, but a larger portion of its reviews are positive. This is primarily because it handles installations of photovoltaic equipment in-house.

Positive comments mention that the warranty is outstanding and that making a claim on it yields a quick and professional response. Customers also love how knowledgeable the sales reps and installation teams are and the respect with which their properties were treated.

Negative ADT Solar Solar reviews typically mention poor communication within the company. In some cases, this leads to issues like:

• Slow installation timelines
• Slow responses to customer inquiries
• Underperforming systems
• Delays in getting systems permitted and commissioned

Below are some reviews for Sunpro Solar that provide a broad-spectrum look at the customer service you might get from this company.

“I started the process with Sunpro in June of 2021. It took seven visits from workers to install the solar system with a backup battery… All panels and batteries were completed in November 2021, but no service has been up and running yet. They allowed the permits to expire and no dates for final inspection, and I’m currently paying on a loan for $55,000. The finance company they used accepts no responsibility and is holding me accountable for the cost.” — Robert D. via Better Business Bureau (BBB)

“The team that did the installation did a great job and was done with all work within 2 days. The inspection was done within a couple of weeks. Sunpro kept calling the county to follow up until the inspection was done. The longest wait was for the electric company to install the bidirectional meter. Once it was installed we got permission to operate it and flipped the switch. Everything has been running well at this point. Very satisfied customer.” — Beverly G. via BBB

Best for Leasing

4/5

Expansive service areaMany financing optionsBBB Status: A-

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Our Pick for Best Customer Experience – ADT Solar

Both Sunrun and ADT Solar/Sunpro have some issues with customer service, given their size. However, ADT Solar generally gets better customer reviews and seems to have fewer issues resolving customer complaints.

Final Verdict: Sunrun Vs. ADT Solar

Neither Sunrun nor ADT Solar is the best solar company in the industry, but both have their upsides. Overall, we would recommend Sunpro (ADT Solar) over Sunrun. ADT Solar has more beneficial purchase options, better warranty coverage, higher-quality equipment, and better value for the money.

Our Top Pick: ADT Solar

ADT Solar is the clear winner, in our opinion, if you’re deciding between it and Sunrun. ADT Solar has a wider reach, a longer-lasting and more comprehensive warranty, and doesn’t push leases or PPAs, which are less beneficial to the customer.