ION Solar Review: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2024)

ION Solar Review: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2024)

In this ION Solar review, you’ll learn:

  • Is ION Solar a legit company?
  • What does the installation process look like with ION Solar?
  • Is ION Solar expensive?
  • What do customers have to say about ION Solar?
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In 2017, two Utah solar companies, Vision Solar of Provo and Zing Solar of Draper, merged. The new company was named ION Solar, and it has become one of the fastest-growing and arguably one of the best solar companies in the U.S.

Ion Solar has installed thousands of systems in eight states. This review will cover the company’s offerings, pricing, customer reviews, and more.

Is ION Solar a Good Solar Company?

Within just a few years of its founding, ION Solar has installed a whopping 100-plus megawatts (MW) of solar systems. Thanks to its explosive growth, it has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Plus, with an A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating and largely positive customer reviews, we can say that ION Solar is a good solar company to choose..

What Should You Know About ION Solar?

Resulting from the merger of two solar companies, ION Solar is a full-service provider of solar systems, with in-house designers, surveyors and installation technicians.

ION Solar has been featured on several lists of fastest-growing companies, including ranking 24th on the Inc. 5000 in 2017. It claims to be the fourth largest residential solar installer in the country.

Through its ION Earth program, it is also involved in community service work, donating a solar system for a home, business, school, or shelter in need for every two MW of panels it installs.

ION Solar Fast Facts
Year Started 2017
Service Areas CO, NV, NM, NC, OR, TX, UT, VA
Services Offered Solar panel installations; energy efficiency upgrades; maintenance and repairs; electrical work
Types of Solar Equipment Offered Trina Solar, Enphase
Certifications Enphase Platinum Installer; North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals (NABCEP)-certified technicians; member of Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), American Solar Energy Society (ASES), Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA); BBB-accredited
Better Business Bureau Rating A+
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Ion Solar

Solar Veteran

EcoWatch rating

Average cost

Pros

  • Expansive service area
  • Educational, no-pressure sales approach
  • Makes charitable contributions
  • Excellent reputation
  • Customer service varies by local dealer
  • Slightly limited service offerings

Cons

ION Solar Services and Installation

ION Solar primarily offers residential solar power systems but also installs commercial solar solutions. The company also provides energy efficiency upgrades and electrical work. According to ION Solar, a typical solar installation process takes 60 to 90 days from start to finish. Below is an overview of the steps involved in going solar with ION Solar.

Solar Installation Experience

Step 1: Learn About Your Solar Options

A chat with an ION representative helps you discover if solar is right for your home. The salesperson will answer any questions you have and lay out the solar options available to you. ION Solar stresses that its support staff will be with you every step of the way.

Step 2: System Design

If you choose to proceed with a solar system with ION, its engineering team will design a system customized to your home and specific energy needs. It incorporates premium components into your system design.

Step 3: Design Approval & Permitting

ION Solar will walk you through your system design to ensure you’re satisfied with it. The rep will go over the equipment to be installed, and with your approval ION’s permitting team will work with your jurisdiction to secure necessary permits. ION will also help apply for available incentives and rebates in this step.

Step 4: Welcome To Your Solar-Powered Home

ION’s installation team will arrive on-site and install your system. Once it’s complete and you have your jurisdicion’s approval to commission (activate) your system, you are ready to enjoy your clean energy.

ION Solar Customer Service

Each ION Solar customer is assigned a dedicated customer service representative to handle any issues that arise throughout the process. Although some customers report less-than-ideal experiences with ION, most say they’re satisfied with the quality of ION’s customer service.

ION Solar Costs and Financing

ION Solar has an EcoWatch rating of 4.0 stars for its costs and financing, which means the company’s systems are neither expensive nor cheap. In most cases, ION’s costs for a system sit near the average across providers in the U.S.

Accounting for the premium equipment offered by ION, the pricing represents sufficient value for money.

Financing Options Through ION Solar

An important benefit of choosing ION Solar is the availability of the full range of payment options: cash payment, loan, lease and power purchase agreement. Take a look at the table below that shows all four purchasing models and their respective attributes.

Cash Purchase Solar Loan Solar Lease Solar PPA
System Ownership
Maintenance Included
Upfront Cost
Added Property Value
Eligible for Tax Credit
Payment Due to Solar Installer Loan Provider Solar Installer Solar Installer

There are many factors to consider when buying a solar system, and choosing the right purchasing option can feel daunting. Check out our solar financing guide to learn about each option in detail to help make the right decision for you.

ION Solar Panel Warranty

ION Solar offers two types of warranties. The first is the equipment warranty, which ION passes along from the original manufacturer. Solar panels generally come with a 25-year warranty, while inverters generally come with warranties of 10 to 25 years.

The second type of warranty ION provides is the workmanship or labor warranty, which usually covers 10 years from the date of installation. An added perk is ION Solar’s roof warranty of 10 years from installation. This secures your roof from a faulty solar installation that may have caused leaks or other issues.

ION Solar Reviews

ION Solar claims to provide a premium solar experience from sale through installation, and most customer reviews indicate that ION takes this promise seriously. There are, though, some negative reviews highlighting aggressive door-to-door soliciting and some instances of poor communication. Below are some examples of both positive and negative ION solar reviews.

Positive ION Solar Reviews

“Our experience with ION Solar has been professional from the beginning. The original presentation was clear and the installation went as planned. Our inspections passed and as soon as our meter was switched out, our panels were producing. Communication has been perfect. We have been pleased with every step in the process.”

– Glenn P. via Best Company

“My initial meetings with ION put them on the top. They went through the whole process showing the material used which was great to research the products […] They did all the legwork with my city for permitting and met with them on the inspection […] quick and simple turn-on procedure when we received permission to operate. Once operating you get the Enphase software to monitor your system […] it’s exciting to see it in action.”

– Alan M. via Yelp

Negative ION Solar Reviews

“Had a young man from your company come up my walk today. When I said I was not interested and wished him luck, he did not immediately leave. I had to tell him to leave several times. He was just this side of rude. Why would I want to do business with a company with pushy salespeople (who are lying to start with, saying they just want to ‘share information’ and who do not respect ‘no soliciting’ signs) and bad reviews?”

– Beth H. via BBB

“[During] the pre-installation process the staff were very attentive and contacted me not less than three times a day, sometimes for things that needed to be done but once the installation was scheduled and performed that all changed […] they had the panels on my roof my house was torn up inside and I couldn’t get hold of anyone for over three weeks until after daily calls they finally returned my call.”

– David S. via BBB

Solar Energy Provider Comparison

Here’s a look at how ION Solar compares to some regional competitors:

ION Solar Fluent Solar Tesla
EcoWatch Rating 4.0 4.0 4.5
Year Started 2017 2016 2015
Services Offered Solar panel installations; energy efficiency upgrades; maintenance and repairs; electrical work Solar panel and solar battery installations; energy-efficiency upgrades; maintenance and repair services Solar panel, solar battery, solar roof shingle and EV charger installations
Service Areas CO, NV, NM, NC, OR, TX, UT, VA UT, ID, CO, KS, TX, AR, OH, PA, NC Nationwide
BBB Rating A+ Not rated C
Payment Options Cash, loan, lease PPA Cash, loan, lease, PPA Cash, loan

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have specific questions that aren’t answered here, reach out to our team of solar experts at solar@ecowatch.com.

Blog author image
Article author
Aniket Bhor is a solar engineer who has spent nearly a decade studying and working in the solar power sector in the European, Asian and North American markets. He recieved his Master’s degree in Renewable Energies from Germany at Technische Fachhochschule Wildau. He has since worked in the industry in a variety of capacities including Solar Energy Consultant, Business Development Head, Solar Entrepreneurship Trainer, and more recently writing for solar organizations including Venuiti Solutions, Green Integrations, Solengy, Ecotality.com. Overall, he is a climate enthusiast and avid cyclist, and he also loves to lose himself in books and cooking.
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Expert reviewer
Andrew Dunn is a veteran journalist with more than 15 years of experience reporting and editing for local and national publications, including The Charlotte Observer and Business North Carolina magazine. His work has been recognized numerous times by the N.C. Press Association and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Andrew earned a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a certificate in business journalism and a minor in Spanish. He's also an avid outdoorsman, an Eagle Scout and volunteer leader in the Boy Scouts of America. He lives in Charlotte, N.C.