Are plug-in solar panels worth it?
Usually yes – if it gets sun and you use power in the daytime. The best-value kit we track right now (DMEGC 950W Hoymiles HiFlow kit, £456) pays back in about 3.5 yrs in a south-facing garden spot, and panels typically last 25+ years.
What decides whether it's worth it
| Situation | Saving a year | Payback* |
|---|---|---|
| Garden, facing south, home part of the day | £129 | 3.5 yrs |
| Same, but home most of the day | £161 | 2.8 yrs |
| Same, but out most weekdays | £88 | 5.2 yrs |
| Balcony railing, facing south | £118 | 3.8 yrs |
| Wall facing east | £84 | 5.4 yrs |
*For a £456 kit, middle of England, 26.32p/kWh (Ofgem price cap average, 1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026).
The catch: you have to use it as it's made
Unless you buy from Octopus and are an Octopus customer, any power your home doesn't use at that moment flows back to the grid unpaid. So daytime use – fridge, router, home working, running the washing machine at lunchtime – is what turns sunshine into savings.
It depends on where you live
| Area | Made per year | Saving | Payback* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truro | 990 kWh | £136 | 3.3 yrs |
| Southampton | 951 kWh | £134 | 3.4 yrs |
| South West London | 921 kWh | £132 | 3.4 yrs |
| Bristol | 934 kWh | £133 | 3.4 yrs |
| Birmingham | 871 kWh | £129 | 3.5 yrs |
| Manchester | 804 kWh | £123 | 3.7 yrs |
| Leeds | 853 kWh | £127 | 3.6 yrs |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 854 kWh | £127 | 3.6 yrs |
| Sunderland | 824 kWh | £123 | 3.7 yrs |
| Cardiff | 939 kWh | £133 | 3.4 yrs |
| Edinburgh | 817 kWh | £123 | 3.7 yrs |
| Glasgow | 766 kWh | £119 | 3.8 yrs |
| Aberdeen | 799 kWh | £121 | 3.8 yrs |
| Belfast | 837 kWh | £125 | 3.6 yrs |
See every postcode area.
Quick answers
Are plug-in solar panels worth it?
In a sunny spot, yes. The best-value kits we track cost about £456 and pay back in 2.8 yrs–5.2 yrs depending on how much power you use in the day. Panels last 25 years or more.
When is plug-in solar not worth it?
Facing north, in heavy shade, or if you pay over £800 for a kit and nobody is home during the day. Then payback can stretch past 10 years.
Do plug-in solar panels work in winter?
Yes, but they make far less: a December day gives roughly a quarter of a June day in the Midlands, and much less in Scotland. About two-thirds of the year's output comes from April to September.
Compare 22 kits from £336, with savings for your postcode.
Compare all kit pricesUpdated 2026-11-14.