SunPower Vs. ADT Solar: Which Company Is Better?

Cost Comparison: SunPower Vs. ADT Solar

Although solar equipment will typically save you money in the long run, there’s no denying that it’s expensive upfront. Below, we’ll explain why the installation cost of solar can vary among different providers. We’ll also get into how SunPower and ADT Solar compare when it comes to pricing.

Costs and Financing Options

Most solar installers offer one or more solar brands, but very few can install equipment from every solar panel manufacturer. Therefore, the equipment available to you can affect not only your panels’ efficiency and durability but also the price you pay for them. 

Installers that carry high-efficiency options will naturally cost more.

Similarly, every company has different prices for the labor associated with an installation. Some companies outsource the installation to more affordable installers, and others simply charge less to help keep prices down.

Finally, how you pay for your solar panels will have an impact on your upfront and long-term costs. Companies that accept cash payments and solar financing will tend to save you the most on your electric bills over time, while leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs) will come with the lowest upfront costs (but the smallest returns long-term).

Which Company Is Cheapest, SunPower or ADT Solar?

SunPower usually comes at above-average prices, but its solar cells and panels are considered the most efficient in the industry. The company offers the below financing options to help keep renewable energy as accessible as possible:

• Cash purchases
• Solar loans
• Solar leases
• PPAs

ADT Solar is around average when it comes to pricing. It’s more affordable than SunPower, but its panels aren’t quite as efficient. 

Still, the tier-one solar panels and the Enphase microinverters offered by ADT Solar are outstanding, and you can also acquire them with any payment option that suits you.

Our Pick for Best by Cost – ADT Solar

If you’re comparing these companies based on cost alone, ADT Solar will be the more affordable option. Since both companies provide top-tier, monocrystalline panels — the most efficient type of solar panels, the quality is comparable.

Warranties Offered: SunPower Vs. ADT Solar

Solar warranties are an important consideration, as they protect your investment in clean energy and can help prevent thousands of dollars in repairs down the road.

SunPower is well-known in the solar industry for having some of the best warranty coverage. It offers an all-inclusive, 25-year warranty covering equipment, workmanship and power output. Warranty claims are typically responded to and addressed quickly.

ADT Solar has the same 25-year warranty, covering the equipment, efficiency and installation. ADT is also good at responding to warranty claims.

Our Pick For Best Warranties – SunPower

SunPower and ADT Solar are tied when it comes to warranty coverage. Both offer exceptional coverage that is unmatched by most other competitors. 

What tips the scales for us, is that all of SunPower’s warranties (covering products, labor and performance) are offered under the same roof. In contrast, ADT will provide different warranties for each aspect of the system (think a Silfab warranty for panels, Enphase for inverters and Sunpro for labor). This can make the claims process more complicated.

Courtesy: SunPower

Coverage Area: SunPower Vs. ADT Solar

The coverage area of a company will, of course, determine whether or not it can serve your home. Companies with larger service areas can bring solar to more homeowners. However, you should keep in mind that larger companies tend to have more issues with customer service.

SunPower provides nationwide coverage and serves all 50 states. ADT Solar covers a slightly less impressive 23 states, which include:

• 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

The company is also actively expanding into five additional states —  Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia — and will likely continue to grow in the near future.

Our Pick For Best Coverage Area – SunPower

SunPower has about double the coverage area in the U.S. It serves all 50 states as compared to ADT Solar’s 23 states, so it’s the clear winner when it comes to coverage area.

Solar Panel Performance: SunPower Vs. ADT Solar

SunPower installs just one brand of panel — Maxeon — which is the former manufacturing arm of SunPower. These panels are considered the best in the industry, as they provide outstanding efficiency — an industry-leading 22.7% — and lose very little energy production capability over time (see below).

ADT Solar installs tier-one monocrystalline panels (including brands like Silfab, Qcells and Panasonic) panels, which are also some of the best brands available for home solar power systems. 

They don’t perform quite as well as SunPower’s panels — with efficiency ratings around 21% — but they are plenty powerful for most homeowners to meet their energy needs and offset their utility bills.

Both SunPower and ADT’s panels can be coupled with Tesla Powerwalls or other solar storage systems.

Our Pick for Best Panel Performance – SunPower

SunPower’s Maxeon products are unmatched in terms of efficiency and long-term performance. We have to go with SunPower as the winner in terms of panel performance, energy efficiency and reliable power production.

Customer Experience: SunPower Vs. ADT Solar

The customer service provided by solar companies is an important thing to consider, especially since more and more “fly-by-night” companies are popping up to take advantage of the high demand.

In the sections below, we’ll discuss how SunPower and ADT Solar compare in their customer service and the overall experience you’re likely to have choosing either of these solar panel companies.

What Customers Say About SunPower

SunPower maintains an impressive number of positive reviews for its size. Most customers seem satisfied, and the company also has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Some things customers rave about include:

• The solar energy system performance
• Professionalism of the installation team
• The company’s willingness to help take advantage of solar incentives and rebates, including the federal tax credit
• The response to product warranty claims

The negative reviews usually mention that communication isn’t perfect for a solar energy company of this size. This can sometimes lead to delayed installation timelines, and outsourcing to third parties doesn’t help matters.

Below are some reviews we found online for SunPower.

“Before I got this company, I did a lot of research from other companies and found SunPower to be straightforward and professional. They gave a timeline of when to expect things. The installation was done in a couple of days. They left my house clean when done and still they followed up to make sure things were working well. This company has been around for over 30 years and is very reputable. No regrets for making SunPower my solar company.”

— Margaret L via BBB

“SunPower technician came today to connect the solar to the main power. To our surprise, we were told that he could not finish the job because the solar breaker was not installed and the performance meter was still locked. The job was incomplete. How did this pass inspection? I also contacted [them] multiple times to move the panel box and correct the ground wires but without any resolutions for over a month now and my last email was also ignored.”

— Mary Lou V. via BBB

What Customers Say About ADT Solar

ADT Solar also has a generally good reputation in the industry. Despite its size, it has many positive customer reviews, although there are more negative ones than we’d like to see. Some of the most common issues mentioned in customer reviews include:

• Aggressive sales tactics
• Poor communication from the company
• Installation delays due to poor communication
• Slow response times to warranty claims

It’s clear based on the reviews that the customer experience depends on the local office and installer that handles your solar power project. We’ll include some reviews below that showcase the range of service you might receive.

“When I first called ADT Solar last spring, I had it in my mind how big of a solar system I needed. The salesman assured me that the system I had in mind was bigger than I needed. Boy am I glad I listened! Not only is the installed solar system more than sufficient for what I need, but the smaller system was cheaper and easier to maintain. Kudos to ADT Solar for teaching their salespeople to focus on customers and not just sales.”

— Rebecca C. via BBB

“Their professionalism leaves a lot to be desired. Sure, they want money upfront. Then after they get it they don’t show up for 3 months and that’s not until you ask for your money back. They put a new envoy in on Monday. Today is Thursday. I had to call them to see what was wrong. I’m very disappointed in them. I recommend someone that knows how to give good service in a time in history when good customer service is everything.”

— Roxie T. via BBB

Our Pick for Best Customer Experience – SunPower

SunPower has more positive reviews than negative ones, and ADT Solar, unfortunately, has a few too many negative reviews. The overall customer experience with SunPower seems to be better, so we have to go with SunPower for customer support and service.

Final Verdict: SunPower Vs. ADT Solar

Based on the metrics above we use to assess solar companies, we recommend SunPower over ADT Solar. Both companies are reputable, but SunPower has a better history of great customer service, a larger service area and higher-efficiency panels. The table below provides a quick look at how these companies compare.

Our Top Pick: SunPower

SunPower is truly one of the best solar companies in the industry. It manufactures some of the best solar equipment, backed by an industry-leading warranty offered entirely in-house. In addition, it has a better history of positive customer service than ADT Solar.