Sunrun reviews & ratings: What to expect

Since 2007, Sunrun has been evolving to meet the changing needs of the solar market – they first primarily offered solar leases and power purchase agreements and then expanded to become the largest solar installer in the U.S. Sunrun acquired Vivint Solar in 2020, which helped them reach their current market share of about 13 percent. They have recently begun offering solar-plus-storage to customers in almost all of their operating states and are likely to expand as demand increases. Needless to say, Sunrun is definitely a name you'll come across while searching for the best solar option for your home. Let's take a look at what other consumers like you are saying about the largest solar installer in the United States.

Founded in 2007, Sunrun has become the largest solar panel system installer in the United States, operating in 20 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Now-CEO Lynn Jurich founded the San Francisco-based company to develop a "solar as a service" business model. Sunrun is publicly traded (NASDAQ: RUN) and made its initial public offering in August 2015. In 2021, the company earned $1.6 billion. Sunrun has raised over $300 million in investor funding and reports having over 100,000 customers that have generated over $4.6 billion in total revenue.

They've evolved their business model over the years, transitioning from a strictly third-party ownership model to offering customer ownership options, leases, and power purchase agreements (learn more about solar financing options). If you live in an area prone to power outages, good news! Sunrun has recently expanded to offer battery storage solutions to new customers via Sunrun Brightbox, a white-label offering of the Tesla Powerwall and LG Chem batteries. They provide a complete package to customers, including installation of Sunrun solar panels and inverters from brands like LONGi and SolarEdge, optional batteries in almost all operational locations, and ongoing panel maintenance.

To determine whether Sunrun is the right clean energy company for you, we created a table that features aggregated satisfaction ratings of Sunrun from various review websites. You can check out reviews from verified EnergySage shoppers on our Sunrun page.

Sunrun reviews from around the web

*Note: we didn't include third-party websites with less than 15 reviews of Sunrun. These review counts are updated as of December 2022. 
**At the time of writing, Sunrun was updating its own BBB profile, and review data was unavailable.

Sunrun's positive feedback from past customers

We reviewed the positive trends and themes from Sunrun's various reviews. Below is a summary of the most consistent feedback from happy Sunrun customers, plus relevant examples for each trend.

1. Many consumers have noted that Sunrun has friendly salespeople and a team who helps you assess your home energy needs.

Sunrun primarily installs third-party-owned options (including leases and PPAs), and they pride themselves on offering "hassle-free" solar. A lease can be a good fit for homeowners strictly trying to reduce their monthly energy costs. Companies like Sunrun that offer solar leases/PPAs handle the setup and installation logistics, and customers receive energy savings from a zero-down investment. Many customers highlighted the simple process and friendly salesforce in Sunrun's reviews.

2. They're a bigger company, and they're partnered with Costco, so customers feel secure in their investment.

For much of the company's existence, Sunrun has been one of the largest solar installers in the nation. In 2022, they are installing more systems than any other company in the United States. For this reason, many homeowners feel more secure with Sunrun than with local or less well-known companies. Sunrun offers solar systems through Costco in select markets, and thus, consumers benefit from buying or leasing solar panels backed by a large and trusted corporation. Douglas shares his experience with Sunrun in the review from BestCompany.com below.

We've covered some of the reviewers' most positive experiences going solar with Sunrun, but not every review is positive. Any large company will garner some negative reviews. However, their average review rating of around three would suggest there are some consistent complaints from customers as a whole. Let's look at some of the common themes in these negative reviews.

1. Customers felt misled by salespeople about how much their solar installation would lower their electric bill.

There is one familiar story told across review sites when it comes to Sunrun – it describes a salesperson who tells a homeowner that a solar lease would cut their energy bill from their utility company in half when in reality, the post-installation monthly payment ended up increasing (sometimes even doubling their bill). This situation can be the result of two main factors:

1. Some solar salespeople will make aggressive claims to meet their sales goals, regardless of a home's suitability for a solar installation.

2. Households with significant energy use will require a larger system and can realize higher savings by buying (rather than leasing) solar panels. However, salespeople know that pitching a smaller leased system is an easier upfront sale and can lead to a faster-signed contract.

One reviewer shares his negative experience on EnergySage's website in the review below.

2. The customer service drops off significantly after the Sunrun installation is complete (or the contract is signed).

More than one customer has noted in their review that the follow-up from Sunrun when issues arise with their solar system is less than desirable, making it hard to fix things quickly. This leaves the solar system on your roof out of commission and not generating renewable energy to power your home.

Most Sunrun lease contracts are 20- to 30-year deals with a hefty cancellation fee attached. As a result, there's less incentive in their payment structure to focus efforts on ongoing customer support post-contract. Once you've already signed on to receive Sunrun's solar services, they may focus more on recruiting the next customer instead of following up with existing ones, as explained in the review below from Consumer Affairs.

A large percentage of the negative reviews online about Sunrun mentioned this frustration. The general trend: when something went wrong with a customer's system or their bill, it took a long time and multiple phone calls to hear back from Sunrun's customer support team.

Investing in solar power is a significant financial decision, whether you choose a Sunrun system or another solar provider. Each homeowner is going to have a unique experience with Sunrun. And like any large purchase, the more quotes you receive, the more educated of a decision you can make. At EnergySage, we encourage all solar shoppers to make as informed a decision as possible. This information comes from the testimony of other shoppers in reviews and from getting and comparing multiple quotes.

The ultimate takeaway: Get multiple solar quotes to make the smartest decision possible

To read the testimonies of other shoppers, you can check out the websites we used in this article, including Yelp, ConsumerAffairs, Better Business Bureau, and BestCompany.com. You can also check out the thousands of solar company reviews we have aggregated on EnergySage.

Another way to ensure that your solar offer is fair (whether from Sunrun or another solar company) is to compare it against other competing offers. When you register on the EnergySage Marketplace, you can upload quotes you have already received from solar companies like Sunrun and compare them side-by-side with other installers in your area. You can also speak with one of our in-house Energy Advisors, who will walk you through your quotes and help you understand which option is the best for you.

Regardless of which solar company you select, we recommend that all homeowners thoroughly read their final solar agreement and warranty offering to ensure they understand the specifics before signing a binding contract.

While we covered a lot in this article, you still might have some questions about going solar with Sunrun. We answered some FAQs below to help clear up any lingering questions.

Can I still get solar rebates if I sign up for a solar lease or power purchase agreement with Sunrun?

Unfortunately, no. If you sign a solar lease agreement or power purchase agreement with Sunrun or any other company, you are not eligible for any of the solar rebates and incentives available, such as the federal solar tax credit. Instead, the company that owns the solar system will be eligible for any financial incentives because you are purchasing the solar energy produced by the panels on your roof from the company that owns them. Only solar systems purchased outright or with a loan qualifies for rebates and incentives. However, you can still take advantage of net metering credits if you live in an eligible state.

Which other companies offer solar leases and PPAs?

In addition to Sunrun, companies such as SunPower, Tesla (formerly SolarCity), and Clean Power Finance offer solar leases and PPAs. You can learn more about these options on their linked company profiles.

What states does Sunrun operate in?

Sunrun operates in 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, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. It offers its newer Brightbox battery service in all of the above locations besides Wisconsin.

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