How much do solar panels cost without installation?
Solar panels alone cost roughly $0.17 to $1.22 per watt without installation, or about $70 to $490 for a single 400-watt panel. The low end is what installers pay wholesale, and the high end is a typical big-box retail price. Panels alone won't power a home, though: you still need an inverter, racking, wiring and permits.
Panels for a typical 8 kW system
| Price basis | Per watt | Panels for 8 kW |
|---|---|---|
| Installer wholesale (NLR 2025) | $0.17 – $0.28 | $1,376 – $2,264 |
| Big-box retail (snapshot) | $1.22 | $9,756 |
| Whole installed system (NLR 2025) | $2.32 – $3.25 | $18,552 – $25,984 |
At wholesale, panels are only about 7–9% of an installed system's price. That surprises most people. It also means shopping hard for cheaper panels barely moves your quote. Labor, permits, sales costs and the other equipment matter far more. Our how much solar costs in 2026 guide breaks those down.
What else you'd need to buy
- An inverter (or microinverters) to turn the panels' DC power into household AC
- Racking and roof attachments, plus wiring, a disconnect and conduit
- Permits, an inspection and utility approval before you can connect to the grid
Thinking of doing it all yourself? See whether it's cheaper to buy your own panels.
Facts verified
- Wholesale panel cost and installed cost: NLR Q1 2025 PV System Cost Benchmark, residential model file: module $172–$283 per kW and PV-only system $2,319–$3,248 per kW (2024 dollars).
- Retail snapshot: a Home Depot listing for a two-pack of 410-watt monocrystalline panels at $999.99 ($1.22/W), seen in Google Shopping results on November 8, 2026. Retail prices change often, so treat this as one data point.
- The 8 kW system size matches NLR's representative residential system. The percentages are our own calculation.
More solar cost questions
- How much do solar panels cost for a 2,000 sq ft house?
- How much do solar panels cost for a 1,500 sq ft house?
- How much does solar cost for a 1,000 sq ft house?
- Is 10kW enough to run a house?
- What is the 33% rule in solar panels?
- Is it cheaper to buy your own solar panels?
- How much do solar panels cost per month?