Zero upfront, zero maintenance, one fixed payment

There's no purchase happening -- you're paying for the use of a system someone else owns and maintains. The monthly payment is fixed for the term, typically 20-25 years, and doesn't move with your usage the way a utility bill does.

Because the provider owns the equipment, they're also responsible for monitoring and maintaining it -- if something needs service, that's on them, not you.

Zero upfront cost, a predictable fixed payment, and no maintenance responsibility. The lease is fully transferable if you sell your home -- the new owner can typically take over the remaining term.

You don't own the system, so you don't claim tax credits yourself. In 2026 that is not the drawback it used to be: the federal business credit (Section 48E) runs through the end of 2027 and applies to third-party-owned systems, so the provider claims it and the value is factored into the lease pricing -- which is now the only route by which a federal credit reaches a residential solar deal at all. And because it's a longer-term agreement, it's worth reading the actual contract terms closely, particularly around what happens if you sell before the term ends.