Quick answer
How much do solar leads cost in Australia?
Bought solar leads in Australia cost about $40 to $60 for a residential lead, ex GST, from the big comparison sites. SolarQuotes charges $60 for residential solar and $185 for commercial, and Solar Calculator charges $40, with each lead shared with up to three installers. Installers also build their own leads through Google, their website, reviews and referrals.
Key takeaways
- SolarQuotes: $60 per residential solar lead, $55 batteries, $185 commercial, ex GST, shared with up to 3 installers.
- Solar Calculator: $40 per solar lead ex GST, passed to three companies, no joining fees or contracts.
- Installers and designers must be accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia, which replaced the Clean Energy Council's scheme in 2024.
- Shared leads reward speed: the first installer to call and quote clearly usually wins.
- Your own website, Google profile and reviews give you leads nobody else is quoting on.
How do bought solar leads work?
Comparison sites collect enquiries from homeowners and businesses, then sell each lead to a small number of installers, usually up to three, for a fixed price per lead and no commission on the job.
| Lead type | SolarQuotes | Solar Calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Residential solar | $60 | $40, including solar plus battery |
| Battery only | $55 | $36 |
| Off grid | $80 | $45 |
| EV charger | $30 | $30 |
| Commercial solar | $185 | Not listed |
| Installers per lead | Up to 3 | Three |
Are bought solar leads worth it?
They can be, if you are fast and your close rate is solid. The maths is cost per won job: lead price times leads bought, divided by systems sold.
For example, with made up numbers: buy 30 residential leads at $60, so $1,800. If you win one in six, that is 5 systems and $360 a sale in lead costs. That is fine on a system with a healthy margin, and painful if you are slow to call and win one in twenty.
Because each lead goes to up to three installers, speed and a clear quote matter more than anything. Call within minutes, send a clean proposal the same day and follow up.
What accreditation do solar installers need?
Solar Accreditation Australia became the accreditation scheme operator approved by the Clean Energy Regulator on 29 February 2024, replacing the Clean Energy Council's installer accreditation. Installers and designers must be SAA accredited for systems to be eligible for small scale technology certificates, and batteries must be installed by, or under the on site supervision of, an accredited battery installer.
Put your SAA accreditation and electrical licence details on your website and quotes. Solar buyers are cautious, and visible credentials remove a doubt early.
How can solar installers get leads without buying them?
A trust first website does a lot of this work. See web design for solar installers for what that looks like.
- Google Business Profile: the right category, real install photos added weekly and steady reviews from customers.
- Service pages: separate pages for solar, batteries, EV chargers and commercial, each explaining options, what affects payback and what you install.
- Honest payback content: explain that payback depends on usage, tariffs, system design, shading and exports, rather than promising a number.
- Case studies: system size, suburb, panels and inverter used, and what the customer wanted.
- Referrals: solar customers talk to their neighbours, so ask every happy customer.
- Follow up: solar decisions often take weeks, so keep in touch after the quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a solar lead cost?
From the main comparison sites, about $40 to $60 for residential solar ex GST. SolarQuotes charges $60 and Solar Calculator $40. Commercial leads cost more, $185 at SolarQuotes.
Are solar leads shared?
Yes. SolarQuotes shares each lead with up to 3 installers and Solar Calculator passes each lead to three companies.
Do I need to be CEC accredited to buy solar leads?
Accreditation now sits with Solar Accreditation Australia, which replaced the Clean Energy Council's scheme in 2024. Both SolarQuotes and Solar Calculator require SAA accreditation.
Can I return a bad solar lead?
SolarQuotes lets you reject a lead within 7 days and you are not invoiced for it. Check each site's current rules before you join.
What is the best way to get solar leads?
Most installers combine a few bought leads with their own Google profile, website, reviews and referrals, which bring enquiries nobody else is quoting on.
Read next
Lead guides by trade
More lead guides
- Missed calls
- Google Business Profile
- Google review rules
- Rank on Google Maps
- AI receptionist
- Quote follow up
- Referrals
- Quiet months
- hipages review
- AI search
- SEO for electricians
- SEO for plumbers
- SEO for roofers
- SEO for builders
- Oneflare review
- hipages vs ServiceSeeking
- Google Ads for tradies
- Job management software
- AI for tradies
Start from the overview: marketing for tradies and service businesses.
Sources
- SolarQuotes, Join our installer network (pricing updated August 2026)
- Solar Calculator, Installer registration (updated July 2026)
- Clean Energy Regulator, Solar and battery installers and designers (updated 31 July 2026)
- Clean Energy Regulator, Solar Accreditation Australia announced as new accreditation scheme operator (March 2024)
- Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google (accessed 2026)
Sources checked on 6 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so confirm anything legal with the regulator in your state.