What a plug-in solar kit costs, by size
These are the verified kits we've found on sale, grouped by the panel wattage in their register name, at the price each retailer showed:
| Kit size | Verified kits on sale | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| One panel (under 600 W of panels) | 5 | £449.99 to £679 |
| Two panels, 600 to 999 W | 4 | £599 to £979 |
| Two larger panels, 1,000 W and up | 2 | £899 to £989 |
| Panel size not in the register name | 11 | £399 to £810 |
Every kit feeds at most 800 W into your home, whatever the panels add up to; extra panel wattage helps on dull days and in the mornings and evenings. Prices overlap across sizes, because the maker, the mounting in the box and the retailer matter as much as the wattage, so compare whole kits rather than watts. Our 800W kits page lists every kit with its price, and the best kits guide sorts them by size and mount.
The cheapest verified kits
- Solarfy Solo 455: £399 at Solarfy (direct) (SOLAW/21640/V1)
- PatioSun Lite: £449 at PatioSun (direct) (PATIO/21264/V1/A1)
- Thunder Energy Thunder Bolt Max 530W: £449.99 at Thunder Energy (direct) (THUNE/21751/V1/A1)
- Octopus Energy M1-800-E: £450 at Octopus Energy (OCTOQ/21124/V1/A5)
- Solarfy Duo 910: £549 at Solarfy (direct) (SOLAW/21608/V1)
Only a kit verified on the ENA register can legally be plugged into a socket, so a cheaper unverified kit isn't a saving. Our where to buy guide covers every retailer we checked.
What the price includes
A verified kit is a complete product: one or more panels, a microinverter, mounting hardware for the surface it's designed for, and a cable with a UK plug and a 5 A fuse. The specification requires the instructions, a label for near your consumer unit, and a QR code to the network operator notification. Some retailers charge for delivery, and some kits come in versions with different mounts at different prices, so check which one you're buying.
There's no installation charge, because you plug it in yourself, and no fee for the G98 notification. The one cost you might meet is an electrician if you don't have a suitable socket: the kit has to go straight into a wall socket on a socket circuit, and extension leads and adaptors aren't allowed. Our electrician guide explains when you'd need one.
Battery systems cost more, and aren't plug-in
A battery is the obvious way to use more of what you generate, but the plug-in route excludes any device that stores energy, so a battery system is a conventional installation with an electrician and a G98 notification. Direct prices on 14 November 2026, before the electrician:
- EcoFlow STREAM Ultra (1.92 kWh): £699
- EcoFlow STREAM Ultra X (3.84 kWh): £1,499
- EcoFlow STREAM 5000 (5 kWh): £1,599
- Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4 Pro (5 kWh): £1,599
Our battery guide covers what each does, and the EcoFlow vs Anker comparison sets the 5 kWh pair side by side.
How long it takes to pay back
The government estimates a plug-in kit saves £70 to £110 a year. Divide the price by that and the cheapest verified kit, at £399, pays for itself in roughly 4 to 6 years; a mid-priced kit at £650 in roughly 6 to 9. The low end of the savings range is a near-vertical balcony panel facing east or west; the high end assumes a better angle.
What moves your number most is how much of the power you use as it's made, since anything the house doesn't use goes to the grid unpaid. Our savings guide breaks it down by region, and the savings calculator works it out for your postcode.
What the government expected kits to cost
Before any kit was on sale, the government's modelling expected plug-in solar to retail at £400 to £600, with a mean of £500. The middle price of the verified kits we've found is £650, and the cheapest are below that range. With 25 of the 145 verified kits on sale so far, expect the spread to change as more reach the shops; our weekly register reports track it.
Plug-in vs rooftop solar
A rooftop system is a different purchase: several kilowatts on a roof you own, installed and certified by a professional, costing thousands rather than hundreds, and able to earn export payments. A plug-in kit is a single small system you fit yourself. Our plug-in vs rooftop comparison sets out when each makes sense, and our plug-in solar guide covers the rules.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a plug-in solar kit cost in the UK?
The verified kits we found on sale ran from £399 to £989, with a middle price of about £650, at the retailers' own listings. That's the whole cost of the plug-in route: no installer, no scaffolding and no certificate.
What's the cheapest legal plug-in solar kit?
Solarfy Solo 455 at £399 from Solarfy (direct), when we last checked. It's verified on the ENA register as SOLAW/21640/V1. Prices move, so check the listing.
How long does plug-in solar take to pay for itself?
On the government's estimate of £70 to £110 a year, the cheapest verified kit at £399 pays back in roughly 4 to 6 years, and a mid-priced one at £650 in roughly 6 to 9. That's simple division, before any change in electricity prices.
Do I need to pay an electrician?
Not to plug in a verified kit. You might if you have no suitable socket: the kit has to go straight into a wall socket on a socket circuit, with no extension lead. Battery systems always need an electrician.
How much does a solar battery for a balcony system cost?
More, and it isn't a plug-in product. On 14 November 2026, EcoFlow's STREAM Ultra was £699 and the Ultra X £1,499 direct, before an electrician's fee: batteries are excluded from the plug-in route and have to be wired in.
Did the government say what plug-in solar would cost?
Its modelling expected kits at £400 to £600, with a mean of £500. The middle price of the verified kits we found is £650.