Solar panels are the better buy for most homes, and solar shingles are the better look. Panels bolt on top of your roof and cost far less per watt, while shingles replace part of the roof itself and cost much more for less power.
The short version
- Panels cost around $2.50 to $3.50 a watt, and shingles can reach $9 a watt.
- Panels turn more sunlight into power, and they come in much bigger units.
- Shingles blend into the roof and do double duty, but they replace the roof under them.
- A tired roof should be fixed before either one goes on.
- Panels are easier to remove later, which matters when the roof needs work.
What is the difference between solar shingles and solar panels?
Solar panels are an addition to your roof, while solar shingles are part of it. This Old House says panels are an addition to your roof (opens in a new tab), and shingles take the place of some of the regular roofing.
A panel is a big rectangle on a metal frame. A solar shingle is a small, flat piece that lays in courses with ordinary shingles. Both turn sunlight into electricity. The difference is mostly what holds them up and what they look like from the street.
Which one costs less?
Panels cost much less. This Old House says residential panels run around $2.50 to $3.50 (opens in a new tab) a watt, while shingles can reach $9 per watt (opens in a new tab). It also puts shingles at $21 to $25 per square foot (opens in a new tab).
For comparison, the roof under them is a different bill. A standard architectural asphalt shingle roof typically runs $6.00 to $9.00 per square foot installed around Ellicott City. A solar shingle roof is a roof and a power system in one purchase, so the two prices are not a fair match. Still, it shows how big the gap is.
How do they compare side by side?
This table pulls the main numbers together. The figures come from This Old House, and they vary by product.
| Solar panels | Solar shingles | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per watt | About $2.50 to $3.50 | Up to $9 |
| Efficiency | 17% to 20%, some up to 24% | 14% to 18% |
| Power per piece | Up to 400 watts | 13 to 70 watts |
| Expected life | 25 to 30 years | Up to 30 years, claimed |
| Install | Added on top of the roof | Takes longer, more labor |
Efficiency is how much of the sunlight becomes power. Panels reach 17% to 20% (opens in a new tab) on average, and shingles sit lower at 14% to 18% (opens in a new tab). Each shingle makes 13 to 70 watts (opens in a new tab), where one panel can make up to 400. So you need a lot of shingles to match a few panels.
Do solar shingles last as long as panels?
Makers say they do, but nobody has the proof yet. Solar companies usually state that shingles last up to 30 years (opens in a new tab), the same as panels. This Old House points out that this claim lacks real-world data over long periods.
That matters because a solar shingle is also your roof. If one fails, you are not unbolting a panel. You are opening up the roof surface. Most come with a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty (opens in a new tab), and a warranty is only as good as the company still standing behind it in year 20.
What happens when the roof needs work?
This is where panels and shingles part ways most. Panels can come off and go back on, at a cost. Consumer Reports says taking panels off, storing them and putting them back after a re-roof means a couple of thousand dollars (opens in a new tab). In our service notes, that detach and reset typically runs $2,000 to $5,000 on a replacement, and a different company does the solar side of it.
Solar shingles are harder to deal with. They are wired into the roof, so a leak under them means a solar crew and a roofer both have to be there. Our guide to how long roof shingles last shows why the roof underneath is the part to plan around, because asphalt shingles around here realistically last 18 to 25 years.
Should you replace the roof before going solar?
If the roof is near the end of its life, yes. Consumer Reports advises replacing it first when the roof has only five or so years left (opens in a new tab). The Department of Energy adds that it can often save you money (opens in a new tab) to install solar at the same time as a roof replacement.
Solar shingles lean on this idea. If you are replacing the roof anyway, shingles can fill part of it. But This Old House notes that installing them may be less cost-effective (opens in a new tab) if your existing roof is new. Panels on a sound roof are usually the cheaper path.
We think the quality of the install matters more than the brand on the box. Water gets in at flashing, valleys and the spots where something pokes through, and those are labor details. A solar job adds more of them.
Common questions
Are solar shingles worth it?
For most homes, not yet. They cost more, make less power and have a shorter track record. They make sense when looks matter a lot, such as a neighborhood with strict rules, or when you are already replacing a roof and want it all in one project.
Can solar shingles go over old shingles?
Sometimes. This Old House says they can go on top of your current roof shingles or in place of them (opens in a new tab). We would still want the old roof looked at first, because anything hidden underneath stays hidden.
Do solar panels hurt a shingle roof?
They add holes, because each mounting foot goes through the shingles into the roof. Those need good flashing and sealing. Consumer Reports warns that the original roofing warranty will probably be voided (opens in a new tab) by the holes a solar job needs, so ask your roofer and your installer before work starts.
Which should I pick if my roof is 15 years old?
Look at the roof first. At 15 years, a shingle roof may have a few years left, and panels outlast that. A free inspection tells you where it stands before you spend on solar.
What to do next
Before you price any solar, find out what shape your roof is in. A free roof inspection gives you a written report with photos and a remaining-life estimate. If the roof needs replacing first, our roof installation page explains how that goes. If you are weighing metal for the long haul, see our piece on solar panels on a metal roof.
