Solar-Estimate

What Solar-Estimate does

Solar-Estimate.org is a US consumer solar estimation platform operated by Australian-based How Much Holdings Pty Limited (ACN 687 662 871, headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia). Its core product is a free online solar calculator developed with funding from the US Department of Energy under the SunShot program. The calculator ingests zip code, electric bill, roof dimensions, azimuth, shading, and utility rate plan data, then runs a proprietary hour-by-hour production and consumption model — including time-of-use billing effects — to output system size, payback period, and lifetime savings. Supporting products include state-specific solar cost guides for all 50 US states, DC, and Puerto Rico, integrated battery storage sizing, EV charging cost analysis, and an installer-matching quote service.

The platform monetizes exclusively through lead-generation fees. Approximately 1–2% of calculator users opt to receive binding quotes from up to four pre-screened installers; installers pay $18–$98 per qualified lead depending on geography. Solar-Estimate does not charge homeowners, does not run paid acquisition advertising, and does not rely on venture funding — instead, it captures organic SEO traffic through its calculator tool and 50+ state guides. Affiliate content distribution is provided by SolarReviews.com, which shares the calculator engine and contributes 33,992 company reviews, 5,322 equipment reviews, and extensive pricing data to the parent How Much Group ecosystem.

The company is led by co-founders Andrew Sendy and Vassie Fitzgerald, both Australian entrepreneurs who also founded SolarReviews. Operations span offices in Denver, Newark, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. An Editorial Advisory Committee comprising qualified solar designers, policy researchers, and a Ph.D. GIS founder of Sun Number provides content oversight under a Quality Solar Initiative. The platform has generated over 3.37 million estimates since 2008, attracts more than 3 million annual visitors, and has been cited by NPR, CNBC, and Bloomberg. No funding rounds, M&A activity, or leadership changes are disclosed in the source data.

Name

Solar-Estimate

Legal name

How Much Holdings Pty Limited

Website

https://www.solar-estimate.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Solar-Estimate.org operates a free DOE-funded solar calculator and lead-generation marketplace serving US residential homeowners. It matches users to 200+ vetted solar installers and earns revenue solely from per-lead fees paid by installer partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Estimation Software & Lead Generation Marketplace

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar Design, Engineering & Performance Software (PV Modeling, Digital Twins, Monitoring) (EUAMABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ)

Keywords

• Solar cost calculator
• Residential solar estimates
• Solar lead generation
• Solar savings analysis
• Solar marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Lead Generation Fees (Installer Partners): Approximately 1–2% of users who use the calculator elect to get competitive quotes from solar companies. Those solar companies pay a small fee per lead, typically between $18–$98 depending on location, to receive the homeowner's contact information and project details. This is the sole source of revenue for the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Solar-Estimate.org provides a free online solar cost and savings calculator that takes a homeowner's zip code, electric bill, and roof data to generate per-address financial estimates, payback periods, and recommended system sizes. The platform also operates a solar installer marketplace that routes qualified homeowner leads to a network of 200+ vetted installation partners who then provide binding quotes. Additional offerings include state-specific solar guides, a solar battery storage cost-benefit analysis, and an EV solar charging cost analysis.

Product overview

Solar-Estimate.org is a single-platform consumer solar estimation service built around a core solar calculator, supplemented by state-specific cost guides, a quote-request marketplace, and integrated battery/EV analysis tools. The primary product is the Solar Calculator (also branded on sister site SolarReviews), which uses zip code, utility data, and roof characteristics to generate savings estimates and system sizing recommendations. Supporting products include the Savings Calculator (simplified cost tool), Get Quote (installer matching via pre-screened pros), State Solar Guides (50+ geographic content modules), and integrated battery storage and EV charging analysis features. The platform operates under a Quality Solar Initiative with an Editorial Advisory Committee providing content oversight. The sister brand SolarReviews shares the calculator engine and provides consumer reviews of solar installers, panels, inverters, and batteries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Solar Cost and Savings Calculator Free online calculator that takes a homeowner's zip code, electric bill, and roof data to generate a per-address estimate of solar system size, cost, savings, payback period, and incentives. Designed for U.S. residential homeowners researching rooftop solar.
• Get Quote (Installer Lead Marketplace) Lead-generation service that connects homeowners who complete the calculator with a network of 200+ vetted solar installers who deliver binding quotes. Installers pay per-lead fees reported in the $18–$98 range for qualified referrals.
• Solar Battery Storage Cost-Benefit Analysis Online analysis that estimates the cost, savings, and payback of adding a solar battery storage system, for U.S. homeowners considering pairing storage with rooftop solar.
• EV Solar Charging Cost-Benefit Analysis Online analysis that estimates the cost, savings, and payback of charging an electric vehicle using rooftop solar, for U.S. homeowners weighing EV and solar together.
• State-Specific Solar Guides State-by-state educational guides that explain local solar costs, incentives, rebates, policies, and payback conditions for U.S. homeowners researching solar in their state.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3.3 million online estimates generated since 2008
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar-Estimate's independent solar savings analysis was developed with funding from the US Department of Energy, specifically through the SunShot program. This funding established the platform's credibility as an audited, non-commercial calculation engine for homeowners evaluating solar installation.
• Editorial Advisory Committee / Quality Solar InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar-Estimate established an editorial advisory committee as part of its commitment to the Quality Solar Initiative. The committee comprises full-time staff and independent contributors with deep expertise in electrical engineering, solar design, and solar installation. Members lead lectures and teach the next generation of solar professionals, ensuring content quality and industry credibility.
• Solar Energy InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar Energy International partnered with SolarReviews and Solar-Estimate.org to launch an educational partnership for consumers, providing educational resources to help homeowners make informed solar decisions.
• North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarReviews and Solar-Estimate partnered with NABCEP to conduct annual solar industry surveys and release the results publicly. The partnership also includes publishing the Solar Industry Survey Report and maintaining an ongoing industry data relationship.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Zillow: Zillow is a broad real-estate platform that integrates home-value data (which Solar-Estimate uses for solar-driven home value uplift estimates) and adjacent home-improvement content. Comparable because it owns the homeowner-research surface that increasingly competes for solar-intent queries and is a potential channel or competitor for lead monetization.
• Tesla Energy (Solar): Tesla Energy sells residential solar and Powerwall directly to homeowners through its own website, design tool, and pricing engine. Comparable as a broad incumbent that operates a direct, owned solar sales funnel rather than buying marketplace leads, representing both a customer and a structural threat to lead-gen economics.
• Sunrun: Sunrun is the largest US residential solar installer, operating a vertically integrated sales funnel (own website, own call centers, own financing). Comparable as a broad incumbent that both purchases leads from marketplaces like Solar-Estimate and increasingly competes with them by owning its own customer-acquisition channels.
• ADT Solar (formerly Sunpro): ADT Solar is a national residential solar installer operating across most US states with its own direct-to-homeowner sales motion. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the installer market, active buyer of leads from marketplaces like Solar-Estimate, and increasingly a competitor for branded solar search demand.
• Google Project Sunroof: Google's Project Sunroof is a free solar estimation tool that maps roof suitability and savings using Google Earth/Maps imagery. It is comparable as a broad incumbent in residential solar estimation, but does not operate a lead marketplace or monetize installer leads.

Direct peers

• SolarReviews: SolarReviews is the sister consumer review and marketplace platform operated by the same parent company (How Much Holdings Pty Limited) and shares the calculator engine. It is directly comparable because it serves the same homeowner-to-installer marketplace use case with overlapping content, reviews, and lead-gen revenue.
• Solar.com: Solar.com is a residential solar marketplace and lead-generation platform that connects homeowners with local installers and provides savings calculators. It is directly comparable as a US-focused consumer solar lead-gen marketplace competing for the same installer lead budgets.
• Pick My Solar: Pick My Solar operates an online residential solar marketplace with instant pricing and quote comparison for US homeowners. It is comparable as a direct competitor in the calculator-to-installer lead funnel, though its model is more transaction-oriented than purely lead-based.
• EnergySage: EnergySage is the most direct peer: a free online solar marketplace that lets US homeowners compare quotes from pre-screened installers, with an educational calculator and content library. It competes head-to-head with Solar-Estimate/SolarReviews on the same homeowner funnel and installer lead-generation revenue model.
• Modernize: Modernize is a home-improvement lead-generation marketplace covering solar, roofing, windows, and HVAC, connecting US homeowners with local contractors via paid lead referrals. Comparable as a peer in the residential solar lead-gen category, though it operates a broader home-services funnel.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solar-Estimate