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Simply Solar reviews
• updated MAR 3, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
Simply Solar has a split personality that should give you pause. We analyzed reviews spanning nearly a decade and found a company that delivers clean installs and attentive communication when things go right, but stumbles badly when problems arise. 187 reviewers praised the workmanship itself, installers cleaned up after themselves, and 63 reviews singled out steady communication throughout the project. The trouble starts after installation. One homeowner waited a month for panel reinstallation after a roof replacement, then another month with no callbacks to fix a wiring error that left the system generating 2.8 kilowatt-hours per day instead of the expected output from 26 panels. Another customer's system went dark for six weeks while the company cycled through replacement parts, and when the inverter failed again less than a year later, they couldn't get a repair appointment scheduled. 51 reviews cite post-sale support problems, a pattern that cuts against the 180 who had no issues. If a tech has to come back to your house, you may join the group that spent weeks chasing callbacks instead of the group that got same-day fixes.
If you're weighing Simply Solar, know that many customers love their experience and their bills dropped to near zero. But if something breaks or you need panels removed and reinstalled, you may face long stretches of silence and a system that sits idle while you wait for parts and scheduling.
3 Stories That Stood Out
Claudiu had solar panels from Simply Solar on his home and arranged a roof replacement, relying on a contract that promised free removal and reinstallation of the array. He called the company on 10/9/24 and, after coordinating a roof install for 11/4/24 with inspection on 11/12/24, watched the crew remove the panels the day before the roof work as planned. When the inspection passed on 11/12 he called Sara in client services to schedule the reinstall and learned the crew was so backlogged she couldn’t give a date. Over the next few weeks he ran into repeated delays and excuses — weather, holidays, staffing and other vague reasons — and found managers hard to reach. A crew finally returned on 12/11 to reinstall the panels, and a technician wired the system the next day, meaning it took roughly a month from the roof inspection to get the system back up. On 12/30 the panel box displayed an error reading "insulation resist check generator," and Sara promised to prioritize the repair and schedule a visit, but no appointment or update materialized; efforts to talk to managing partners Jake or Shaw also came up empty. Financially, the original installation had cost about $40,000 in 2015,,
S.b. contracted Simply Solar in January 2020 for a roof replacement plus a solar array on a Belmont, CA house, expecting a professionally managed job. What they discovered instead was a chaotic project that left the roof and interior damaged and the solar system unreliable. From the start the crews moved hurriedly and seemed poorly coordinated with their project managers. Roofers and solar installers pierced the cathedral ceilings in the living and dining rooms — even after S.b. pointed out the beam locations in person — splitting wood and leaving holes that the company tried to “repair” with silicone. The roof leaked during heavy rain twice, and when it was fixed the new covering looked like a patchwork quilt. The PV work matched the same level of sloppiness: panels arranged differently than on the plan, uneven mounting, and adhesive smeared across the fresh roof and footing posts. Rather than clean up, the homeowners ended up scrubbing excess glue and repainting areas to make the installation remotely presentable. After fighting for compensation, the business manager wrote a personal check and the homeowner recovered some costs for damage and the labor they had to perform to,
Lotus R. hired Simply Solar to install panels on her metal roof and followed the job through to a corrected finish. Early in the process the smart switch and Gateway ended up installed in the wrong spot—too close to the gas riser—so the planned main-panel upgrade couldn’t proceed because equipment must sit at least three feet from that riser. She attached before-and-after photos to show the move. Simply Solar took ownership, returned to relocate the equipment, and the two technicians who performed the rework did a fantastic job. Because the company kept its promise and addressed the issue, she raised her final rating to 4 and now feels secure about the long-term service warranty. She chose Simply Solar in part because they were the only contractor willing to install on a metal roof and in part to support a small business (she didn’t contact Sunrun). Her practical advice for future customers: check progress a few times during installation to catch obvious mistakes—verify panels are clean, the design was followed, and the monitoring app works once equipment is installed and permits are approved. She also noticed some crews seemed junior and that teams don’t always let you know before
Platforms Monitored
Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 74
No Red Flags
Unauthorized Activities
Passed screening
Misleading Claims
Passed screening
Background Check
Serving customers for 12 years
Operating longer than most installers in the market.
BBB Rating: A+
Excellent BBB standing. Strong complaint resolution.
Natural Review Patterns
Reviews were posted naturally over time.
What You Can Expect
Jennifer had put a solar system on her home a few years earlier and in November 2025 returned to Simply Solar to add a Franklin Whole Home Battery. She found the handoff between sales, design and field teams smooth: Dean steered the sale with thoughtful, fast communication and clear product knowledge, and Jack ran production with calm clarity, walking her through each step. Worried about keeping NEM 2 eligibility, she watched the design team accommodate one revision and preserve retention without drama. Bobby handled the install, kept communication steady, finished on schedule, and left the battery and system working exactly as promised. Along the way she discovered their systems felt nearly “fault proof” and appreciated that Simply Solar has weathered the solar market’s ups and downs and stayed in business. She noticed they pick panels, inverters and batteries for long-term value, and that their people—honest and reliable—made the whole process feel expert and easy. The detail that lingered most was the continuity of the team—same trusted faces from her first install to the battery add-on—and the fact that the new system went live on time and without hiccups.
Mike J. hired Simply Solar to outfit his San Carlos home and credits David, the company’s local rep and longtime San Carlos resident, for being knowledgeable, patient and refreshingly unpushy. He asked for a few days to read the contracts and check references, and David agreed without pressure. The installation hit a few initial snags, but the crew corrected them quickly, and the system has run smoothly for more than a year. What stood out most was how responsive and friendly David and the Simply Solar team were whenever he called or emailed. That level of follow-up prompted him to use Simply Solar again on a second property — a repeat hire that underlines the practical difference their customer service made.
Jeff D. hired Simply Solar to design and install a rooftop system on his house in July 2023. He discovered the team stayed responsive, transparent, and professional throughout the process, answering his many questions quickly. The installation itself went smoothly and efficiently, without any problems, and the result is a steep drop in what he now pays for electricity compared with neighbors still tied to PG&E. For Jeff, the standout was the combination of fast, clear communication and a trouble-free install — the practical reasons he chose Simply Solar and the features he says mattered most when picking an installer.
Gail C. hired Simply Solar to install a residential solar system on her home several years ago, and they stayed involved long after the panels went up. She experienced a team that stayed knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely customer-focused. When an unusual power outage left the backup battery slow to kick in, Simply Solar came out, ran tests, and confirmed the battery itself was working exactly as it had in the past. They then walked her through how to turn the power off completely and explained that the real problem traced back to PG&E. What lingered for her was not just that the hardware performed well, but that the crew returned promptly, diagnosed the situation on-site, and taught her the simple procedure that solved the mystery.
Calvin chose Simply Solar to put panels on his house and ended up with a near-seamless install and big utility savings. The crew handled all the pre-planning: they drew a layout for different banks of panels, inspected his electrical panel, and coordinated an electrician to replace the panel box while installers mounted panels. Everything was finished the same day and powered up immediately — and it’s still working two years later. All that remained was for PG&E to enable solar monitoring, which moved through without a hitch. His electric bill dropped to almost nothing, even when running air conditioning in warm months; now he only pays for the gas furnace in winter and a small transmission charge. He also referred his sister and collected the $1,000 referral fee — a neat bonus on top of what he calls one of the best home-management decisions he’s made.
Jamie S. had a military-branded company install solar panels on her home two years ago, and with a retired veteran husband they expected the advertised 10-year warranty to matter. After two years a component failed; she discovered the company would not honor that warranty and instead quoted $950 to repair the part. Repeated attempts to get help ran into silence — calls went unanswered and messages weren’t returned. The detail that lingers: only two years after installation she faced a $950 out-of-pocket repair and no responsive support from a company that promotes military ties.
Erika has lived with a solar-plus-battery system on her home for three years, and what stuck with her most was how Simply Solar handled a crisis. During the last big storm the panels developed a problem; a service technician arrived promptly and repaired the issue on the spot, getting her system back online immediately. She arrived at that point after interviewing at least five solar companies and chose Simply Solar because their team treated her respectfully and never pushed a hard sale. From sales through service, everyone she dealt with delivered consistent, friendly customer care. The thing she'll tell a neighbor about is the quick, reliable follow-up in an emergency — that same-day service during the storm is what set the company apart for her.
Doron, an architect and general contractor used to high-end design-build work, wanted solar for his 1982 Mill Valley home that was undersized electrically but he didn’t want the disruption or cost of a full service-panel upgrade. After researching options and talking with a neighbor who had done their homework, he chose Simply Solar to design and install a retrofit system — and it transformed the house’s energy picture. Monthly bills that averaged about $270 dropped to zero after the install, and the system has run reliably since. Three months ago he added a 50-amp hot tub that draws roughly 32 amps; even with that new load the household’s second bill after the hot tub was only $10. He expects winter months will increase usage slightly, so he plans to add a few panels and to install a battery backup next year to cover low-sun periods. Throughout the project he found Simply Solar organized, communicative, and professional — the standout detail being that the retrofit avoided a costly panel upgrade yet still handled a 32-amp hot tub while keeping bills nearly nil.
Claudiu A. had a full roof replacement on a house that already carried a 2015, roughly $40,000 solar installation with 26 panels. He relied on the original contract’s promise of free panel removal and reinstallation and arranged the roof work to give the solar crew plenty of lead time. Simply Solar took the panels down on schedule the day before the roofer began on 11/4/24, but after the roofing inspection passed on 11/12/24 the company stopped giving firm dates. Over the next few weeks he kept getting excuses — weather, holidays, staff shortages — and requests for patience while no manager ever provided a clear schedule. A crew finally returned on 12/11 to reinstall the array and a technician wired the system the following day, meaning the house went about a month without solar power after the roof was finished. On 12/30 he flagged an error that read "insulation resist check generator," and was promised a prioritized repair; that appointment didn’t happen until 1/13, when a tech came out and declared the system working. In practice the array has produced only a fraction of expected output: despite full sun since the service visit, the panels have been generating about 2.8 kWh per‑
Long-term Satisfaction
Long-term satisfaction for Simply Solar drops to 4.0 ★ compared to early reviews. This is better than 47% of installers we looked at.
Long-term reviews carry the most weight in our methodology because they are most representative of what you should be paying for: a system that will perform for years.