Solar roof tiles vs. solar panels: the price per watt
Solar roof tiles and solar shingles cost more per watt of generating capacity than conventional panels. NREL, using Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's installation data, found residential roof-integrated systems averaged about $5.02 per watt in 2021 versus $3.92 for conventional rooftop systems, and that their prices have consistently been higher.[1] Rack-mounted prices have kept falling since: LBNL's median for owner-bought home systems was $3.60 per watt in 2025.[2]
| System | Price per watt | Cost | Source year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof-integrated tiles or shingles | $5.02 | $38,654 | 2021 |
| Conventional rooftop panels | $3.92 | $30,184 | 2021 |
| Conventional rooftop panels (median) | $3.60 | $27,720 | 2025 |
The 2021 comparison is the newest like-for-like figure in a federal source; there is no 2025 average for solar tiles to set beside LBNL's panel median. Treat the gap as a direction, not a quote, and enter the price per watt from your own bid in the calculator. For panels, the solar panel cost calculator and the state-by-state figures on average cost of solar panels use the 2025 data.
Count the roof, not just the solar
A fair comparison sets solar tiles against a new conventional roof plus panels, because tiles replace part of the roofing. If your roof needs replacing anyway, the roofing you no longer buy offsets some of the premium:
- Solar roof quote (tiles plus any conventional tiles or shingles around them): from your bid.
- New conventional roof: from the roof replacement cost calculator with your roofer's price per square.
- Rack-mounted panels: kW × your price per watt.
- Compare (1) with (2) + (3). If the roof is still sound, the fair comparison is (1) with (3) alone, plus removal and reinstallation of panels when the roof is eventually replaced.
For scale, the Census Bureau's 2023 American Housing Survey put the median roofing job at $10,000 and the average at $11,610, across all roof sizes and including do-it-yourself jobs.[6]
Do solar shingles produce as much power?
Roof-integrated products sit flush with the roof, so they generally run warmer than panels on racks with air behind them, and warmer cells convert sunlight less efficiently. NREL's earlier study of building-integrated PV modeled shingles at 13.8% efficiency against 14.5% for a rack-mounted reference and noted their higher operating temperatures; it found shingles could still compete on lifetime cost only if their installed price was meaningfully lower.[1] Today's efficiencies are higher on both sides (LBNL's 2025 median for home panels was 21.3%[2]), but the direction of the difference is the same. Ask the installer for a production estimate for your roof, and check it against the solar calculator.
| Solar roof tiles / shingles | Rack-mounted panels | |
|---|---|---|
| Looks | Part of the roof surface | Sits above the roof |
| Price per watt (2021, NREL) | $5.02 | $3.92 |
| Operating temperature | Higher (less airflow) | Lower |
| Replaces roofing material | Yes, where installed | No |
| When the roof is replaced | Part of the job | Panels removed and reinstalled |
Tax credits for solar roof tiles in 2026
The federal residential clean energy credit covered solar roofing tiles and solar shingles while it existed: the IRS said traditional shingles and roof trusses that support panels did not qualify, but solar tiles and shingles did.[4] That credit, 30% through 2025, is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, and an installation finished in 2026 counts as a 2026 expenditure even if paid for earlier.[4][5] The calculator's credit field therefore defaults to 0%. State and utility programs vary; DOE's homeowner's guide notes that building-integrated PV lets homeowners match the look of their solar to the house, and points to state incentives as the place to look.[3]
Paying for a solar roofA solar roof is often financed with the roof replacement. Compare a HELOC, a home equity loan or other options in the home improvement loan calculator, and see how long the savings take to repay it with the solar calculator.
Worked example
A 7.7 kW solar roof at the 2021 roof-integrated average of $5.02 per watt: 7.7 × 1,000 × $5.02 = $38,654 before incentives, with no federal credit in 2026. The same capacity in rack-mounted panels at the 2025 median of $3.60 is $27,720, $10,934 less, a gap the roofing you would otherwise buy can partly close if the roof is due for replacement. With a product's watts-per-tile rating, the calculator also counts the pieces: 7,700 W ÷ the rating.
Frequently asked questions
How much do solar roof tiles cost?
NREL's figures for 2021 put roof-integrated systems at about $5.02 per watt, roughly $38,654 for a 7.7 kW roof, before incentives. Prices vary by product and region, so use the per-watt price from your quote.[1]
Are solar shingles cheaper than solar panels?
Not per watt: in 2021 they averaged $5.02 vs. $3.92 for rooftop panels.[1] They can narrow the gap when they replace roofing you needed anyway.
Do solar roof tiles qualify for a tax credit in 2026?
Not the federal residential clean energy credit, which ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Solar tiles and shingles did qualify while it was available.[4]
Do solar shingles make less electricity than panels?
They tend to run hotter because there is no air gap behind them, which lowers output a little; NREL's BIPV study modeled shingles at a lower efficiency than rack-mounted modules.[1] Ask for a site-specific production estimate.
Sources
- Observations and Lessons Learned From Installing Residential Roofing-Integrated Photovoltaics (NREL/TP-6A20-85230)
- U.S. Distributed Solar and Storage: 2026 Data Update (Tracking the Sun)
- Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar
- Residential Clean Energy Credit
- FAQs for modification of sections 25C, 25D … under Public Law 119-21 (FS-2025-05)
- American Housing Survey 2023, Table C-16-OO: Home Improvement Costs, Owner-Occupied Units