The 6 ways to get solar in Florida in 2026, compared

There are six ways to put solar on your roof: cash, loan, lease or PPA, a subscription, PACE, and a prepaid lease. They differ on three things that matter more than the monthly payment: who owns the system, whether it leaves debt or a lien on your house, and how you get out when you sell. This guide puts them side by side.

Why does the payment structure matter more than the price?

Because two houses with the same system can end up in opposite situations ten years in. One owns a paid-off asset; the other has 15 more years of contract with a third party. One sells the house with no friction; the other has to ask the buyer to take over a payment. The price per watt was identical. What changed was the structure.

You are right to distrust anyone who shows you only one option. It is almost always the one that pays them the most, not the one that fits you. Our job is different: we have access to the whole market and we tell you which structure fits the real numbers of your house.

What are the six options and how do they differ?

Sources for the ranges: loan, lease and PPA terms and escalators from the CFPB (Solar Financing Market Issue Spotlight, 2024); prepaid lease from the credit’s 5-year recapture rule (26 U.S.C. § 50); PACE from Florida Statute 163.081; subscription from each program’s terms. Everything else is structure, not a figure.

Heads up: “no upfront cost” does not mean “no cost”. With a lease, PPA, dealer-fee loan or PACE, the cost is spread over time or hidden in the price. The right question is not “what do I pay today?” but “what do I pay in total and what is left in my hands at the end?”.

What changed with the federal credit in 2026?

The 30% credit for buyers (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025, per the IRS. That makes buying cash or with a loan more expensive than it was in 2025. The credit for third-party-owned systems (Section 48E) continues through the end of 2027: the owner of the lease, PPA or subscription system claims it and, in theory, passes it back to you as a lower price. Full detail in federal solar tax credit 2026. Confirm your case with your tax preparer.

Which one fits your profile?

Each row has its own guide: solar loan, lease and PPA, solar subscription, PACE, prepaid lease. If credit is the obstacle, start with solar with bad credit.

When none of the six makes sense

• Your bill is low (under about $100 a month). The savings do not cover any payment and the utility minimum charge stays. Read net metering in Florida first.
• Your roof has heavy shade or needs replacing. No financing fixes a bad roof; it only makes it more expensive to fix later.
• You are on a municipal or co-op utility (OUC, JEA, GRU) without 1-to-1 credit. The numbers change and have to be run separately.
• You are moving within a year. Even the subscription needs time for the annual true-up to return anything.

What to check before you decide

• Ask for the same proposal in at least two structures (for example cash and subscription) and compare the 10-year total, not the monthly payment.
• Ask in writing who owns the system in year 1, year 6 and year 25.
• Ask exactly what happens when you sell: who pays what, and whether the buyer has to qualify.
• Check for a dealer fee, an escalator or a lien. If the answer is “don’t worry about that”, worry. Use how to read a solar proposal.
• Check the roof’s remaining life before signing anything longer than 5 years.