Lease vs. Buy & Financing

Cash, loan, lease, or PPA — how each path changes who claims the tax credit and what you actually pay. Below are the Ballpark Lab guides in this topic — each one pairs plain-English answers with the calculator that gives you the number.

Lease vs. buy

Solar Lease vs. Buy in 2026: Which Wins Now?

With 25D expired, leasing is the only way to capture the federal credit in 2026 — but owning still saves more long-term. Here's how to choose between lease, PPA, and buying.

Updated June 30, 2026