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Last Updated: 12th Feb 2026 By Finn Peacock, Chartered Electrical Engineer, Fact Checked By Ronald Brakels 
So, you’ve got quotes for a few different solar power systems and each company says their system has the best inverter – no surprises there. How do you decide which inverter is right for you?
My website is here to help…
Fronius GEN24 Primo
Sungrow SGRS Series
GoodWe DNS G3 Series
Solis S5 Series (Single phase) 5-6kW
Sigenergy Energy Controller (single-phase)
SolarEdge HD Wave Genesis (5-6kW)
iStore (Single phase, 5-6kW)
Enphase IQ8AC
GEP 5-10kW (Single phase)
Yes, here.
Yes, here.
Yes, here.
Yes, here.
Yes, here
Yes, here
Yes, here.
Yes, here.

One product per row, with no images
(Easy to browse)
One product per column, with product images
Note: The prices displayed above are our best estimate of retail pricing, including GST. 
When buying solar, your installer will likely give you the choice of a ‘budget’ or ‘premium’ solar inverter. Is it worth paying more for premium? 
A premium inverter may:
…than a cheaper inverter, and command a price premium:
Only you can decide if the extra money is worth it. Ask the quoting installer what benefits your extra money gives you over a good budget option. Personally, I always look for mid-range (e.g., Sungrow, iStore) or premium (e.g., Enphase, SolarEdge, Fronius) inverters. I know they are less likely to give me grief over the years.
All grid-connected PV systems require a solar inverter¹. It’s a box of power electronics with more functions than you might think.
A fully featured, modern inverter should:
So it’s pretty important to get a decent one.
I’m guessing you don’t know one brand of solar inverter from another – you certainly aren’t alone. Here are the inverter brands available in Australia I would comfortably recommend to people:
The simplest, quickest way I can think of to describe how each brand stacks up is to compare them to cars – because I’m also guessing most of you will know the difference between a Mercedes, a Ford and a Hyundai.

There are six main classifications:
All the solar panel inverters shown above (apart from Enphase) are string inverters. They’re the most common type available and are called string inverters because panels are wired together in series strings. These units are usually installed on the wall, ideally close to your meter box. 

You won’t find these in home installations. Only large commercial installations or utility-scale solar farms use these monsters – usually housed in big industrial cabinets.

Image credit: SMA America

c) Microinverters

Image credit: SMA America
Microinverters are tiny solar inverters about the size of a paperback book. You generally need one micro-inverter per solar panel, although some models can handle the output from two, four, or even more modules. You can read about the advantages of microinverters here. The main benefits are they operate at a safer, lower voltage and have design flexibility for complex roofs.

Microinverters can also be helpful if you have partial shade conditions. However, good string inverters are catching up with shade tolerance through increasingly advanced MPPT algorithms.
In my opinion, the only microinverter brand worth considering is Enphase. I’ve got 35 of them on my straw house.
These provide similar performance benefits to microinverters with different technology. An optimiser system requires a string inverter with optimisers on each solar panel. These devices work to maximise each panel’s output under a variety of conditions.

SolarEdge optimisers require you to optimise every panel in an array and use a SolarEdge inverter.
Formerly known as Huawei, the locally supported iStore systems are more flexible than SolarEdge because they can deploy optimisers selectively, and iStore MPPT inverters work across a broader voltage range instead of just a simple target voltage.
Tigo optimisers are inverter agnostic, which can keep costs down because you can also deploy them selectively if the shade only affects a couple of panels. However, there is an extra cost to add Tigo monitoring hardware, an option that gives you panel level data, which is particularly handy to know if the panel or the Tigo itself has failed. 
If you think you’ll ever add a battery to your system – even a few years down the track – then a hybrid inverter is your best bet.
Why? Because hybrid inverters are designed to manage both solar and batteries, meaning you won’t need to replace your inverter later or buy a second dedicated battery inverter. This makes your solar system future-ready, with fewer conversion losses and simpler wiring when you do add storage.
With the federal government’s battery rebate, batteries are becoming more affordable than they used to be. If you’re planning ahead, it’s a no-brainer to choose an inverter that can work with batteries from day one.
The electronics of the hybrid inverter coordinate the battery charging with direct current, straight from the solar array, so there are fewer conversion losses and more capacity to charge the battery and simultaneously run AC loads in the house.
I’ve listed all the makes and models I know about on my hybrid inverter comparison table. Check it out if you are considering buying batteries with your solar power system, or adding batteries in the next year or two.
Sigenergy has pioneered a new style of inverter installation, as a part of their “five-in-one” SigenStor battery system. The top module of the system is essentially a hybrid inverter of up to 25 kW (if you get the 3-phase version). You can buy the inverter module first and easily add battery modules or the bi-directional DC EV charger module underneath later. They all simply stack together.
The hybrid inverter module simply stacks on top of Sigenergy’s battery modules.
This modular design is more straightforward to install because it eliminates DC battery wiring, saving money on installation costs. Adding more batteries is also simple enough, they stack just like Fronius/BYD or Sungrow.
However, the remote AC switchboard which offers much greater flexibility and backup features, is much like other brands and models. 
This SigenStor battery system has its modular hybrid inverter on top of a battery module. The modular design makes adding battery storage a breeze. Install Credit: Solaworx
Often referred to as AC coupled batteries, these units can be more brand agnostic, so they’re often used to retrofit a battery to your existing solar power system.
They offer more flexibility because your battery system can be separate from your solar panels, or even on a separate building or compliant location. (i.e. not connected straight to the same inverter). 
The battery inverter simply monitors export or import from the grid in real-time and then charges or discharges as needed, to reduce or eliminate grid power use.

When choosing a solar inverter, the first thing to look for is whether it complies with the relevant Australian Standard (AS4777). You can quickly check this by checking out the Clean Energy Council’s approved products list.
All grid-connected solar inverters certified for Australia should be on this list. If one you’re considering isn’t, don’t buy it, as your Distributed Network Service Provider (DNSP) likely won’t permit you to install it.
Another reason to buy CEC-approved inverters as part of your full system is to be eligible for Australia’s solar rebate, which can knock thousands off the up-front cost of a system. Note that the device must be on the Clean Energy Council-approved list at the time of installation to be eligible for the subsidy.
It’s also worth looking at the company behind the product—how long has it been around? Do they have an Australian office? What is their track record in Australia with warranty claims? Again, this is where our reviews section can help.
You can check out the price of different solar inverters available in Australia here. The inverter can represent around 20% of the cost of a solar power system.
For example, decent-quality 5kW solar inverters, which can support up to 6.6kW of panels, start at $1,000 for budget single-phase models (e.g., Sungrow, Goodwe, or Solis) and up to $2,000 for premium single-phase models (e.g., Fronius or SMA).
If you want a 3-phase, 5kW inverter; add around $400 to those prices.
However, when considering 10kW inverters, an older 3-phase version is sometimes a bit cheaper than the newer single phase version:

Tip: While the price is steeper, if you have a 3-phase power supply at your house, I recommend getting a 3-phase inverter.
Whatever you do, never buy the cheapest solar inverter on the market! Trust me on this—really cheap products have no chance of lasting 15+ years in Australia. It is difficult and expensive to design and manufacture a good solar inverter that will endure, particularly in Australia’s often harsh conditions.
There’s often confusion about inverter capacity, but generally, it should be less than solar panel capacity.
Your inverter needs to handle the maximum power your system can generate. For example, a 5kW solar system needs 5kW of panels and a 5kW inverter. Simple, right? Actually, it can get more complex.
According to Australian guidelines, the size of your solar panel array (in kW) can be up to one-third larger than the inverter capacity. This practice is called “oversizing” and is common and recommended.
Tip: If you buy a battery with your solar, you can exceed this limit. A good installer will explain how to do this.
Generally, it’s best to install as many panels as you can afford and fit on your roof. Buy a good-quality inverter to suit, staying within any limits set by your local electricity network.
Inverters are generally installed as near as practicable to your electricity meter and should always be situated in the shade for best performance. Note that a shaded installation location can also be a warranty requirement. If you don’t have a suitable shady spot, then you should have a simple shade cover made or purchased for it. There are model-specific covers available, or a cheaper option is a small awning available from hardware stores.

 Image credit: Teaslec

5) Is it weather-proof?

 Image credit: Teaslec
Most grid-connected inverters are weather-proof (generally IP65 rated) so they can be located in areas with exposure to the elements. 
Your solar inverter is a box of sensitive electronics. The better you protect it from heat and weather, the better it will perform and last. 
Check these aspects on specification/warranty documentation, or ask your retailer where to install your solar inverter and how they intend to protect it if necessary.
Check the spec label on your inverter for its IP rating to find out how weatherproof it is.
Typically, grid-connected inverters last from 10 to 20 years and you should expect most good-quality units to have a lifespan of 10 years minimum.
Solar inverters have warranties ranging from 5 to 15 years. An increasing number of manufacturers offer service warranty extensions to those willing to pay for them. Obviously, the longer the warranty, the more protection you have.
Some manufacturers (such as Fronius and SMA) offer a “5 + 5” year warranty – where parts and labour are covered under warranty for the first 5 years, but only parts are covered for years 6-10. If yours conks out in year 7, you’ll need to pay around $300 in labour costs to replace it.

Check out the unit’s warranty and balance this against other features of your system to help you make an informed decision on which solar inverter is best for you. Scrutinise the warranty carefully for any unreasonable conditions and determine where repairs will occur. If it has to be shipped overseas for repairs, you could wait for a long time for a fix or replacement.
Remember: while Australian Consumer Law can trump what a manufacturer states in a warranty, you don’t want to have the stress and unpleasantness of a drawn-out claim if something goes wrong.
If you’re considering expanding your solar system down the track, it’s a good idea to plan ahead. While adding more panels later is definitely possible, it requires some forethought.
Most solar inverters in Australia come with two or more MPPTs (Maximum Power Point Trackers). These MPPTs allow your system to manage different sets of solar panels. If you want to expand later, it’s crucial to leave one or more MPPTs free during the initial installation. This way, you can easily connect more panels down the line, even if they’re different from your original ones.

However, solar technology moves fast. The panels available now may not be compatible with your system in a few years, due to rapid advancements. Both inverters and panels are subject to approvals, and if a product falls off the approved list, you might not be able to claim government rebates like STCs (Small-scale Technology Certificates).
If flexibility is your priority, you might want to consider microinverters like Enphase. These manage each panel individually, making it simpler to add on later. But even with microinverters, you could still face challenges, such as changing approval rules from your energy network.
Most solar inverters have display lights indicating whether the unit is on, off, or on standby.

A Sungrow inverter with a blue light, indicating that it is on stand-by. Image credit: Solar Saving

A Sungrow inverter with a blue light, indicating that it is on stand-by. Image credit: Solar Saving
They can also have digital displays that indicate some or all of the following information:
Nearly all inverters also offer an app that allows you to view detailed performance information and alerts more easily on your PC or phone.
 
Inverter efficiency measures how well a device converts the electricity it receives from the solar panels into power that can be used by your home or exported to the grid. Older grid-connected transformer-based solar inverters have an efficiency of around 93% or better, while the transformer-less devices sold today are typically around 96% or better.

Higher efficiency is generally better, but some inverters—such as Fronius—have active cooling. This can increase the unit’s lifespan but give them a slightly lower efficiency rating than inverters without it. So, higher efficiency isn’t always necessarily superior.
An inverter’s standby power consumption, for example, during the night or in other very low lighting conditions, also impacts overall output, but this draw is tiny – usually in the range of 1 to 5 Watts, although 5 Watts would be considered high.
Most solar inverters supplied by reputable retailers in Australia are OK, with the emphasis on “most.” However, some horrible devices still being installed today have somehow managed to pass Australian compliance testing. These will likely cause their owners some heartache and hip pocket pain down the track, so make sure you’re not one of them.
Note: walk away if there is no written warranty offered on the solar inverter or no specification sheet is supplied. And make sure the organisation issuing the warranty has an Australian office – you don’t want to be calling Shanghai if you have warranty-related issues!
And bear in mind that even the best solar components can be negatively impacted by poor installation, so choosing a good accredited installer is as important as choosing the right device.
According to 161 Aussie installers, the best solar inverter in 2025 is Fronius, followed by Sungrow, and Goodwe.
If you want to be sure of getting a good inverter as part of a system purchase, get a quote from installers I trust here:
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