Buying leads vs your own ads
Buying solar leads vs running your own Google Ads
Lead vendors sell you a homeowner's details. Your own ads bring the homeowner to you. Here is what each one costs and who keeps what.
Verdict
Checked October 2026
Buy leads to test a market fast. Run your own ads when you want leads nobody else is calling.
Side by side
How they compare
Price per unit
Bought leads
Shared $20 to $150. Exclusive $100 to $300. Industry estimates; few vendors publish a rate card.Your own Google Ads (with us)
What Google charges per click. One agency blog estimates own Google Search leads at $140 to $220.Aged leads
Bought leads
$0.05 to $10 per record, resold many times.Your own Google Ads (with us)
Not a thing. Every lead is fresh and texted to you in seconds.Set appointments
Bought leads
$150 to $500 per appointment (industry estimates). One vendor puts the real cost per sit at about $310 to $340 after no-shows.Your own Google Ads (with us)
Your team books from leads that just filled out your page.Who else gets the lead
Bought leads
Shared leads go to 2 to 4 buyers. SolarReviews says its average is 2.3.Your own Google Ads (with us)
Only you.Returns
Bought leads
Usually bad data only, like a wrong number or fake details. Not for a homeowner who lost interest.Your own Google Ads (with us)
No returns. You pay per click, so we block DIY, jobs and free-panel searches up front.Consent
Bought leads
One form can name many sellers. The FCC one-to-one rule was vacated in January 2025.Your own Google Ads (with us)
The form names your company only.What you pay
Bought leads
Per lead or prepaid credits. Some credit bundles are non-refundable.Your own Google Ads (with us)
$500 setup. $1,500/mo, starting the month after your first signed contract. $100/day minimum ad spend, paid to Google.When you stop
Bought leads
The leads stop. Nothing carries over.Your own Google Ads (with us)
The ad account, its history and the landing page stay yours.Lead prices are vendor and agency-blog estimates, not quotes. Your market will differ.
By the numbers
The numbers vendors publish
2.3
buyers per SolarReviews lead
Vendor's stated average
$100-300
exclusive lead
Industry estimates
$150-500
set appointment
Industry estimates
$0.84/W
2026 acquisition cost
Wood Mackenzie forecast, up 40%
Be fair
When buying leads is the better pick
- You need volume this week and can't wait for a new ad account to gather data.
- You want to test a new territory before you spend on ads there.
- You run a call team that works aged leads at cents per record.
- Your budget is under $100/day. That is our ad spend minimum.
- You want a fixed price per lead instead of click costs that move.
Your account
When your own ads win
- You're tired of racing two or three other companies to the same homeowner.
- You want every lead to name your company in the consent.
- You sell lease, PPA or battery and want ads written for that offer.
- You want sat appointments and signed deals sent back to Google so it finds more like them.
- You want to keep the account, the data and the page if you ever stop.
FAQ
Questions
How much do solar leads cost in 2026?+
Industry estimates put shared leads at $20 to $150, exclusive at $100 to $300, set appointments at $150 to $500 and aged leads under $10. Few vendors publish a rate card, so treat these as ranges.
Are shared solar leads worth it?+
They cost less per lead, but you are calling the same homeowner as other companies. SolarReviews says its average lead goes to 2.3 buyers. Judge them on cost per signed deal, not cost per lead.
Can I return a bad solar lead?+
Usually only for bad data. SolarReviews, for example, takes returns for a wrong phone number or fake details, not for a homeowner who lost interest or signed with someone else.
Is it legal to resell solar leads?+
Yes, in general. The 11th Circuit vacated the FCC one-to-one consent rule in January 2025, so one form can still name several sellers. This is not legal advice.
Can I buy leads and run my own ads at the same time?+
Yes. You can keep a vendor running while your own account builds data. Compare the two on cost per signed deal.
What does running my own ads with you cost?+
$500 setup, $100/day minimum ad spend paid to Google, and $1,500/mo that starts the month after your first signed contract from the ads.
Sources
- SolarReviews: Solar leads program page
- SolarReviews: Best solar leads price guide
- ActiveProspect: How much do solar leads cost (2026)
- Elevarus: Appointment-set vs raw solar leads
- Elevarus: Solar lead CPL in 2026
- UpLead: Buy solar leads (2026)
- Wood Mackenzie: Residential solar CAC set to spike 40% in 2026
- MoFo: Eleventh Circuit vacates FCC one-to-one consent rule
Free market check
See what solar searches cost where you install.
Five quick questions. We pull real keyword volume and click costs for your area and walk you through them on a call.
Built by the team behind FEXads, which runs ads in clients' own accounts for insurance agents.