EnergySage vs your own ads
EnergySage vs your own Google Ads
On EnergySage, homeowners collect quotes from vetted installers and compare them side by side. With your own ads, the homeowner lands on your page first. Different channels, different shoppers.
Verdict
Checked October 2026
EnergySage is a quote marketplace, not a lead list. It can sit right next to your own ads.
Side by side
How they compare
How the homeowner arrives
EnergySage
Signs up to compare quotes from several vetted installers, side by side.Your own Google Ads (with us)
Searches Google, lands on your page and talks to you first.Price pressure
EnergySage
You're quoted next to competitors. EnergySage's 1H 2026 median was $2.57/W.Your own Google Ads (with us)
They see your offer on your page. They may still shop around.Cost to you
EnergySage
Installers "pay a small fee" to join. The amount isn't published.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.Getting in
EnergySage
Vetting first: 2+ years in business, licensed and insured.Your own Google Ads (with us)
A Google Ads account in your name. We set it up.Placement
EnergySage
EnergySage says installers can't pay for higher placement.Your own Google Ads (with us)
You choose keywords and zip codes. Bids set your reach.Your brand
EnergySage
The homeowner meets you inside EnergySage.Your own Google Ads (with us)
The homeowner meets you on your own domain.When you stop
EnergySage
You leave the marketplace.Your own Google Ads (with us)
The account, its data and the page stay yours.EnergySage's installer fee isn't public. 2013 press coverage described a per-watt commission on won jobs, and a 2016 Rhode Island filing called the fees undisclosed. We couldn't verify a current number.
By the numbers
EnergySage marketplace data
$2.57/W
median quote, 1H 2026
EnergySage via Mercom
41%
installers quoting lease/PPA
Up from 14%, 1H 2026
11.8 kW
average system, H2 2025
EnergySage Intel
Unknown
installer fee
Not published
Be fair
When EnergySage is the better pick
- You're priced to win side-by-side quotes.
- You have strong reviews and want shoppers who have already done their homework.
- You don't want to manage ad spend or click costs.
- You meet the vetting bar and want a channel that doesn't depend on your own marketing.
Your account
When your own ads win
- You'd rather not be lined up against other installers on price.
- You want the homeowner on your own site, with your brand.
- You want to pick the exact zip codes and offers you advertise.
- You want sat appointments and signed deals fed back to Google.
- You want an asset you keep: the account and its history.
FAQ
Questions
How much does EnergySage charge installers?+
EnergySage says installers pay a small fee to join after vetting, but it doesn't publish the amount. A 2026 blog claims $1,000 to $2,000 per project; that figure is unsourced and we couldn't verify it.
Is EnergySage a lead seller?+
Not in the usual sense. Homeowners compare quotes from several installers on its marketplace. You send a quote; you don't buy a contact list.
Can I pay EnergySage for better placement?+
EnergySage says no. Installers can't pay for higher placement or influence its recommendations.
Should I use EnergySage or Google Ads?+
They reach different shoppers. EnergySage reaches people comparing quotes. Google Ads reaches people searching for an installer. You can run both.
Why are EnergySage prices lower than dealer prices?+
It's a competitive-quote marketplace, so prices per watt run low. Its 1H 2026 median was $2.57/W.
Sources
Free market check
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