There are three ways to put solar on a South African roof, and the first thing to say is that all three are legitimate. Most solar marketing pretends otherwise, which is how you know it is marketing.
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Buying outright is the strongest option for a household with spare capital. You own the asset from day one. It can add value to your property. Nobody sends you an invoice again.
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The full price is paid before the system earns you a cent, the maintenance is yours for the life of the system, and the warranty paperwork is yours to manage. But, if the capital is available and owning the asset matters to you, buying is a genuine choice. The comparison on our website says exactly that, and we will not talk you out of it.

Rent to own suits the buyer who is set on ownership but cannot pay everything upfront. The entry cost is lower. At the end of the finance term the system is yours. In exchange, there is usually a deposit, a fixed term you are committed to, and maintenance that mostly sits on your side of the fence throughout. You are also committed to today’s hardware for at least the length of the term, in a technology market that improves every year.
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Then there is renting, the model Prepaid24 Energy leads with, as the third route. No upfront capital. One predictable monthly subscription. Maintenance, repairs and replacements are our problem, not yours, with a Certificate of Compliance on every installation. The subscription runs month to month, and you can upgrade as your needs change. What you give up is ownership: the system never becomes an asset on your property.
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For most households, the rental wins on every measure that matters day to day, which is why we lead with it. However, we realise that most households are not all households, and a company that pretends its product is right for everyone has told you something important about its advice (it shouldn’t be trusted).
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The full comparison, line by line, is on our website. Take your time with it.
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You can view this comparison here, and when you are ready, our Electricity Optimiser will help find the right system for your home in 3 minutes.