A few years ago, a home battery was the add-on most solar buyers skipped. That's changed.
According to The Signal: Q3 2026, a report from the solar sales software company Artemis based on installers who use its platform, 44.8% of solar deals signed in the third quarter of 2026 included a battery. That's up from 36.9% the quarter before. (It was 48.4% in the first quarter, so the number moves around, but it has stayed in the high-30s to high-40s all year.)
That data comes from one platform, and Artemis notes it "may not represent the full market." Still, the direction is clear: batteries have gone from a niche upgrade to something close to half of buyers choose.
Popular doesn't mean right for you, though. Here's how to tell.
What a battery actually does
A home battery stores electricity so you can use it later. In practice that does three things:
1. It keeps power on during an outage. This is the one people expect, and it's the one people most often misunderstand. Solar panels alone shut off when the grid goes down. That's a safety rule, so your system doesn't send power onto lines a utility crew may be repairing. With a battery (and the right setup), your home can keep running on stored power, and the panels can refill the battery during the day.
2. It lets you use your own solar power at night. Your panels make the most power at midday, when many homes use the least. A battery saves that power for the evening, when you're home, cooking and running the AC.
3. It can lower your bill where utility rates change by time of day. Many utilities charge more in late afternoon and evening. A battery lets you use stored power during those expensive hours instead of buying it from the utility. How much that saves depends entirely on your utility's rate plan.
Who a battery is usually worth it for
A battery tends to make the most sense if one or more of these is true:
- You have outages that matter. Frequent outages, long outages, or anyone at home who depends on power for medical equipment, work or a well pump.
- Your utility pays you little for extra solar power. In places where the utility credits you much less for power you send back than it charges for power you buy, storing your own power is worth more.
- Your rate plan has expensive evening hours. Time-of-use rates reward shifting power to the evening.
- You're planning bigger electric loads, like an electric vehicle or a heat pump, and want more control over when you use power.
It tends to make less sense if outages are rare and short where you live, your utility credits exported solar power at close to full value, and your bill is already low.
Questions to ask before you say yes
Whether you're getting a quote for solar with a battery or adding one to existing panels, ask:
- "What will this battery keep running in an outage, and for how long?" Whole-home backup and "essentials only" backup are very different. Ask which circuits are covered.
- "Will my panels recharge the battery during a multi-day outage?" Not every setup does. Ask for a yes or no.
- "How does this battery save me money on my specific rate plan?" A good rep can show you the math using your actual utility bill.
- "How much would it cost to add a battery later instead of now?" Sometimes it's cheaper to add one up front. Sometimes waiting is fine.
- "How is the battery being financed, and who owns it?" Many battery buyers now choose a prepaid lease. Know exactly what you're signing.
What size battery do most people buy?
The same Artemis report found that 13.5 kWh was the typical battery size on sold systems, and 70% of battery deals carried between 10 and 15 kWh of storage. Most homes don't need a wall of batteries. They need enough to cover the things they actually care about.
For a deeper look at backup options beyond batteries, including generators and portable power stations, see our guide: Seven Ways to Keep the Lights On, From $500 to $30,000.
The short version
Nearly half of solar buyers on one major platform are adding a battery, and for many homes it's the part of the system that makes solar work during an outage or on an expensive evening rate. But it's not automatic. Start with what you want to keep running, what your utility pays and charges, and what you can afford. A good installer will help you answer those questions instead of just adding a battery to the quote.
Data source: Artemis, The Signal: Q3 2026, based on installers using the Artemis platform; it may not represent the full market.
GRID doesn't sell solar to homeowners — GRIDcard connects homeowners with verified local solar pros who show their math.