Battery & storage
Enter up to three battery quotes with their price and capacity. See true cost per kWh for each, ranked from best to worst value.
How it works
Step 1
Use total installed price, not just equipment cost, for the most accurate comparison, the same figure used in the single vs multi battery cost tool.
Step 2
The usable vs nameplate tool helps convert if your quote only lists nameplate figures.
Step 3
Warranty length and efficiency ratings both matter alongside this number.
A $12,000 battery with 13.5 kWh of capacity works out to about $889 per kWh, while a cheaper-looking $9,500 battery offering only 10 kWh actually costs $950 per kWh, a worse value despite its lower sticker price. Comparing total price alone without accounting for capacity differences can lead to choosing the more expensive option per unit of storage, the same trap the single vs multi battery cost tool also addresses, and the quick financing comparison tool in our Financing category helps translate either option into a monthly payment for a clearer side-by-side comparison.
For the most accurate comparison, total installed cost, including labor, any required electrical panel work, and permits, should be divided by capacity rather than just the raw battery equipment price. Installation costs can vary between quotes for reasons entirely unrelated to the battery itself, like electrical panel complexity or local labor rates, so comparing installed cost per kWh gives a truer picture of what each option actually costs to get up and running, in line with NREL's benchmark cost reporting for residential storage.
A lower cost per kWh doesn't automatically make one battery the better choice overall. Warranty length and terms, round trip efficiency, depth of discharge, brand reputation, and installer quality all meaningfully affect the long-term value of a battery investment, factors ENERGY STAR's product efficiency guidance also weighs alongside sticker price for major home equipment. A battery with a slightly higher cost per kWh but a notably longer warranty or higher efficiency rating can still be the smarter overall choice, similar to the tradeoffs covered in the round trip efficiency tool.
Once you've ranked your options by cost per kWh, the battery oversizing risk tool is a useful next step if you're also weighing whether one large unit or several smaller ones better fits your budget and capacity needs. For the chemistry driving that price difference, the battery chemistry cost per kWh comparison in our Battery Chemistry & Storage category breaks down cost by chemistry type specifically.
Questions
A $12,000 battery with 13.5 kWh capacity costs about $889 per kWh, while a cheaper $9,500 battery with only 10 kWh capacity actually costs $950 per kWh, a worse value despite the lower sticker price. Cost per kWh reveals true value that total price alone hides.
Yes, for the most accurate comparison, total installed cost including labor, permits, and any electrical work should be divided by capacity, not just the battery equipment price alone, since installation costs can vary between quotes for reasons unrelated to the battery itself.
Not necessarily. Cost per kWh is one important factor, but warranty length, round trip efficiency, depth of discharge, brand reputation, and installer quality all affect long-term value too, and a slightly higher cost per kWh battery with meaningfully better specs in these areas can still be the smarter choice.
Cost per kWh can vary meaningfully across brands and models, often by a few hundred dollars per kWh, driven by differences in chemistry, brand positioning, included features, and warranty terms, which is exactly why comparing multiple real quotes on this basis is worth the extra step.