Hive Solar Panels Review (2026): Price, Subscription, Installers & Verdict
Hive is the name British Gas puts on its smart-home kit, and since 2024 on its solar panels too. The pitch is strong: eight panels from £5,035, a battery for £1,800 more, an app that shows your generation next to your tariff, a 25%-off electricity deal, and a £69-a-month route with nothing upfront. This review checks what’s behind it — who actually fits the panels (not British Gas), what brand they are (it depends), what the warranty covers, what the subscription really costs over twenty years, and whether a local MCS installer does it better. We don’t sell Hive systems and we’re not paid by British Gas.
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Going Solar UK rating
Hive Solar (British Gas) installation
★★★★☆ Keen price, great app, too much left unsaid
Buy Hive if you want a low entry price, a fast install, the best app in the mainstream market and you’re happy to be a British Gas customer for the tariff. Get a local quote if you want to know what’s going on your roof before you sign, a ten-year workmanship guarantee, or you were tempted by the subscription.
Compare with a local MCS quote →What Hive Solar is — and how it relates to British Gas
Hive started life in 2013 as British Gas’s smart thermostat and grew into a smart-home brand — heating, lights, plugs, EV charging. In August 2024 British Gas launched solar under the Hive name, so “Hive solar panels” and “British Gas solar panels” are the same product sold through two front doors: you can start on britishgas.co.uk or hivehome.com and end up with the same quote, the same installer partners and the same app. Our British Gas solar review covers the energy-supplier side — tariffs, existing-customer offers, registering panels for export; this page is about the Hive product itself: the kit, the prices, the subscription and the installers.
The one thing to hold onto throughout: Hive designs, sells and monitors the system; it does not install it. That’s true of E.ON too, and it’s fine — but it means the most important question about a Hive quote is which partner company will turn up.
Hive solar panel prices (2026)
Hive publishes starting prices, which is to its credit. These are the September 2026 figures from its own site, all including inverter, scaffolding, installation, the Hive monitoring kit and 0% VAT, alongside what a good local installer typically charges.
| Hive package | System | Hive price | Typical local MCS quote* | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 8 × 470W · 3.76kWp | from £5,035 | £5,000–£6,200 | Keen — at or below local rates for a small system |
| 8 panels + 5kWh battery | 3.76kWp + 5.23kWh | from £6,835 | £8,000–£9,500 | Very keen if the battery really is £1,800 on top — ask which battery |
| Larger systems (10–16 panels) | 4.7–7.5kWp | Quote after survey | £6,000–£9,500 | Get the itemised figure; the “from” price is the hook |
| 10kWh battery option | — | Quote after survey | £4,500–£6,000 added | — |
| Sunsave Plus subscription | System sized to home | £69/mo × 240 = £16,560 | n/a | See below |
*Our 2026 ranges; the full breakdown by size is in solar panel cost UK. Two cautions. First, Hive’s prices have moved repeatedly this year — the eight-panel price was £5,610 in the spring, with the battery bundle at over £8,000, so whatever you read elsewhere, check today’s figure. Second, “from” means a straightforward roof: two storeys, easy scaffold access, standard tiles. Slate, three storeys, flat roofs and awkward access are priced up after survey, as with every installer.
On the numbers alone, £5,035 for 3.76kWp is about £1,340 per kW, which is competitive for a system this small (small systems carry the same scaffolding and labour as big ones, so the per-kW figure is always worse). The battery bundle at £6,835 is the standout — if the survey confirms it, it’s £1,000+ under most local quotes for a 5kWh battery. Everything hinges on what’s actually being fitted, which brings us to the next two sections.
The £69-a-month subscription, properly costed
Hive’s subscription is run by Sunsave (“Sunsave Plus”): £0 upfront, £69 a month for 240 months — twenty years — at a representative 8.6% APR. Total paid: £16,560. In return you get the system, monitoring, Aviva-backed insurance, and battery and inverter replacement during the term, which is a real benefit because both will need replacing once in twenty years (£1,000–£1,500 for an inverter, £3,000+ for a battery).
| Route | Upfront | Total over 20 years | Includes replacements? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buy outright (8 panels + 5kWh) | £6,835 | ≈ £9,500–£11,000 incl. one inverter and one battery replacement | No — you pay when needed | Anyone with savings |
| Bank loan at ~6.5% over 10 yrs | £0 | ≈ £9,300 repayments + replacements ≈ £12,500–£14,000 | No | No capital, good credit |
| Zopa finance via Hive, 8.9% APR | £0 | e.g. £10,000 over 5 yrs = £12,326, + replacements | No | Shorter term than the subscription |
| Sunsave Plus subscription | £0 | £16,560 | Yes + insurance + monitoring | No capital, wants zero hassle for 20 years |
So the subscription costs roughly £5,000–£7,000 more than owning over twenty years, in exchange for no upfront cost, no repair bills and no decisions. For some households — no savings, a bill saving that exceeds £69 a month, a desire never to think about it — that’s a fair trade. For anyone who can pay outright or borrow cheaply, it isn’t. Before you sign, get written answers to three questions: what happens if you sell the house (does the buyer take over, or do you settle?), what a buyout costs at years five, ten and fifteen, and whether the export income is yours or Sunsave’s. The moving house with solar guide explains why lenders and buyers ask.
What panels, inverter and battery you get
This is the weakest part of the Hive offer. Panels: 470W modules, brand not disclosed upfront — it varies by installing partner, and reviewers in 2026 have seen Longi, JA Solar and DMEGC on Hive quotes. All Tier 1, all fine, but you shouldn’t have to wait for the quote to find out, and you certainly shouldn’t accept “470W panels” on a contract. Inverter: not named on Hive’s pages. Battery: a 5.23kWh unit — a Sunsynk 5.32kWh has been the usual fit — with a 10kWh option; Sunsynk is a solid mid-market brand (our Sunsynk review). Note that GivEnergy, which some partners fitted in 2025, ceased trading in April 2026 and its hardware warranties are no longer honoured — if a Hive partner quotes GivEnergy from stock, decline it.
Get the make and model of all three in writing before paying a deposit, plus the inverter warranty length. It takes one email and it’s the difference between knowing what you bought and hoping. Best solar panels UK tells you what the brand names mean; inverters explained covers why the inverter matters more than the panels.
Who installs Hive solar — and what happened to Effective Home
Hive names its installation partners, which is better than most nationals manage. As of September 2026 they are Infinity Renewables Group (12,000+ installations, England and Wales), Glow Green (national, 4.8 Trustpilot, a 5-year labour warranty on its own work), and Greener Energy Group for Scotland; Sunsave handles the subscription customers. Earlier in the year the list included Heatable and Forster Group, so it changes.
The partner model isn’t a reason to avoid Hive — E.ON, EDF and most nationals work the same way — but it does mean the quality of your installation, and the panel brand on your roof, is decided by which company covers your postcode. Our how to choose an installer checklist applies to the partner, not to Hive.
Know exactly who’s fitting it — and what
A vetted local installer quotes with named panels, inverter and battery, a ten-year workmanship guarantee and the people who’ll actually do the work. Free survey, fixed price.
Match Me With a Local Installer →The Hive app
Credit where it’s due: the Hive app is the best reason to buy Hive solar. It shows live energy flow (roof → house → battery → grid), daily, monthly and lifetime generation, cost and saving figures calculated against your actual British Gas tariff rather than a generic rate, and your export income — all in the same app as your heating and any Hive EV charger. Most installers hand you the inverter manufacturer’s app, which is functional and joyless; Hive’s is designed for a homeowner. If you already run Hive heating, the integration is a genuine plus. It doesn’t change the economics, but it does change whether you’ll actually look at the system after month two. Solar panel monitoring compares the alternatives.
Solar Saver tariff and export rate
Hive Solar Saver is a British Gas electricity tariff for Hive solar customers: up to 25% off the unit rate on electricity you import for the first 12 months after installation (standing charges excluded), plus an export rate for surplus — reported at 15.1p per kWh in 2026. You have to move (or stay with) British Gas for your electricity to get it.
How much is it worth? A household still importing 2,000kWh a year after solar at around 25p saves about £125 from the 25% discount in year one. The export rate matters more over time: 15.1p is well above the 4–8p standard SEG rates, below E.ON’s 17.5p installer tariff, and in a different league from what a battery owner can do on Octopus’s time-of-use tariffs. After the 12 months you drop to British Gas’s standard solar export rate unless you switch — and you can switch, because the panels are yours (subscription customers should check). See how SEG tariffs compare and Intelligent Octopus Go for the battery-owner alternative.
Hive solar warranties
| Cover | Hive / British Gas | Good local installer |
|---|---|---|
| Panel product | 25 years (manufacturer; brand varies) | 25–30 years, named brand |
| Battery | 10 years | 10–12 years |
| Inverter | 10 years (stated) | 5–12 years, named |
| Workmanship | Not clearly published — British Gas’s page says “10-year warranty” without specifying what it covers; the partner’s own terms may be 2–5 years | 10 years, insurance-backed |
| Subscription (Sunsave Plus) | 20-year cover incl. Aviva insurance, battery & inverter replacement | n/a |
The ten-year manufacturer cover on battery and inverter is good. The problem is the line that matters most: workmanship. British Gas’s site says “10-year warranty”; Hive’s doesn’t specify; the installing partners’ own published labour warranties range from two years (typical) to five (Glow Green). Which applies to you, and who honours it if the partner fails, is exactly the question Effective Home’s customers found themselves asking. Get it in writing, get it insurance-backed, and read solar panel warranties for what the different pieces of paper actually do.
Wait times and the process
This is a real strength. Hive quotes an average of 30 days from sale to installation, with the install itself taking a day for a standard system — against six to ten weeks at E.ON and two to eight weeks for a typical local firm. The flow is: online quote from satellite imagery, a remote or in-person survey, a fixed quote, a deposit, the G99 application if the system is over 3.68kW (an 8-panel 3.76kWp system just crosses that line, so allow for it), then a one-day install and the app set-up. How long solar installation takes explains the stages.
Tempted by £69 a month? Price the outright version first
A vetted local installer will quote the same size system to buy — usually £5,000–£7,000 less than the subscription over twenty years. Free survey, fixed price, no obligation.
Get My Local Solar Price →What Hive solar customers say
- Praised: the price, the app, the speed of installation, and the tidiness of the better partners’ work. People who already have Hive heating like having everything in one place.
- Criticised: not knowing the panel brand until late in the process; variable communication between Hive, British Gas and the installing partner (three companies, one job); a spike of complaints in summer 2026 from Effective Home customers left mid-install; and confusion about what the “10-year warranty” covers.
- On the subscription: customers are generally happy with the service and unhappy when they work out the total, usually when they come to sell.
British Gas’s overall Trustpilot score is for energy supply and tells you nothing about solar; look for reviews that name the installing partner, and filter to 2026.
Hive vs Octopus vs E.ON vs a local installer
| Hive (British Gas) | Octopus | E.ON Next | Good local installer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | £5,035 (8 panels) | ~£6,600+ (2 panels) / ~£8,600 (8 + 5kWh) | £4,995 (6 panels) | £4,500–£6,000 (6–8 panels) |
| Best value point | 8 panels + 5kWh at £6,835 | Larger systems + battery on Flux | 12 panels at £6,495 | Any size — brand choice |
| Panels | 470W, brand not disclosed upfront | JA Solar 450W, named | Aiko 485W, named | Your choice |
| Installed by | Partner companies | Own teams | Regional contractors | Themselves |
| Workmanship warranty | Not clearly published | See review | 2 yrs (as listed) | 10 yrs |
| Tariff | 25% off imports for 12 months · ~15.1p export | Flux / Intelligent — best for batteries | 17.5p export | Any SEG supplier |
| Finance | £69/mo × 20 yrs (8.6%) · Zopa 8.9% | Varies | 0% to 3 yrs | Varies |
| Lead time | ~30 days | Varies | 6–10 weeks | 2–8 weeks |
| App | Best in class | Good | FoxCloud (adequate) | Inverter app |
Full reviews: Octopus Energy solar, E.ON solar and British Gas solar; the wider landscape is in solar panel companies UK. Hive’s niche is clear: the cheapest, fastest way into a small system with a battery and the nicest app — provided you make them tell you what’s in the box.
Hive solar panels: pros and cons
Pros
- £5,035 for 8 panels; £6,835 with a 5kWh battery — among the lowest published entry prices.
- Around 30 days from sale to install.
- The best homeowner app in the mainstream market; integrates with Hive heating and EV charging.
- Solar Saver: 25% off imports for a year, ~15.1p export.
- 10-year manufacturer cover on battery and inverter.
- Named installation partners (a rarity).
- £0-upfront option exists for those who need it.
- British Gas behind the contract.
Cons
- Panel brand not disclosed upfront; inverter unnamed.
- Workmanship warranty not clearly published; partner terms vary 2–5 years.
- Installed by partners — one of which collapsed in June 2026.
- Subscription totals £16,560 — £5,000–£7,000 more than owning.
- Tariff discount lasts 12 months and needs British Gas supply.
- Three companies in the chain (British Gas, Hive, partner) — communication can fall between them.
- Prices change often; “from” prices assume a simple roof.
- No 0% finance (E.ON offers it).
Verdict: who should buy Hive solar panels
Hive is worth a quote if you want a smaller system with a battery at a keen price, installed quickly, with the best app on the market — and you’re prepared to ask three questions before signing: which panel, which inverter, and what exactly the workmanship warranty covers and who backs it. Answered well, it’s a fair deal, particularly the £6,835 battery bundle.
Be more careful with the subscription — it’s the most expensive way to get solar on this page, justified only if you have no capital and no appetite for ownership — and remember that the British Gas name is on the contract, not on the van. Put the Hive quote next to one local quote on the same specification; if Hive still wins, buy it with your eyes open.
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Hive solar panels: frequently asked questions
How much do Hive solar panels cost?
Hive’s published starting price in September 2026 is £5,035 for an eight-panel system (8 × 470W, about 3.76kWp) including inverter, scaffolding, installation and the Hive kit, or £6,835 with a 5kWh battery. Larger systems and a 10kWh battery are priced after survey. Alternatively there is a £0-upfront subscription through Sunsave at £69 a month over 240 months (8.6% representative APR), which totals £16,560 over the twenty years. Prices have moved several times in 2026 — the eight-panel price was £5,610 in the spring — so check the current figure.
Are Hive solar panels any good?
The offer is good value at the entry level, the Hive app is one of the best for monitoring solar, battery and tariff in one place, and lead times are short — Hive quotes an average of 30 days from sale to installation. The weaknesses are transparency: the panel brand isn’t disclosed until you have a quote and varies by installing partner, the inverter isn’t named, and the workmanship warranty isn’t clearly published. The system is installed by partner companies rather than British Gas engineers. It’s a sound package if you get the brands and the workmanship terms in writing first.
Who installs Hive solar panels?
Not British Gas. Hive names three installation partners in September 2026: Infinity Renewables Group, Glow Green, and Greener Energy Group in Scotland; Sunsave handles the subscription route. Its previous exclusive partner from 2024, Effective Home, entered administration on 26 June 2026. Which company covers your postcode decides the panel brand fitted and the quality of the installation, so ask for the installer’s name and check it on the MCS register before you sign.
Is the Hive solar subscription worth it?
It depends on what you value. Sunsave Plus costs £69 a month for 240 months — £16,560 over twenty years at 8.6% representative APR — for a system that would cost roughly £6,800–£8,000 to buy outright, and the subscription includes monitoring, Aviva-backed insurance and battery and inverter replacement over the term. If you have no capital and the monthly saving covers the payment, it works; if you can pay outright or borrow at 6–7%, buying is thousands cheaper. Check what happens if you sell the house and what a buyout costs before you commit.
What is the Hive Solar Saver tariff?
Solar Saver is a British Gas electricity tariff for customers who have had Hive solar installed. It gives up to 25% off the unit rate of electricity you import for the first 12 months after installation (standing charges excluded), and an export rate — reported at 15.1p per kWh in 2026 — for what you send to the grid. You have to move your electricity supply to British Gas to get it. After the 12 months you’re on a standard British Gas solar export tariff unless you switch.
Hive solar vs Octopus vs E.ON — which is best?
Hive has the lowest published entry price (£5,035 for eight panels) and the fastest installation; E.ON Next has the best value at twelve panels (£6,495 for premium Aiko 485W) plus a 17.5p export tariff and 0% finance; Octopus has its own installers, named kit (JA Solar with Enphase microinverters) and the strongest tariffs. All three fall short of a good local installer on workmanship warranty and equipment choice, and a local quote on the same specification is typically £1,000–£2,500 lower than the national brands.
Prices, packages, partner installers, tariff terms and finance figures are as published on Hive’s website and British Gas’s solar pages in September 2026 and change frequently; the export rate and battery model are as reported by independent reviewers in 2026 — confirm every term in your own quote. Effective Home Ltd’s administration date (26 June 2026) and GivEnergy Ltd’s (9 April 2026) are from public notices. “Typical local quote” ranges are Going Solar UK estimates from 2026 installer pricing. Going Solar UK is an independent introducer, has no commercial relationship with Hive, British Gas, Centrica or Sunsave, and our rating reflects our assessment of publicly available information and customer feedback rather than a test installation. Hive and British Gas are trademarks of Centrica plc.