The same system can look very different as an outright purchase, rent-to-own plan or subscription. Compare the published package structures before you request a tailored quote.
South Africa's main residential solar subscription providers include Alumo, GoSolr, Stage Zero and Versofy. They all offer a way to put solar and battery equipment on a home without paying the full purchase price upfront, but their plans are not interchangeable.
Alumo advertises subscription and rent-to-own choices. GoSolr publishes an open-ended subscription contract with annual escalation. Stage Zero promotes a month-to-month service with three months' notice. Versofy publishes monthly packages with unusually clear hardware sizes, but you still need the quote to establish the exact ownership and exit path.
This comparison was researched from provider websites and published contracts on 20 September 2026. Prices and terms can change, so use it to shortlist providers and then verify every point in your own quote.
At a glance
Lowest published entry price: Alumo from R1,299 a month, although entry systems differ.
Most detailed public contract: GoSolr, including escalation, purchase and deinstallation terms.
Shortest advertised structure: Stage Zero's month-to-month plan, with three months' notice and possible fees.
Clearest public hardware menu: Versofy's current package page.
There is no universal "best" plan. The right result depends on system output, total payments, service cover and what happens when you leave.
Provider comparison
Provider
Published entry offer
Ownership path
Published service and exit points
Alumo
Subscription from R1,299/month
Subscription does not automatically transfer ownership; separate rent-to-own is offered
Insurance and annual maintenance included; cancellation option after 24 months
GoSolr
Battery-backed S plan from R1,399/month
Provider owns the system; customer may request purchase after three years at the contract price
CPI escalation each July; maintenance and annual cleaning/check; deinstallation fee can apply
Stage Zero
Quote-based
Equipment is rented as part of the service
Month-to-month with three months' notice; deinstallation or relocation fees can apply
Versofy
GROW from R1,799/month
Monthly offers exist across service and rent-to-own structures
Public page gives hardware and VAT-inclusive price; quote must confirm escalation, transfer and exit
Alumo is the only provider in this shortlist that currently places subscription, rent-to-own and purchase routes together prominently. Its subscription starts at R1,299 a month, with a R1,299 initiation fee, insurance and annual maintenance. Alumo says the customer can cancel after 24 months. Its rent-to-own plans run for 3, 5 or 7 years and are a separate ownership route.
One detail needs resolving at quote stage. Alumo's home subscription page lists an AlphaESS 5kW unit, 3.6kWh battery and four panels for the entry plan. Its plans portal lists a Solis 5kW inverter and Eenovance 5.32kWh battery. Public pages can lag a product change, but the discrepancy is exactly why the signed equipment schedule matters.
Strong fit: A household that wants to compare subscription with a genuine path to ownership from the same provider.
Get in writing: The installed models, usable battery capacity, panel wattage, escalation, cancellation cost after month 24, and whether any initiation fee is refundable if the site is unsuitable.
Disclosure: SolarGuide currently earns referral fees from eligible Alumo quote requests. We therefore include competitors and link to their own terms so you can verify the comparison.
GoSolr
GoSolr's current installer portal publishes solar-only plans from R1,299 and battery-backed plans from R1,399 a month. The battery-backed M plan is R1,740 and the current L plan is R2,499 on that portal.
The contract is more revealing than the price card. GoSolr's published customer agreement is evergreen until cancelled, increases fees by CPI each July, and allows a purchase request after three years at the contract price. It also lists fixed deinstallation charges for customer opt-outs. At the time checked, these ranged from R22,770 for S or M to higher amounts for larger systems.
The same contract describes remote monitoring, maintenance and an annual cleaning and check. For a home sale, it provides routes for a buyer takeover, purchase or cancellation, subject to the agreement.
There is a price mismatch between GoSolr's current portal and the amounts printed in the contract PDF for at least one plan. Treat the portal as an advertised lead price and make the signed quote and contract identify the price that applies to you.
Strong fit: Someone who values a subscription-first provider and wants detailed public terms to examine before requesting a quote.
Get in writing: Current price, first escalation date, purchase formula, deinstallation fee, moving process and fault-response time.
Stage Zero
Stage Zero advertises a month-to-month solar service rather than a long fixed ownership term. Its public page says a customer gives three months' cancellation notice. It also says a deinstallation fee applies when a customer cancels for reasons other than the company's stated savings promise, and that relocation is available for a fee based on the move and installation.
That is more flexible than many long contracts, but "month-to-month" should not be read as "walk away tomorrow at no cost". Three months of fees, removal costs and roof restoration can still make the exit meaningful.
Stage Zero does not present a simple national price table on the page we checked, so you need a property-specific quote to compare it fairly with Alumo, GoSolr or Versofy.
Strong fit: A household that values a shorter commitment and is willing to compare the total exit cost, not just the contract label.
Get in writing: Monthly price, escalation, exact cancellation and deinstallation amount, relocation quote method, equipment specification and the calculation behind any promised saving.
Those specifications make initial sizing easier, but the public offer still does not replace a contract comparison. Versofy's embedded insurance document refers to both solar-as-a-service and rent-to-own agreements. Confirm which one your quote uses and whether the equipment ever becomes yours.
Strong fit: A buyer who wants to start with a transparent hardware menu, especially for larger or three-phase homes.
Get in writing: Agreement type, annual increase, minimum term, cancellation and removal cost, ownership transfer, insurance excess and equipment substitutions.
How to choose a solar subscription plan
1. Compare equivalent systems
Ask each provider to design around the same 12 months of electricity use and the same essential-load list. Compare inverter power in kW, usable battery energy in kWh, array size in kWp and forecast annual generation. Our guides to inverter sizing and battery sizing will help you sense-check the result.
2. Calculate total payments, including escalation
Add initiation fees, each year's monthly amount and any compulsory insurance or service fee. A plan that starts lower can cost more over your expected stay if it escalates faster. Our rent vs buy calculator does the arithmetic for each plan.
3. Price the exit before the entry
Write down the earliest cancellation date, notice period, deinstallation cost and roof-repair responsibility. If you may move, ask whether a buyer can take over and whether relocation is available. See our moving-house solar guide for the practical issues.
4. Test the service promise
Ask who monitors faults, response times, battery degradation rules, insurance excesses and which call-outs are excluded. A subscription's main advantage is risk transfer. If the service obligations are vague, much of that value disappears.
5. Check the installer and compliance documents
The subscription company remains responsible to you, even if a subcontractor installs the system. Require an electrical Certificate of Compliance and any municipal documents that apply. Our installer checklist and SSEG registration guide explain what to request.
Not sure which system you need?
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Compare subscription and ownership together: Alumo, because it publishes both structures.
Read detailed rental terms before giving your details: GoSolr, because its public contract exposes important costs and rights.
Prioritise a shorter advertised commitment: Stage Zero, provided the three-month notice and exit fee work for you.
Start from a detailed hardware menu: Versofy, then verify whether the quote is service or rent-to-own.
This is not a quality ranking. We have not installed and laboratory-tested each provider's equipment or audited its service records. It is a contract and offer comparison based on public evidence.
Compare cash payback with a financed system, using your own bill, tariff and assumptions.
R 2 500
R 110 000
70%
Payment route
Cash payback
5.2 years
20-year net saving
R 851 001
Year-one saving
R 1 750/mo
Estimated array
4.4 kW
About 8 × 550 W panels
Roughly 23.3 m² of usable roof
Indicative scenario only. It excludes finance fees, tax effects, maintenance, export credits and site-specific generation. The assumptions are visible below so the result can be challenged instead of treated as a quote.
Alumo, GoSolr, Stage Zero and Versofy all market monthly residential solar options. Their plans differ in ownership, term, escalation, equipment and exit costs, so the label "subscription" is not enough to compare them.
What is the cheapest solar subscription?
Of the published offers checked on 20 September 2026, Alumo had the lowest headline subscription entry at R1,299 a month. That does not make it the lowest-cost equivalent system because competitors package different hardware and terms. Get like-for-like designs and total payment schedules.
Can I buy the system later?
It depends on the provider and agreement. GoSolr's published contract permits a purchase request after three years at the contract price. Alumo offers separate rent-to-own plans. Do not assume a subscription payment builds equity unless the contract says so.
Are maintenance and insurance included?
Often, but not identically. Alumo advertises insurance and annual maintenance. GoSolr's contract describes maintenance, monitoring and an annual clean/check. Ask about exclusions, insurance excess, battery degradation and fault response in every quote.
Is a month-to-month plan free to cancel?
Not necessarily. Stage Zero advertises month-to-month service with three months' notice and says deinstallation fees may apply. Always add notice-period payments and removal costs to the exit calculation.
How does SolarGuide make money?
SolarGuide currently earns referral fees from eligible Alumo quote requests. We do not receive a fee for ranking Alumo first here, and this article does not name a universal winner. Prices and terms were checked against linked public sources on 20 September 2026. Request an Alumo quote if you want to compare its subscription and rent-to-own options for your home.
SolarGuide is an independent referral partner. We help you compare options and arrange a free quote — Alumo supplies, installs, finances and warrants the systems. Pricing is indicative, sourced from Alumo’s published catalogue, and subject to a site assessment and credit approval.
