ION Solar vs. Go Solar Group

While we want you to become a customer, we also want to help you make an informed buying decision when considering residential solar for your home. ION solar competes with Go Solar Group in all our markets: These include San Antonio, Texas; Reno, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Salt Lake City, Utah. If you live in any of these states and would like a solar quote, to compare with one from ION Solar, you’re in the right spot.

Go Solar Group vs. ION Solar Product Comparison

Let’s see how the solar panels, inverters, and battery backup options offered differ between these 2 companies. ION and Go Solar Group are similar in one respect when it comes to products – neither company cuts corners on quality.

Solar Panels Manufacturers

At Go Solar Group, we offer Axitec 315-watt monocrystalline solar panels for most of our installs. However, we also use Premium LG, Solaria, and Silfab solar panels for certain installations. ION solar uses premium Trina solar panels.

To determine the quality of a solar manufacturer, the solar industry came up with a tier system. Tier one manufacturers have produced solar panels for at least five years. Both LG and Trina are tier one manufacturers and both are listed on solarreviews.com’s list of top five solar panel brands sold in the United States.

Examining Preferred Inverter Types

Inverters are what makes the sun’s solar energy generated by the panels usable for the home, transducing the electrical current. This means a quality inverter plays into the efficiency of your solar modules.

Go Solar Group uses the Solar Edge optimized string inverter, while ION solar uses Enphase microinverters. Since these inverter types are different, we need to determine the pros and cons of each. 

Solar Edge inverters use string inverter technology, which uses one central inverter at ground level that connects to all of the solar panels. However, to hinder shading issues that traditional string inverters have, each solar panels has an optimizer attached to the back. Optimizers increase the electricity from these solar panels, monitors them, and decrease the impact that one solar panel has on the production of the entire array. 

Microinverters are far less complicated and are also easier to install. A microinverter is attached to the back of each solar panel, converting the direct current to alternating current through each solar panel.

Battery Backup Options

Battery backup allows the solar array to function at all times, even when the grid is down and the sun is not shining. Therefore, having some form of battery backup gives the homeowner security. 

Go Solar Group offers three levels of battery backup. The first two levels offer portability and a broader spectrum of uses, while the third is a home battery from Tesla, the Powerwall. ION solar, however, only has home battery options from LG. 

While comparing these two home batteries has its place, it’s also important to realize when it makes sense to invest in less battery. Not everyone wants or can afford a home battery for their home. However, they still want to store excess power so they can function during an outage. For these individuals, emergency battery backup becomes imperative. 

Additional Factors

While the below items do not involve products, they speak to the service components of each organization, whether through the treatment of customers or helping non-customers in need of solar energy’s benefits.

Customer Referral Programs

Both Go Solar Group and ION Solar have referral programs, but Go Solar Group pays more than twice as much for installed referrals than ION. Go Solar Group offers $500 for referrals and accepts qualified referrals from customers and non-customers alike. ION solar pays $200 for qualified customer referrals. 

Humanitarian Work

Both Go Solar Group and ION Solar engage in humanitarian work, fed by the business of domestic solar installations. When a customer purchases an array from Go Solar Group, part of the proceeds go to the non-profit 1heart1mind.org and the work they do in Uganda to provide education to youth who’d otherwise not have the opportunity. Specifically, this goes towards revolving micro-loans, which distribute solar products to African communities. For every 2 megawatts of solar ION installs, one home receives a free solar installation through the ION Earth program.

Payment Options

Because Go Solar Group has found that leased solar arrays provide the least savings and the most frustration for the customer, we only use loans and cash financing. Both Go Solar Group and ION solar offer zero-down loans, however, ION solar offers lease options as well.  

ION Solar Company Review: The Bottom Line

The bottom line is both solar installers offer quality products. If both of these companies fit your needs, determine the price difference for your home by obtaining a solar quote.