Fake Reviews and Pay-to-Play "Best Installer" Lists
We're rated the number one solar company in your area, with hundreds of five-star reviews. Just look us up.
What's actually true
Some solar rankings are paid placements or are run by companies that sell homeowner leads to installers. Reviews can be filtered so only happy customers post, or written by the company. A high rating alone tells you little about how an installer handles problems.
Online reputation is one of the first things homeowners check, and it’s one of the easiest things to game. Many “best solar companies near you” pages are lead-generation sites that rank installers who pay them, then sell your contact details to several companies at once. Some review profiles are filtered so that only happy customers post publicly. Reviews and rankings can still help. You just need to know what you’re looking at.
Why it happens
Finding customers is expensive in residential solar, and soft costs (sales, marketing, permitting and overhead, plus balance-of-system parts) make up about 80% of the installed price according to LBNL. A homeowner who has already “chosen” a top-ranked installer is cheap to close. So there’s money in rankings, badges and review counts, and some sites and installers cut corners to get them.
Common patterns:
- Pay-to-play rankings. An installer appears on a “best of” list because it pays for placement or for leads, not because of independent testing.
- Lead funnels disguised as comparison sites. You enter your address and phone number to “see your results,” and your phone starts ringing. See robocall rebate scams.
- Review gating. The company sends a satisfaction survey first, then asks only satisfied customers to post publicly.
- Fake or incentivized reviews. Reviews written by staff, or posted in exchange for gifts without disclosure.
The FTC has rules against fake reviews and against suppressing negative ones, and it treats undisclosed paid endorsements as deceptive.
Why ratings miss the real risk
Many installer reviews are written in the first few months, right after a smooth install. The problems that matter most often appear later: roof leaks, failed inverters, slow service, or the company going out of business. Several large installers that went bankrupt between 2024 and 2026, including Freedom Forever, had complaint themes like unfinished installs, roof leaks and unreachable customer service in our research. A high average rating didn’t capture what happened to customers in year 3.
A quick worked example
Installer A has 4.9 stars from 600 reviews. Installer B has 4.5 stars from 150 reviews.
- A’s reviews are mostly one line (“Great experience!”) and posted in monthly bursts. Its few one-star reviews mention leaks and no callbacks, with no company response.
- B’s reviews are longer, mention specific crew members and years of ownership, and the company responds to complaints with fixes.
B is likely the safer bet, even with a lower score.
How to vet an installer yourself
- License and complaints. Look up the contractor license with your state contractor board and check for discipline.
- Enforcement and bankruptcy. Search the company with “attorney general,” “lawsuit” and “bankruptcy.” Our installer directory summarizes known enforcement actions and bankruptcies for many national companies.
- Old references. Ask for two or three customers whose systems are at least three years old.
- Who’s behind the list. On any ranking site, look for how it makes money. We explain ours on how we make money: we take nothing from installers or lead buyers.
Questions to ask the installer
- “Can you give me references from customers whose systems are three or more years old?”
- “Do you pay any site or service for leads or for placement in rankings?”
- “What’s your contractor license number?”
- “Do you ask every customer for a public review, or only satisfied ones?”
Where to report
Report fake reviews or deceptive endorsements to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general. Read our guides on solar scams and how to compare solar quotes, then put your shortlist side by side in the quote comparison tool.
Related red flags
Sales-Only Companies That Subcontract the Install
Many solar sales companies are dealers that sell the contract, then pass the installation to a separate company and the financing to a separate lender. When something goes wrong, each party can point at the others.
Installer Bankruptcy Risk Brushed Aside
Several of the largest U.S. solar installers and lenders filed for bankruptcy between 2024 and 2026. When an installer disappears, its workmanship and roof warranties usually disappear too, but your loan or lease payments do not.
Robocalls Offering Free Energy Audits and Rebate Checks
Unsolicited calls offering free audits, rebate checks or solar programs are usually telemarketing lead generation, and sometimes impersonate your utility. Your details may be sold to multiple installers, or used to submit applications you didn't authorize.
"Can I See Your Electric Bill?"
A fair quote does need your usage history. But a photo of your bill also gives the rep your utility account number, which can be used to file paperwork in your name, and a single high bill is often used to exaggerate your savings.