Is a home battery worth it in Australia?
Short answer
For most homes with solar, yes, but only at a fair price. It comes down to three things you control: what you pay per kWh of capacity, whether the size fits your consumption, and the plan and VPP you wrap around it. Get those right and payback lands inside the warranty; overpay and nothing else rescues it.
Median battery size quoted
24.6 kWh
Median quoted system cost
$25,932
Median battery only, per kWh
$791
We have simulated batteries against real household smart meter data and analysed real quotes, so this page gives you numbers, not vibes.
What a battery actually saves
A battery earns its keep by storing your excess solar during the day and discharging it in the evening peak. In one of our case studies, on a time of use plan paying 38 cents in the peak and a 7 cent feed in tariff, every stored kWh was worth about 31 cents. Buying cheap overnight power to resell in the peak, the strategy people imagine batteries doing, earned only about 14 cents per kWh. The money is in your own solar, and grid charging strategies added only a modest 10 to 15 percent on top.
For the NSW home we studied in detail, annual savings ranged from about $425 with an 8 kWh battery to about $560 with a 13.5 kWh one. Over ten years the 13.5 kWh battery saved just over $6,000, or roughly $5,000 after counting the feed in credits it gave up. The full working is in our battery profitability analysis and are batteries worth the cost.
The payback arithmetic, then and now
When we ran that case study, the battery cost about $14,500 installed and the savings did not reach breakeven inside the ten year warranty. That was before the federal rebate existed. As at July 2026, the same 13.5 kWh battery attracts an estimated $3,672 federal rebate, and battery hardware itself has become cheaper per kWh: that case study paid about $1,074 per kWh, while the median battery only quote we analyse today comes in around $791. Cut a fairly priced quote by the rebate and the arithmetic changes materially.
Typical battery cost — all quotes
CachedMedian total cost
$25,900
Median cost per kWh
$980/kWh
Typical range
$20,000–$32,100 total
Based on 200+ quotes. Drawn from our own quote data.
Two trends keep pushing in the battery's favour. Feed in tariffs keep falling, some plans now pay close to nothing for exports, which raises the value of storing rather than selling. And VPPs now pay battery owners real money for access to their capacity, which we compare on our VPP page.
When a battery is worth it
Key takeaway
- Price decides it. Battery only quotes in our data sit at a median around $791 per kWh before rebates, and paying far above the market for the same hardware is the fastest way to make a battery not worth it.
- Size and plan decide the rest. Our simulations across real households rarely recommend more than 16 kWh, and a time of use plan plus a well chosen VPP can add hundreds of dollars a year.
How to check it for your own home
Work out what you are paying per kWh
Divide the battery line on your quote by its usable capacity, then compare it against the median above. This is the single number that decides whether the rest of the arithmetic can work.
Check the size against your consumption
An oversized battery sits half empty in winter and stretches payback for years. Our simulations across real households rarely recommend more than 16 kWh.
Put the right plan around it
A time of use plan plus a well chosen VPP can add hundreds of dollars a year to what the battery earns. See our guide to the best plans for a home battery.
For plan specifics, see best plans for a home battery.
What your state adds on top
The federal rebate applies everywhere. What varies is whether your state or territory adds anything to it.
Showing: All states
Choose your state above to see what it adds on top of the federal battery rebate.
Does a battery save more than switching plans?
A cheaper plan helps lower your bill. A well sized solar and battery system can save even more. Use our analysis tool to see how much you could save, or check a battery quote you already have against the real market prices we have collected.
Check a battery quote freeRelated: How much does a home battery cost? · How to compare battery quotes · Best battery feed in tariffs · Home battery rebates