String, Hybrid or Micro: Choosing the Right Solar Inverter

The inverter is the brain of a solar system — and the component most likely to need service over its life. Choosing the right type for each job is a mark of a serious installer.

String inverters

The workhorse: one inverter for a string of panels. Cost-effective and reliable for simple roofs with little shading and a single orientation. The limitation — shading or a weak panel drags down the whole string.

Hybrid inverters

A string inverter that can also charge and discharge a battery. Ideal where the customer wants net-metering savings now and backup now or later. Slightly higher cost, but battery-ready out of the box.

Microinverters

One small inverter per panel. Each panel performs independently, so shading or a single underperformer doesn’t drag down the rest — great for complex roofs with multiple orientations or partial shade. Higher upfront cost, with panel-level monitoring as a bonus.

Sizing and the DC-to-AC ratio

Inverters are commonly sized a little below the panel array (a DC-to-AC ratio slightly above 1), because panels rarely hit their full rating. Over- or under-sizing the inverter quietly wastes either money or energy, so match it to the design.

A quick rule of thumb

• Simple, unshaded roof → string inverter.
• Wants backup or a battery → hybrid inverter.
• Complex roof, shade or multiple orientations → microinverters.

SolarStack’s catalog tracks inverter pricing with daily market rates, so whichever you choose, the quote reflects today’s real cost.