How we compare batteries and VPPs

We use manufacturer specifications, installation manuals and warranty documents for batteries; provider terms, rate cards and eligibility documents for VPPs; and government sources for rebates and scheme rules. Reviews and program pages link to the documents behind the information.

Our research is based on published documents. We have not carried out hands-on battery testing. Review verdicts are our assessment of the documented strengths, limitations and requirements. Coverage is limited to the products and programs listed on the site, rather than the whole market.

Source check dates appear on the relevant review or program page. They record when the documents were checked, not a guarantee that an offer is unchanged. A VPP page uses the oldest check date among its sources, so updating a single figure does not imply a full review.

A date attached to a battery review’s brand and Australian support section records a focused check of that evidence. It does not mean the battery specifications, warranty or the rest of the review were checked again. The review’s full-review date changes only after all of its evidence is rechecked.

Each battery review identifies the model and configuration it covers. Products in the same family can have different capabilities, so a family name alone is not enough to compare systems.

• Capacity and power: usable storage, output limits and the role of the inverter.
• Backup: the equipment and installation needed to supply power during an outage.
• Warranty: coverage, retained capacity, usage limits and conditions that affect a claim.
• Brand and Australian support: the company and its Australian presence, local escalation paths, and the responsibilities published for a warranty claim.
• Installation and compatibility: required components, expansion limits and documented VPP support.

Where prices are discussed, the inclusions matter: battery hardware, an inverter, backup equipment and installation are separate parts of a quote. An installer needs to confirm the design and cost for your home.

Battery images are AI-generated studio illustrations based on manufacturer references, and product-family images are labelled on reviews. They do not establish the exact equipment supplied or demonstrate product performance.

For support, we check what happens if the original installer disappears and distinguish a written warranty’s labour, freight, replacement and other remedy terms from rights under Australian Consumer Law. Independent reliability evidence and recalls are included only for the models, serial ranges, components, dates and jurisdictions they actually cover. Historical lab results do not establish the reliability of a current model.

Owner comments and installer surveys can identify questions worth checking, but their samples and self-selection limits cannot establish failure rates or support quality. We do not publish reputation ratings or use company age, awards, price, parent-company scale or a published contact address as a proxy for reliability or service. A gap in public evidence is reported as a gap, not as a product fault.

The VPP comparison separates signup credits, ongoing payments and event rates, alongside membership, setup and exit fees. We also record location and battery requirements, required electricity plans and the control a provider has over your battery.

An advertised maximum or event rate is not an annual return. Market-linked payments remain labelled as market-linked. Your electricity use, tariff and battery operation affect what participation is worth to you.

The rates of a program’s required electricity plan are not part of this comparison. A change in electricity rates can outweigh VPP credits, so compare the plan separately before you join. The provider must also confirm eligibility for your exact battery, inverter and location.

VPP results show open programs first, followed by waitlisted and closed programs, with alphabetical ordering within each group. Position does not reflect expected earnings or a recommendation. Closed listings remain available for reference.

The battery catalogue starts in alphabetical brand order. You can also sort by open VPP listings, reviewed products first, largest listed capacity or newest review. VPP availability does not measure battery quality, and listed capacity is for the model or module shown, not a full system; neither confirms that a system suits your home.

Providers cannot pay for inclusion or a higher position in the comparison. CompareVolt currently receives no affiliate commissions, referral fees or payments for placement. Any future commercial arrangement must be disclosed where it appears and must not change the order of results.

About CompareVolt explains who operates the site. Our funding disclosure sets out how commercial arrangements are handled.

If a rate has changed, a model detail looks wrong or a source link no longer works, email hello@comparevolt.com.au. Include the page link, the detail to check and a supporting source if you have one.

Reader and provider corrections are checked against the same published-source standard. Source check dates are updated when the supporting documents are reviewed.