Inverters by brand
Inverters by brand is the filter that groups the inverter range by manufacturer, so you can pick a unit whose approved battery list, monitoring platform, energy meter and service route already match the rest of the installation. Choose AEG, Deye, Fronius, Goodwe, Huawei, Marstek, SolarEdge, Solinteg, Solis, Solplanet, Sungrow or Victron Energy, then narrow further by power and number of phases. Guide
Choose inverters based on specifications.
Product sorting
List of products
Related inverter brand categories
- Fronius inverters
- Huawei inverters
- SolarEdge inverters
- Sungrow inverters
- Victron Energy inverters
- Inverters by power
What actually differs between inverter manufacturers
Every grid-tie inverter on sale in the EU performs the same core conversion and is certified to the same family of standards, typically EN 50549 for grid connection plus the national grid code. The differences that decide a project are elsewhere: the approved battery compatibility list, the monitoring platform and its data access, whether an external energy meter is mandatory for export control, how backup power is implemented, and what the service and RMA route looks like when a unit fails in year six.
This filter carries AEG, Deye, Fronius, Goodwe, Huawei, Marstek, SolarEdge, Solinteg, Solis, Solplanet, Sungrow and Victron Energy. Use it when the ecosystem matters: an existing battery, a portfolio of sites already on one monitoring portal, an installer team certified on one platform, or a hybrid build where inverter, battery and meter have to be commissioned as one system.
FROM THE FIELD
"Before I quote a brand I open the manufacturer's compatibility document and check the exact battery model and firmware revision, not just the battery brand. A battery family that was approved two years ago is not automatically approved in its current revision, and finding that out at commissioning means the site has no storage until a firmware package arrives. Brand choice is really a compatibility decision made early."
Ladislav Proc · Photovoltaics specialist, ONSA Plus
How to choose an inverter by brand
Filtering by brand only makes sense once you know what a brand actually locks in. It is not the conversion efficiency, where the whole market sits within roughly a percentage point. It is the battery list, the portal, the meter, the backup hardware and the support chain.
Work through it in this order: check what is already installed on the site, then the battery you intend to pair, then the monitoring and metering requirement, then service logistics. If none of those constrain you, stop filtering by brand and filter by power and phases instead.
Show the full guide Close the guide
Battery compatibility is the hardest constraint
A hybrid inverter talks to the battery BMS over CAN or RS485 using a protocol the manufacturer has tested and released. There is no generic mode. If the battery model is not on the inverter's approved list at the firmware level you are running, the pair will either refuse to communicate or run outside warranty.
- High voltage or low voltage: the inverter defines the DC battery window. A high voltage stack and a 48 V low voltage bank are not interchangeable on the same unit.
- Own-brand storage: several manufacturers sell matched batteries, which removes the compatibility question entirely and usually simplifies the warranty claim to one supplier.
- Third-party lists: open ecosystems approve a range of LiFePO4 packs from other makers, which gives more freedom on price and availability but puts the version checking on you.
- Retrofit reality: if a battery is already on site, the battery chooses the inverter, not the other way around.
Monitoring platform, meters and data access
Each manufacturer runs its own portal and app, and that is where the installer, the owner and any service partner will live for the next decade. What separates them in practice is granularity, the local interface and whether the data can leave the portal.
- Local interface: a built-in web server or Modbus TCP endpoint lets you read the unit on site without cloud access, which matters for home automation and for commissioning without a signal.
- Open protocols: Modbus RTU and SunSpec support decide whether third-party energy management, EV charging control or building systems can talk to the inverter.
- Meter requirement: export limiting, zero feed-in and self-consumption logic generally need a dedicated smart meter or current transformers, and most manufacturers accept only their own or a short list of approved meters.
- Portfolio view: installers managing many sites usually want fleet monitoring and remote firmware rollout, which is a real differentiator between platforms.
Tip from practice
Order the energy meter at the same time as the inverter and from the same brand list. A hybrid unit without its approved meter can convert and export, but it cannot regulate to zero feed-in or prioritise self-consumption, so the site runs in a degraded mode until the correct meter arrives.
Backup power is implemented differently by each maker
Backup is where brands diverge most. Some inverters include a backup output in the box and switch a protected sub-circuit automatically. Some need a separate backup box or automatic transfer switch. Some support whole-house backup with three-phase output, others only a single-phase emergency socket rated at a few kilowatts. Off-grid capable platforms add programmable AC input priority and generator start. Decide the backup expectation before the brand, because retrofitting a different backup concept usually means replacing the inverter.
Firmware, grid codes and long-term updates
Grid codes change. National operators revise reactive power behaviour, ramp rates and disconnection thresholds, and the inverter has to be updated to match. A manufacturer with an active European presence issues signed firmware packages and a country selection in the commissioning wizard. A brand with no local support may leave you with a unit that cannot be reconfigured to a newer grid code, which is a compliance problem at connection approval, not a performance one.
Service, RMA route and spares
Over a twenty-year system life, the inverter is the component most likely to need attention.
- Warranty length: typically 5 to 12 years as standard, with paid extension to 15 or 20 years. Check whether extension has to be registered within a fixed window after commissioning.
- Replacement model: advance replacement keeps the site producing while the faulty unit travels. Repair-and-return can mean weeks offline.
- Spares: availability of DC switches, fans, wireless dongles, meters and inverter accessories is what keeps an older installation serviceable.
- Certified installers: some manufacturers restrict warranty work or commissioning to trained partners, which affects who can legally sign off the site.
When brand does not matter
For a straightforward grid-tie system with no battery, no backup and no export limiting, brand is a secondary consideration. Any certified unit sized correctly against the array will produce within a few percent of any other. In that case pick on rated AC power, MPPT count and DC window, phase count, warranty terms and availability, and treat the badge as a tie-breaker rather than the starting filter.
What to compare between brands
| What to check | Where brands differ | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Battery compatibility | Own-brand only, or an approved third-party list | Decides which storage you can fit now and in five years |
| Monitoring platform | Cloud portal, local web server, Modbus or SunSpec access | Diagnostics, home automation and fleet management |
| Energy meter | Own meter mandatory, or a short approved list | Export limiting and self-consumption control |
| Backup implementation | Integrated output, external backup box or none | Whether the house keeps running during an outage |
| Firmware and grid code | Country profiles, signed updates, remote rollout | Connection approval and long-term compliance |
| Service and spares | Advance replacement or repair, EU service centre, parts | Downtime and total cost over twenty years |
Swipe the table to the left
Frequently asked questions about choosing an inverter brand
Does the inverter brand really change how much electricity I get?
Barely. European efficiency figures across certified brands sit within roughly one percentage point, so yield differences are small. Brand decides battery compatibility, monitoring, metering, backup and service, which affect usable energy and downtime far more than raw conversion efficiency does.
Can I use any battery with any hybrid inverter?
No. The inverter communicates with the battery BMS over a tested protocol and only supports models on its approved compatibility list at a given firmware level. Check the exact battery model and revision before ordering, not just the battery brand.
Should I keep the whole system within one brand?
For hybrid and backup systems, yes, in most cases. Matching inverter, battery, meter and monitoring from one maker removes protocol risk, gives one commissioning wizard and one warranty contact. For a simple grid-tie array without storage, mixing brands is normal and safe.
Do I need the manufacturer's own smart meter?
Usually yes if you want export limiting or self-consumption control. Most manufacturers accept only their own meter or a short approved list of third-party devices. Compatible meters are listed per brand in the documentation, so confirm before ordering.
Can I mix modules from one brand with an inverter from another?
Yes. Modules and inverters are matched electrically, not commercially. What matters is that string voltage and current stay inside the inverter's MPPT window at the lowest expected temperature. Module brand is irrelevant to the inverter as long as the DC limits are respected.
What happens if I replace an old inverter with a different brand?
The array usually transfers without trouble if the new unit's DC window matches the strings. A battery, meter or optimisers from the old ecosystem often will not. SolarEdge power optimisers, for example, require a SolarEdge inverter to operate.
How long is an inverter warranty and can it be extended?
Standard cover is typically 5 to 12 years depending on manufacturer, with paid extension to 15 or 20 years. Extensions often have to be registered within a fixed period after commissioning, so handle the paperwork at handover rather than later.
Why does firmware and grid code support matter when picking a brand?
National grid codes change and the inverter must be reconfigured to match, including country profile, reactive power behaviour and disconnection thresholds. A manufacturer with an active European service chain issues signed firmware; a brand without one can leave a unit non-compliant at connection approval.
Which brand is best for backup during a grid outage?
It depends on the backup you need. Some units include a backup output for a protected sub-circuit, others need an external backup box, and only some support three-phase whole-house backup. Define the backup scope first, then filter hybrid inverters that implement it natively.
When does brand not matter at all?
On a plain grid-tie system with no battery, no backup and no export limiting. Then choose on rated AC power, MPPT count, DC voltage window, phase count and warranty terms, and use rated power as the primary filter instead of the badge.
Battery compatibility, backup behaviour and update policy differ by manufacturer and change over time. Always check the current documentation for your model.
About ONSA Plus
Why installers across Europe source inverters from us
ONSA Plus is a European B2B distributor of photovoltaics, battery storage, heat pumps and EV charging stations. In our own EU warehouses we keep over 1,500 products from 25+ brands, including Huawei, Solis, SolaX and Dyness.
We are not just a trading company. We design and service energy systems ourselves, so we answer questions on brand ecosystems, battery pairing and service from engineering practice, not from a catalogue. You handle a warranty claim directly with us and you buy per job.
