BYD vs Sungrow: which battery suits your home?
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Short answer: both are high-voltage modular stacks with a 10-year warranty that ends at 70% or a throughput cap [SB-S057, SB-S050, C]. BYD sells the battery only and works with other makers' high-voltage inverters, e.g. Fronius GEN24 Plus; Sungrow SBR needs a Sungrow hybrid inverter [SB-S203, SB-S201, C]. Neither has a dated installer price we can show yet, so get quotes from at least two installers.
Side by side (as at 3 November 2026)
| Usable storage | Power | Round-trip | Warranty | Installed price, seller's own date | Backup | CEC listing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Battery-Box HVS / HVM | HVS 5.12–12.8 kWh (2.56 kWh modules); HVM 8.28–22.08 kWh [SB-S056, SB-S073, C] | HVS 5.12–12.8 kW rated DC [SB-S073, C] | 96% or more [SB-S056, C] | 10 yrs; 70% or minimum throughput, first (HVS 12.8: 38.53 MWh; HVM 22.1: 68.31 MWh) [SB-S057, C] | No dated price yet | set by the inverter it's paired with (battery only) [SB-S203, E] | HVS to 17 Jan 2027; HVM to 5 Dec 2026; HVM+ to 31 Dec 2027 [SB-S073, C] |
| Sungrow SBR | 3.2 kWh modules, 6.4–25.6 kWh usable, 100% depth of discharge [SB-S137, SB-S071, C] | 5.76–15.36 kW rated DC per older V1.2 datasheet (2021) [SB-S139, C]; not in current V5 [SB-S137] | Not found in maker's documents | 10 yrs; 70%; unlimited cycles for self-use/backup, else a cap (SBR096 26.88 … SBR256 71.68 MWh) [SB-S050, C] | No dated price yet | three-phase RT off-grid backup 1.67 kW (SH5.0RT) or 3.33 kW (SH10RT) per phase (Sungrow, 2021) [SB-S201, C]; single phase: ask the installer | SBR064–256 listed to 30 Dec 2026 [SB-S071, C] |
Listing dates: check them on your quote
Both brands have models whose CEC listing ends soon: BYD HVM on 5 December 2026 and Sungrow SBR on 30 December 2026 [SB-S073, SB-S071, C]. The discount needs the model to be listed on the install day [SB-S003, C]. Ask the installer which exact model is on the quote, for example HVM or HVM+, and to show its current listing [SB-S073, E].
HVS, HVM and HVM+ sizes and dates: BYD sizes and listing dates.
Discount at typical sizes (our arithmetic, not a quote)
BYD HVS 12.8 and Sungrow SBR128 are both 12.8 kWh usable: 87 STCs each, about $3,450 with STCs at their last traded price of $39.65 (30 Oct 2026) [SB-S036, SB-S095, E]. For how dated price lists look when an installer publishes one, see a dated price list on our Sigenergy page. The factor drops to 5.7 for installs from January 2027 [SB-S036, C]. The discount is set by the installation date [SB-S004, C]. It needs a CEC-listed, VPP-capable battery installed with solar by an SAA battery-endorsed installer [SB-S003, C]. The STC price moves, so your installer's figure will differ. Official rules: cer.gov.au and dcceew.gov.au.
Who each one suits
BYD suits you if your installer recommends a non-Sungrow hybrid inverter and you want a stack from 5 kWh up [SB-S056, C/E].
BYD is not for you if your quote is for an HVM model installed after 5 Dec 2026 without a renewed listing [SB-S073, E]. Note: the BYD datasheet we read is the general English version, not Australian-specific [SB-S056].
Sungrow suits you if you already have a Sungrow hybrid inverter [SB-S137, C].
Sungrow is not for you if your install is in 2027 and the SBR listing hasn't been renewed [SB-S071, E].
Other comparisons
All six brands in one place: solar battery comparison table. Sungrow against other brands: the Sigenergy comparison, the Tesla head-to-head with the same rival, FoxESS against Sungrow, Alpha ESS against Sungrow. Not on the Sungrow fence? the Powerwall and Sigenergy match-up. Queensland has no state battery rebate open, so only the federal discount applies if you're in Queensland [SB-S044, C].
For Sungrow specs and downsides beyond this matchup, including SBR against SBH, see the full Sungrow battery review [SB-S137, SB-S138, C].
Ask your installer, in writing
- The exact model on the CEC approved list, its usable kWh and listing end date [SB-S026, SB-S071, C].
- How many STCs the quote assumes, and for which install date [SB-S004, C].
- What stays on in a blackout, and the line-item cost of backup.
- Warranty years, the 70% figure and the throughput cap.
Rules checked 3 November 2026. Next scheduled check: before 1 January 2027 (STC step-down), and monthly for WA and NSW.