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Battery Chemistry Comparison Calculator

Compare LFP, NMC, LTO, Na-ion, and Lead-acid side by side. Enter your daily energy need and priority — get cost, weight, cycle life, and TCO with a recommendation.

Your requirements
kWh/day
Battery chemistry comparison — 10 kWh/day for 15 years
ChemistryCapacity neededUpfront costWeight (kg)Cycle lifeReplacements15-yr TCOCost/cycleSafetyTemp range
LFP
LiFePO4 (LFP)
11.1 kWh$1,94472.2 kg4,0001$3,889$0.49★★★★★-20°C to 60°C
NMC
NMC (Li-NMC)
11.8 kWh$2,52958.8 kg2,0002$7,588$1.26★★★☆☆-20°C to 55°C
LTO
Li-Titanate (LTO)
10.5 kWh$5,263100.0 kg9,1250$5,263$0.96★★★★★-40°C to 60°C
Na-ionRECOMMENDED
Sodium-ion (Na-ion)
11.4 kWh$1,13690.9 kg3,0001$2,273$0.38★★★★★-30°C to 55°C
Lead-acid
Lead-acid (AGM/GEL)
20.0 kWh$2,800600.0 kg6009$28,000$4.67★★☆☆☆-15°C to 50°C
LFP: Industry standard for home storage. Best safety, long cycle life.
NMC: Higher energy density, lighter weight. Used in EVs and premium storage.
LTO: Ultra-long cycle life. Best cold weather. Very high upfront cost.
Na-ion: Emerging 2026 tech. No lithium or cobalt. Lowest upfront cost.
Lead-acid: Proven technology but heavy and short cycle life. Lowest upfront per kWh.
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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your daily energy need and cycling pattern

Start with how much energy your battery must deliver each day. A typical home energy storage system needs 5–15 kWh/day. An off-grid cabin may need 15–30 kWh. A commercial time-of-use arbitrage system may need 50–200 kWh. Select 1 cycle/day for residential use or 2 cycles/day if you charge and discharge twice daily for TOU arbitrage.

Set your lifespan and priority

The lifespan field controls how many battery replacements are counted in the total cost of ownership (TCO). If a chemistry lasts 4,000 cycles but you need 10,950 cycles over 15 years, you'll need two batteries — the model counts that second purchase in the TCO. The priority dropdown determines which chemistry receives the RECOMMENDED badge.

Read the comparison table

The table shows capacity needed (accounting for each chemistry's depth of discharge), upfront installed cost, weight, effective cycle life, number of replacements over your chosen lifespan, total cost of ownership, cost per cycle, safety rating, and operating temperature range. The RECOMMENDED badge highlights the best choice for your stated priority.

The Formula

Nominal Capacity = Daily Need ÷ Depth of Discharge Upfront Cost = Nominal kWh × Cost per kWh (installed) Weight = Nominal kWh × kg per kWh Total Cycles Needed = Cycles per Day × 365 × Lifespan Years Effective Cycle Life = min(Rated Cycle Life, Calendar Life in Cycles) Replacements = ceil(Total Cycles ÷ Effective Cycle Life) − 1 Lifespan TCO = Upfront Cost × (Replacements + 1) Cost per Cycle = Upfront Cost ÷ min(Effective Cycle Life, Total Cycles)

The effective cycle life caps at the chemistry's calendar life converted to cycles — even if LTO is rated 25,000 cycles, it won't last 68 years. Lead-acid has a severe calendar life limitation (5–7 years) that often triggers 2–4 replacements over a 15-year period, making its lifetime cost much higher than the low upfront price suggests.

Example

Home daily cycling — 10 kWh/day for 15 years, lowest lifetime cost priority

Daily need10 kWh/day
Cycles1 cycle/day = 5,475 total over 15 years
PriorityLowest lifetime cost

Result summary

LFP11.1 kWh needed, $1,944 upfront, 0 replacements, $1,944 TCO — RECOMMENDED
Na-ion11.4 kWh needed, $1,137 upfront, 1 replacement, $2,274 TCO
NMC11.8 kWh needed, $2,530 upfront, 1 replacement, $5,060 TCO
LTO10.5 kWh needed, $5,275 upfront, 0 replacements, $5,275 TCO
Lead-acid20.0 kWh needed, $2,800 upfront, 3 replacements, $11,200 TCO

LFP wins on 15-year TCO for typical home cycling. Its 4,000-cycle life easily covers 5,475 cycles over 15 years without replacement, and at $175/kWh installed it's significantly cheaper than LTO. Na-ion is the lowest upfront but needs one replacement due to its shorter calendar life. Lead-acid looks cheap at $140/kWh but requires 3 replacements and double the nominal capacity due to its 50% DoD limit — 4× the total cost of LFP.

FAQ

For most home solar storage applications in 2026, LFP (LiFePO4) is the best choice. It offers the best balance of safety (no thermal runaway risk), long cycle life (3,500–5,000 cycles), reasonable cost ($150–200/kWh installed), and a 10–15 year calendar life. This is why Tesla Powerwall, Enphase IQ Battery, SolarEdge Home Battery, and most Australian solar batteries all use LFP chemistry. NMC is lighter but has lower cycle life and higher safety risk. Na-ion is emerging as a lower-cost alternative but has less real-world track record at this stage.
Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries are entering the market in 2025–2026, primarily through Chinese manufacturers (CATL, BYD, HiNa). They offer genuine advantages: no lithium, cobalt, or nickel — significantly cheaper raw materials — plus better performance at cold temperatures than NMC. The $80–120/kWh installed cost target makes them highly competitive. However, as of 2026 they have limited commercial track record in home storage applications, shorter calendar life than LFP (estimated 10–12 years), and limited availability outside Asia. They're worth watching but LFP remains the safer choice for a 15-year installation.
Lead-acid looks cheap at $100–180/kWh installed, but three factors dramatically increase lifetime cost: (1) 50% depth of discharge — you need twice the nominal kWh to get the same usable kWh, doubling upfront cost; (2) Short cycle life — only 500–800 cycles, meaning 2–4 replacements over 15 years vs zero for LFP; (3) Short calendar life — 5–7 years regardless of cycling. For a 10 kWh/day application over 15 years, lead-acid costs 4–6× more than LFP in total. The only case where lead-acid makes economic sense is very low cycling (less than 1 cycle per week) for short-term backup use only.
LTO's 20,000–30,000 cycle life and -40°C operating range justify its $400–600/kWh cost in specific niches: (1) High-frequency cycling — 3+ cycles per day in commercial applications where LFP would need 3–4 replacements; (2) Extreme cold climates — northern Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia where other chemistries lose 30–50% capacity below -20°C; (3) Mission-critical applications requiring 20+ year service life without replacement. For typical home storage (1 cycle/day, mild climate), LFP's lower upfront cost and sufficient cycle life wins decisively. LTO's cost premium rarely pays back in residential use.
Installed cost includes the battery cells, battery management system (BMS), enclosure, inverter or bidirectional inverter (if not separately purchased), installation labor, permits, and commissioning. It does NOT include a separate solar panel system — this calculator sizes the battery only. The 2026 cost ranges (LFP $150–200/kWh, NMC $180–250/kWh, Na-ion $80–120/kWh) reflect complete installed systems from certified installers in the US market. DIY installations can be 30–50% lower but void warranties and may not meet electrical codes. Always get 3 installer quotes — installed costs vary by region, roof type, and electrical panel condition.

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