---
title: "AIKO vs SMA Solar - Brand Comparison | ComparePV"
description: "Compare AIKO vs SMA Solar solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background."
source: "https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-sma-solar"
---

# AIKO vs SMA Solar

AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 0 models). AIKO leans bifacial (24% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | AIKO | SMA Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | China | Germany |
| Headquarters | Shanghai | Niestetal |
| Founded | 2009 | 1981 |
| Employees |  | 3000-5000 |
| Annual capacity |  |  |
| Tier 1 | yes |  |
| Listed | SZSE: 600732 | ETR: S92 |
| Website | [https://www.aikosolar.com](https://www.aikosolar.com) | [https://www.sma.de](https://www.sma.de) |

SMA Solar Technology AG is a leading German manufacturer of solar inverters for photovoltaic systems, serving residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications worldwide. Founded in 1981, the company is the largest solar technology company in Europe by revenue and operates in over 190 countries. SMA focuses...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | AIKO | SMA Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 144 | 0 | +144 |
| Max Power | 805 W | 0 W | +805 W |
| Avg Power | 581 W | 0 W | +581 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | AIKO | SMA Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 25.20% | - |  |
| Avg Efficiency | 23.65% | - |  |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | AIKO | SMA Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.271%/°C | - |  |
| Bifacial Share | 35 (24%) | 0 (0%) | +24 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.5 yrs | - |  |


## Efficiency distribution

AIKO skews to higher efficiency: 85% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | AIKO | SMA Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 3 (2.1%) | 0 |
| 20-21% | 3 (2.1%) | 0 |
| 21-22% | 3 (2.1%) | 0 |
| 22-23% | 12 (8.3%) | 0 |
| 23%+ | 123 (85.4%) | 0 |


## Power distribution

AIKO offers more 600W+ panels (60% of lineup)


| Power band | AIKO | SMA Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 2 (1.4%) | 0 |
| 400-499W | 50 (34.7%) | 0 |
| 500-599W | 5 (3.5%) | 0 |
| 600-699W | 78 (54.2%) | 0 |
| 700W+ | 9 (6.2%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **Back Contact** (83%)


| Technology | AIKO | SMA Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Back Contact | 119 (82.6%) | 0 |
| N-type | 17 (11.8%) | 0 |
| PERC | 7 (4.9%) | 0 |
| Flexible | 1 (0.7%) | 0 |


## Top panels, AIKO


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [AIKO-A805-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a805-grh78dw) | 805 | 25.1 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [AIKO-A800-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a800-grh78dw) | 800 | 24.9 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [AIKO-A795-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a795-grh78dw) | 795 | 24.8 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [AIKO-A790-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a790-grh78dw) | 790 | 24.6 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [AIKO-A785-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a785-grh78dw) | 785 | 24.4 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [AIKO-A780-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a780-grh78dw) | 780 | 24.3 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [AIKO-A775-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a775-grh78dw) | 775 | 24.1 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [AIKO-A770-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a770-grh78dw) | 770 | 24.0 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [AIKO-A700-MAE78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a700-mae78dw) | 700 | 25.0 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [AIKO-A695-MAE78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a695-mae78dw) | 695 | 24.9 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

SMA Solar Technology AG is a German company founded in 1981 and headquartered in Niestetal, Hesse. It is Europe's largest solar technology company by revenue, but its core business is the manufacture of solar inverters and energy management systems - not photovoltaic modules. SMA reported annual sales of approximately 1.9 billion euros in 2023 and operates across 20 countries. As of 2025, the company is navigating a restructuring program, reducing its workforce amid weak residential and commercial inverter demand, and holds a B bankability rating from industry analysts with a noted path to recovery. AIKO Solar, by contrast, is a Chinese module manufacturer headquartered in Zhejiang, China, that achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in 2024 and has rapidly scaled production capacity, with some estimates placing its combined cell and module capacity in the dozens of gigawatts per year. AIKO has the stronger institutional footprint specifically as a panel supplier.

Because SMA Solar does not manufacture solar panels, a direct module-to-module comparison is not meaningful. SMA's product portfolio centers on string inverters, hybrid inverters, battery storage systems, and grid-management software suited to residential rooftops, commercial installations, and utility-scale plants globally. AIKO, on the other hand, produces n-type ABC (All Back Contact) crystalline silicon modules - a technology where both electrical contacts sit on the rear of the cell - achieving mass-production module efficiencies confirmed by pv-magazine at 24.8 percent and recently showcasing prototype modules at 25.6 percent efficiency. AIKO's Neostar series targets premium residential and commercial rooftop buyers who prioritize high energy density in constrained roof spaces.

For a buyer choosing solar panels in 2025, AIKO is the relevant option between these two brands, and it competes credibly at the premium end of the module market thanks to its validated ABC technology and Tier 1 status. SMA Solar remains a leading choice for inverters and system integration. The two brands are not interchangeable - they address different parts of the solar value chain - so the right answer for most system designers is to evaluate them together as complementary components rather than as alternatives.

\---LINKS---

\- https://www.pv-tech.org/aiko-capacity-upgrades-abc-cell-technology/ \| Aiko steps up ABC transition with 11GW capacity upgrade \| article

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/12/19/aiko-achieves-24-8-efficiency-in-commercial-solar-module-production/ \| Aiko achieves 24.8% efficiency in commercial solar module production \| article

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/06/10/aiko-showcases-690-w-back-contact-solar-module-with-25-6-efficiency/ \| Aiko showcases 690W back-contact solar module with 25.6% efficiency \| article

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/10/06/sma-to-cut-350-jobs-by-2026-amid-weak-solar-inverter-market/ \| SMA to cut 350 jobs by 2026 amid weak solar inverter market \| article

\- https://www.solarchoice.net.au/products/panels/aiko-solar-panels-review/ \| Aiko Solar Panels - Independent Review by Solar Choice \| review

Sources:

\- \[Aiko steps up ABC transition with 11GW capacity upgrade - PV Tech\](https://www.pv-tech.org/aiko-capacity-upgrades-abc-cell-technology/)

\- \[Aiko achieves 24.8% efficiency in commercial solar module production - pv-magazine\](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/12/19/aiko-achieves-24-8-efficiency-in-commercial-solar-module-production/)

\- \[Aiko showcases 690W back-contact solar module with 25.6% efficiency - pv-magazine\](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/06/10/aiko-showcases-690-w-back-contact-solar-module-with-25-6-efficiency/)

\- \[SMA to cut 350 jobs by 2026 amid weak solar inverter market - pv-magazine\](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/10/06/sma-to-cut-350-jobs-by-2026-amid-weak-solar-inverter-market/)

\- \[Aiko Solar Panels - Independent Review by Solar Choice\](https://www.solarchoice.net.au/products/panels/aiko-solar-panels-review/)

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


## Other comparisons

- [AIKO vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-a-b-energy)
- [AE Solar vs SMA Solar](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-sma-solar)
- [AIKO vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-aeet)
- [AKCOME vs SMA Solar](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-sma-solar)
- [AIKO vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-artsolar)
- [ASM vs SMA Solar](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-sma-solar)


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Source: https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-sma-solar

Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.