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

# Q-Cells vs SMA Solar

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 0 models). Q-Cells leans bifacial (39% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | Q-Cells | SMA Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | South Korea | Germany |
| Headquarters | Seoul | Niestetal |
| Founded | 1999 | 1981 |
| Employees | 2000+ | 3000-5000 |
| Annual capacity | 11.2 GW/year |  |
| Tier 1 | yes |  |
| Listed | NASDAQ: HQCL | ETR: S92 |
| Website | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) | [https://www.sma.de](https://www.sma.de) |

Qcells is a renowned global provider of complete energy solutions, specializing in solar cells and modules, energy storage solutions, downstream project business, and energy retail. The company has a strong heritage dating back to its foundation in Germany and has become a leader in technology innovations. As an...

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 | Q-Cells | SMA Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 89 | 0 | +89 |
| Max Power | 675 W | 0 W | +675 W |
| Avg Power | 468 W | 0 W | +468 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | Q-Cells | SMA Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 23.20% | - |  |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.21% | - |  |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | Q-Cells | SMA Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.325%/°C | - |  |
| Bifacial Share | 35 (39%) | 0 (0%) | +39 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 27.0 yrs | - |  |


## Efficiency distribution

Q-Cells skews to higher efficiency: 2% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | Q-Cells | SMA Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 7 (7.9%) | 0 |
| 20-21% | 29 (32.6%) | 0 |
| 21-22% | 30 (33.7%) | 0 |
| 22-23% | 21 (23.6%) | 0 |
| 23%+ | 2 (2.2%) | 0 |


## Power distribution

Q-Cells offers more 600W+ panels (19% of lineup)


| Power band | Q-Cells | SMA Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 20 (22.5%) | 0 |
| 400-499W | 41 (46.1%) | 0 |
| 500-599W | 11 (12.4%) | 0 |
| 600-699W | 17 (19.1%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **PERC** (43%)


| Technology | Q-Cells | SMA Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 38 (42.7%) | 0 |
| N-type | 23 (25.8%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 20 (22.5%) | 0 |
| TOPCon | 8 (9.0%) | 0 |


## Top panels, Q-Cells


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 675](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-675) | 675 | 21.7 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 670](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-670) | 670 | 21.6 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 665](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-665) | 665 | 21.4 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 660](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-660) | 660 | 21.2 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 655](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-655) | 655 | 21.1 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 650](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-650) | 650 | 20.9 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [Q.TRON XL-G2.3 / BFG 645](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-tron-xl-g2-3-bfg-645) | 645 | 23.1 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [Q.TRON XL-G2.3 / BFG 640](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-tron-xl-g2-3-bfg-640) | 640 | 22.9 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [Q.TRON XL-G2.3 / BFG 635](https://comparepv.com/panel/hanwha-q-cells-america-inc-q-tron-xl-g2-3-bfg-635) | 635 | 22.7 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [Q.TRON XL-G2.3 / BFG 630](https://comparepv.com/panel/hanwha-q-cells-america-inc-q-tron-xl-g2-3-bfg-630) | 630 | 22.6 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

Q-Cells, now operating as Hanwha Q Cells, is a panel manufacturer tracing its roots to Bitterfeld, Germany, where the original Q Cells GmbH was founded in 1999 before South Korea's Hanwha Group acquired it in 2012. The brand retains meaningful German engineering heritage while being backed by a large South Korean conglomerate. It holds BloombergNEF Tier 1 status and operates what is widely cited as the largest solar panel manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere in Dalton, Georgia. SMA Solar Technology is a German inverter maker, not a panel manufacturer - it was founded in 1981 as a University of Kassel spinoff and is headquartered in Niestetal, Hesse. SMA ranks among the top three solar inverter manufacturers globally per Wood Mackenzie's H1 2025 rankings and is the highest-placed inverter supplier outside China. As institutional footprint goes, SMA carries a longer European track record, while Q-Cells benefits from Hanwha's scale and U.S. manufacturing presence.

Comparing these two brands directly is not straightforward, because they occupy different positions in the solar value chain and are generally complementary rather than competing. Q-Cells produces photovoltaic modules - primarily for residential rooftops and commercial installations - with its Q.ANTUM NEO line based on TOPCon cell technology reaching efficiency ratings above 22.5%. SMA Solar supplies inverters, the devices that convert DC power from panels into grid-usable AC power. Its Sunny Boy series targets homes, while Sunny Tripower covers larger commercial and utility-scale projects. In practice, a Q-Cells panel installation might very well include an SMA inverter in the same system.

For a buyer in 2025, a meaningful choice is not Q-Cells versus SMA Solar, but rather which panel brand and which inverter brand to pair together. Q-Cells is a strong mid-to-premium panel choice with solid bankability and domestic U.S. manufacturing. SMA remains a reputable inverter option, though it is navigating a period of financial restructuring and intensified competition from lower-cost Asian inverter suppliers.

\---LINKS---

\- https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review \| Hanwha Q Cells solar panels expert review - SolarReviews \| review

\- https://www.pv-tech.org/sma-solar-losses-exceed-us75-million-2025/ \| SMA Solar losses exceed US$75 million in 2025 - PV Tech \| 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.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/sma-solar-inverter-review \| SMA inverter review - Clean Energy Reviews \| review

\- https://www.ecowatch.com/solar/reviews/qcells-solar-panels \| QCells solar panels review 2025 - EcoWatch \| review

Sources:

\- \[Hanwha Q Cells Solar Panels Review - SolarReviews\](https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review)

\- \[SMA Solar losses exceed US$75 million in 2025 - PV Tech\](https://www.pv-tech.org/sma-solar-losses-exceed-us75-million-2025/)

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

\- \[SMA Inverter Review - Clean Energy Reviews\](https://www.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/sma-solar-inverter-review)

\- \[QCells Solar Panels Review 2025 - EcoWatch\](https://www.ecowatch.com/solar/reviews/qcells-solar-panels)

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


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Source: https://comparepv.com/q-cells-vs-sma-solar

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