Every panel works. Not every panel is right for your home. This guide breaks down all three options — pricing, specs, pros, cons, and who each one is actually built for. No fluff, no upselling.
Each panel serves a different homeowner. Here's the honest overview — and we'll tell you which one fits your situation.
⚠️ Reminder: Starting at prices shown are estimates only, not a quote. All quotes must be provided in person. Call us today at (978) 535-6260.
Every spec that matters, compared honestly across all three options.
| ⚡ Standard 200A Panel | 📡 Leviton Smart Panel | ⚡📡 SPAN Smart Panel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Value | |||
| Starting price (200A installed) | $5,200 | $7,500 | $9,800 |
| Mass Save rebate eligible | ✓ $500–$4,000 | ✓ $500–$4,000 | ✓ $500–$4,000 |
| Federal 25C tax credit | — | Up to $600 | Up to $600 |
| Home value ROI | Strong | Strong | Best-in-class |
| Technology & Features | |||
| App / smartphone control | — Not available | ✓ Leviton app | ✓ SPAN app Top-rated |
| Energy monitoring | — None | Per smart-breaker only | ✓ All 32 circuits, real-time |
| Remote circuit control | — | Smart breakers only | ✓ Every circuit individually |
| Built-in load management | — | — | ✓ Automatic priority control |
| Modular / upgrade path | — | ✓ Add smart breakers over time | Upgrade panel if needed |
| Smart home integration | — | ✓ Alexa, Google Home | ✓ SPAN app ecosystem |
| Circuit spaces | 30–42 spaces | 30–42 spaces | 32 smart circuits |
| Breaker type | Standard (any brand) | Standard + optional Leviton smart breakers | Standard — not proprietary |
| Electrification Compatibility | |||
| Solar / PV ready | ✓ Compatible | ✓ Compatible | ✓ Native integration |
| Battery backup compatible | ✓ Basic transfer | ✓ Compatible | ✓ Enphase, Tesla, Sunrun |
| EV charger compatible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ With smart load management |
| Heat pump compatible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ Auto load balancing |
| Outage / load shedding | Manual only | Limited | ✓ Automatic circuit prioritization |
| Quality & Warranty | |||
| UL Listed | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manufacturer warranty | Typically 1–5 yr (varies by brand) | 1-year standard | 10 years |
| MA permit / inspection | ✓ Required & included | ✓ Required & included | ✓ Required & included |
| Wi-Fi / cloud dependency | None | Optional (some features need Wi-Fi) | App requires Wi-Fi; panel works offline |
| Ideal Homeowner Profile | |||
| Best for | Reliability, simplicity, no tech required | Smart features without SPAN price; grow-as-you-go | Solar + battery + EV + full electrification |
⚠️ Pricing Reminder: Starting at prices shown are estimates only, not a quote. All quotes must be provided in person. Call (978) 535-6260.
Beyond the table. Here's what you actually need to know before choosing.
The standard 200-amp upgrade is the baseline for any modern home. It's not glamorous — but it works, it's simple to maintain, and it will never need a software update. For homeowners who want a clean, code-compliant electrical system without any complexity, this is the right answer.
Industry data consistently shows that a panel upgrade from 100A to 200A delivers measurable home value. Real estate surveys indicate panel upgrades recoup 75–80% of project cost in home resale value — before any energy savings.
Leviton's load center with smart breakers is the practical middle ground. The panel itself is a quality, code-compliant load center — but the real value is the modular smart breaker system. You don't have to replace all breakers at once. You can start with the circuits that matter most (HVAC, EV charger, kitchen) and add smart breakers over time as budget allows.
Smart breakers give you app-based monitoring and control for the circuits they're installed on. Alexa and Google Home integration means you can build this into a smart home setup. Leviton's app earns solid reviews for reliability and ease of use.
SPAN was designed from scratch for the modern all-electric home. It's not a traditional panel with smart features bolted on — the load management intelligence is built into the hardware itself. All 32 circuits are monitored and individually controllable in real time.
Where SPAN earns its premium: automatic load management. When your EV is charging, heat pump running, and oven on simultaneously, SPAN monitors total service draw and automatically throttles lower-priority loads to prevent overloading — without you touching anything. This is particularly valuable in Massachusetts homes adding EV charging and heat pumps to existing 200A service.
SPAN uses standard breakers — not proprietary. That means future service is available from any licensed electrician, and replacement parts are standard stock.
We install all three. Here's what we'd tell a family member.
Clean, reliable, no surprises. Gets your home up to 200A safely, adds home value, and keeps life simple. Perfect if you're not planning solar or EV in the near term. Mass Save rebates bring the net cost down significantly.
Best of both worlds. You get the panel you need today, the smart features you want, and the flexibility to expand on your own schedule. Start with smart breakers on your HVAC and EV circuits, add more as budget allows. Lower commitment than SPAN, meaningfully more capable than standard.
If you're adding solar, battery storage, and an EV charger — SPAN earns every dollar of its premium. The automatic load management alone prevents you from overloading your service when everything's running at once. It's purpose-built for exactly this use case, and nothing else on the market matches it for the all-electric home.
💡 The honest bottom line: We'll never recommend the most expensive panel if the simpler one is right for you. Book a free consultation and we'll walk through your home's situation, tell you which panel makes sense, and map out every rebate you qualify for. No pressure, no pitch.
2026 is peak rebate year. Mass Save panel upgrade rebates are live. Federal credits are expiring. Here's the complete picture.
Massachusetts' Mass Save program offers rebates for panel upgrades when replacing an undersized or outdated electrical panel. Rebates range from $500 to $4,000 depending on the scope of the upgrade and your utility. These apply to all three panel options — standard, Leviton, and SPAN. We handle the rebate paperwork with you.
$500–$4,000 rebateThe Inflation Reduction Act's 25C credit covers qualifying smart electrical panel upgrades — up to 30% of cost, capped at $600 — when installed as part of a qualifying home energy project. Applies to Leviton and SPAN smart panel upgrades. Consult a tax professional to confirm eligibility for your installation.
Up to $600 federal creditThe Section 30C federal credit covers up to $1,000 (30%) of EV charger installation costs. This credit expires June 30, 2026. Pair your panel upgrade with an EV charger install now to capture both the rebate and the credit before the deadline.
Up to $1,000 EV creditMassHousing's Energy Saver program offers low-interest loans from $10,000 to $100,000 for home energy improvements, including panel upgrades, heat pumps, and solar. This is financing on top of rebates — not instead of them. We can connect you with the right program for your project.
$10K–$100K financing💰 Stack your savings: A panel upgrade can qualify for Mass Save rebates + MassHousing financing simultaneously. Add a heat pump or EV charger to the same project and you can stack additional rebates on top. We'll map out the full incentive picture during your free consultation — most homeowners don't realize how much is available.
We'll walk through your home's setup, tell you which panel makes the most sense for your situation, and show you every Massachusetts incentive you qualify for. No commitment, no pressure — just a straight answer from licensed electricians who've been doing this work since 1984.