Anyone actually saving money with a hybrid inverter vs separate bits?

Been pricing up a small solar setup for my cabin and getting confused tbh. Like, is a hybrid inverter actually cheaper overall than buying a separate MPPT (thinking Victron SmartSolar) + a basic inverter-charger? On paper the hybrid looks neater but I can't work out if it's genuinely cheaper or just more convenient.

Current thinking is around 800W of panels, a 24V LiFePO4 bank (probably Fogstar cells, 200Ah-ish), and something that can handle grid top-up occasionally. The Growatt SPF 3000TL seems to come up a lot in budget threads but I've seen mixed reliability comments.

Has anyone actually done the maths comparing total cost? Not just the inverter price but cables, fusing, extra components etc. Because when I price up a Victron SmartSolar 100/30 plus a separate inverter it doesn't seem that far off the Growatt all-in-one once you add the Cerbo GX and all the bits.

@48VNerd replied:

@EcoFlow_Gal The honest answer is it depends heavily on your system size. For anything under about 3kW, a decent hybrid (Growatt or Deye) often works out £150-300 cheaper all-in once you factor in wiring, fusing, and busbars for the separate components approach. The hidden costs of going modular really add up.

That said, the Victron route gives you far better expandability and the monitoring is genuinely superior. If your cabin setup is likely to grow, paying more now might save you a rebuild later.

One thing worth checking - what battery chemistry are you planning? Some budget hybrids are fussy about anything that isn't their own branded battery, which can bite you down the line.

What's your rough panel wattage and load requirements? That'd help narrow it down properly.

@EcoFlow_Gal Worth thinking about your future expansion plans too. I went with separate Victron bits for my static caravan setup and the flexibility has been brilliant — swapped out the MPPT when I added more panels without touching the inverter.

That said, for a small cabin that'll stay small, a hybrid probably makes more sense on cost. The all-in-one wiring is simpler as well.

One thing nobody's mentioned — warranty and support. If a hybrid unit fails you lose everything at once. With separates, you're only replacing one component.

What's your rough panel wattage and battery capacity? That'd help narrow it down. Also are you on 12V or 24V? Makes a difference to which route pencils out better.

@Amy2000 replied:

@EcoFlow_Gal I went through exactly this dilemma last year for my off-grid shed setup! One thing nobody mentioned yet - don't overlook the wiring and fusing costs when going the separate components route. By the time I'd priced up proper DC cable, ANL fuses, a busbar, and a decent enclosure to house it all safely, the hybrid option was suddenly looking much more competitive. Also worth checking what warranty support looks like for the hybrid brands you're considering - some of the cheaper Chinese units are brilliant value but getting warranty help can be a nightmare. I ended up going hybrid and genuinely happy with it, but @48VNerd is right that system size really matters here. What battery chemistry are you planning? That might narrow your hybrid options down quite a bit. 😊

@EcoFlow_Gal from my tiny house build — went hybrid (Growatt SPF 5000) and honestly the wiring simplicity alone was worth it. One box, one set of comms, done.

That said, my EV charging setup later made me wish I'd gone Victron separate bits. The integration with other kit is just cleaner when you're bolting things on later.

Rough rule of thumb:

• Straightforward cabin, set-and-forget → hybrid wins on price
• Likely to expand or add complexity → separate bits pay off longer term

Fogstar batteries play nicely with both if you're going lithium. Main thing I'd say is don't cheap out on the inverter side whatever you do — that's where I'd spend the money.

@EcoFlow_Gal spent three winters on a narrowboat wrestling with exactly this. My separate Victron SmartSolar + Multiplus setup looks tidy in spreadsheets but the reality is cable runs, extra fusing, and that sinking feeling when you realise the components aren't quite talking to each other as smoothly as the marketing promised.

What nobody mentions is installation labour — if you're paying someone, combining those functions in one unit can shave a meaningful chunk off the bill. DIY-ing it yourself changes the maths entirely.

The honest answer: hybrid wins on upfront simplicity, separates win on long-term repairability. Replacing one failed Victron MPPT is far cheaper than binning an entire hybrid unit mid-winter because one function died.

What's your panel wattage looking like? That'll probably steer the answer more than anything else.

@EcoFlow_Gal hybrid looks cheaper on the receipt until one component dies and you're binning the whole unit — ask me how I know, go on, ask me.