Hybrid Inverter vs On-Grid vs Off-Grid Inverter: Which Do You Need?
A hybrid inverter runs your home from solar, a battery and the grid together, and switches to battery during load shedding. An on-grid (grid-tie) inverter has no battery and stops when the grid fails, while an off-grid inverter works from panels and battery without exporting. In Pakistan most homes choose a hybrid. This guide explains the three types, the two kinds of hybrid and the sizes people buy.
Updated 12 November 2026
What is a hybrid inverter?
A hybrid inverter combines a solar inverter, a battery charger and a transfer switch in one box. In the day it uses solar to run the house and charge the battery. In the evening it uses the battery. When the battery is low, it takes power from the grid. During load shedding it switches to battery within milliseconds, so fans and lights barely blink.
That is why hybrid inverters are the most popular type in Pakistan: they cut the electricity bill and give backup at the same time.
Off-grid hybrid vs on-grid hybrid
Pakistani sellers use the word hybrid for two different things:
- Off-grid hybrid: uses WAPDA to charge the battery and run loads but never sends power back to the grid. No net billing approval is needed. Examples: Growatt SPF 3500 ES and SPF 6000 ES Plus (used in our 1kW to 7.5kW lithium systems), and most Inverex, Fronus, Itel and Max Power home models.
- On-grid hybrid: does everything an off-grid hybrid does and can also export surplus under an approved net billing agreement. Example: the Deye SUN-10K-SG04LP3 three-phase hybrid in our 10.35kW and 20.7kW systems.
Always ask the seller which one you are getting. Many buyers find out too late that their hybrid cannot export.
How an on-grid (grid-tie) inverter works
An on-grid or grid-tie inverter has no battery port. It converts panel power to AC, runs your loads and pushes any extra into the grid through a net billing meter. It is the cheapest way to cut a daytime bill.
But it has one big weakness in Pakistan: for the safety of line workers it must shut down when the grid goes off. So during load shedding you get no power at all, even in bright sun. Since February 2026, exported units are also paid at a much lower rate than imported units, see our net metering guide (Net Metering and Net Billing in Pakistan (2026 Rules)). Some people ask about a grid-tie inverter without net metering; it will still run daytime loads, but the DISCO meter may record exported units wrongly, so get advice first.
How an off-grid inverter works
A true off-grid inverter runs only from panels and battery. It is used on farms, in remote houses and at sites with no grid. The battery must be large enough for every night and for cloudy days. Many off-grid inverters also have an AC input, which is why they are often called off-grid hybrid. Our off-grid solar systems (Off-Grid Hybrid Systems) work this way.
Hybrid inverter sizes: 5kW, 6kW, 8kW, 10kW and 15kW
- 3kW to 5kW: one or two inverter ACs with careful timing, small homes.
- 6kW: the most popular hybrid size in Pakistan. Runs two 1.5 ton inverter ACs plus normal home loads in daytime sun.
- 8kW: larger homes; GoodWe and Inverex 8kW models are widely searched.
- 10kW to 12kW: three or four ACs, usually three-phase for export.
- 15kW to 20kW: big homes and offices, often two 10kW units in parallel, as in our 20.7kW system.
Size the inverter on what runs together, not on your monthly units. See the sizing guide (Which Solar Inverter Size Do You Need?).
Single-phase vs 3 phase hybrid inverter
Single-phase hybrid inverters are common up to about 6kW to 8kW and suit most homes. A 3 phase hybrid inverter spreads power over three lines and is needed for most larger homes and businesses with a three-phase meter. Under NEPRA's 2026 rules, applicants for net billing are defined as three-phase 400V or 11kV consumers, so if you plan to export, a three-phase on-grid hybrid is usually the right choice. Compare our single phase (Single Phase Systems) and three phase (Three Phase Systems) systems.
Which type should you buy?
- Daily load shedding, want backup and a lower bill, no plans to export: off-grid hybrid.
- Three-phase connection, want backup and to export surplus: on-grid hybrid.
- Stable grid, only want to cut daytime bills, no backup needed: on-grid inverter.
- No grid at all: off-grid with a larger battery.
With export rates low under net billing, a battery that stores your own solar for the evening is usually worth more than exporting. Our hybrid solar systems (On-Grid Hybrid Systems) are listed with live prices.
